Can Brian McCann Reach The High Expectations in 2015?

Brian McCann came to the Yankees amid high expectations. In the first in our series analyzing the Yankees starters, let´s take a close look at what we can expect from McCann in 2015. 

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For his career, McCann has hit .272 with 199 home runs and 736 RBI. Since he has played ten years, it makes the break down easy: .272 with 20 homers and 73 RBI per season. So his overall performance in 2014 for the Yankees, which some have labeled as a disappointment, actually is in line with his career averages, with one big exception-batting average.

In 2014, McCann hit .232 with 23 home runs and 75 RBI. His 23 homers actually is tied for his second highest output of his career. His RBI total rests near the middle of the pack, if you look at his year by year production. And is just above his career average of 73. So the question becomes, why should there be optimism for improvement in 2015?

The answer may come from the last ten games of the season. McCann finally seemed to settle in and relaxed at the plate. In his last 29 at-bats, he hit three home runs, and collected nine RBI. For the mathematicians who like to extrapolate, that pace would work out to 39 and 145 for a full season. But if that is too small of a sample for you, then take his last 30 games, when he had six home runs. That would put him on pace for over 30 for a full season.

That will never work out, you say? Well, consider that he still only batted around .200 for that stretch. So let´s say he is able to get closer to his .272 lifetime average in 2015, and continue at that pace in the power categories, would 30 home runs and 100 RBI not be realistic?

Of course, the keys are staying healthy and getting that average up. Those two must happen for him to elevate his game in 2015. But he did play in 140 games in 2014. And a higher average obviously points to a significant increase in RBI.

But with a season under his belt in New York, and a swing that is made for Yankee Stadium, there is no reason that he can´t reach 30 and 100.