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Capellini: With McCann A New Man, Yankees Are Finally Getting What They Paid For

Remember when Brian McCann was labeled as a player who couldn’t cut it in New York?

That was a long time ago, it seems. These days, it’s hard to imagine the Yankees succeeding without him.

The veteran catcher struggled through the 2014 season, his first in the Bronx after signing a five-year, $85 million free agent contract. His problems were magnified because the Yankees were limping through a second straight season of looking utterly clueless at the plate.

A seven-time All-Star with the Atlanta Braves, McCann seemed to personify the Bombers’ transformation from a feared offensive club to one unable to string hits together with a sudden allergic reaction to the long ball.