Atlanta series a homecoming for Brian McCann

Brian McCann is home this weekend.

Sure, he spends his summers in New York, but McCann grew up outside of Atlanta, started his baseball career with the Braves, and still has a home in Georgia. He has friends down there, his family is down there, and this weekend series is a homecoming in every way. Fans even gave him a standing ovation before his first at-bat last night.

“I was hoping to be able to go back there and play,” McCann said. “When the schedule came out and I saw it, I was really excited for that. I wanted to go back and play before they knocked down Turner Field.”

Now in his second year with the Yankees, McCann has become a key clubhouse presence in the Bronx. He clearly fits with this Yankees team. His offensive numbers have bounced back this year, the pitching staff raves about his game calling, and working with Gary Tuck seems to have improved his work behind the plate.

But McCann’s foundation was set in Atlanta.

“I got to play with some people I looked up to and grew up watching,” McCann said. “They all took me under their wing. Chipper (Jones) taught me how to hit. He taught me how to hit at this level. (John Smoltz) taught me how to call a game. Those guys were a big part of my career.”

McCann still remembers the specifics of one of his earliest hitting lessons from Jones.

“He taught me how to sit on pitches,” McCann said. “I can tell you a story. When I was 21, I came up with the bases loaded, two outs. Guy (who was pitching), his best pitch was a split. He threw me three straight splits and I swung at all of them. Everyone was leaving and (Jones) met me in the tunnel, and he said, ‘What do you think he’s gonna throw you there?’

“He just slowed the game down for me, I guess. He’s like, ‘You’re getting that pitch every time,’ and he just taught me how to sit on counts. He’s one of the smarter hitters you’re ever going to come across, smartest baseball people you’ll ever come across. I don’t think I had the success early on in my career if it wasn’t for him.”

McCann wasn’t caught off guard by his move away from Atlanta. The writing was on the wall, and the Yankees — in search of a new everyday catcher last offseason — were a natural landing spot.

“(The Braves) had two good catchers coming up and you have a certain payroll that you had to stay under and I knew what was going on,” McCann said. “… The way (the Yankees) make you feel here, you feel welcome right away. So for me, it wasn’t a huge transition. I know on the field you can say it was, but I felt great here right away. … This is right where I want to be.”

Associated Press photos

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