After a decade of "ballot logjam," has voting for the National Baseball Hall of Fame finally returned to normal? We will know when results from the ballots cast by the qualified members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA, or "the writers") are announced on January 21, 2025, although based on voting trends over the last decade, the bulk of the results are predictable and, by now, unsurprising.

What does a "return to normal" mean? Of the 14 first-time candidates on the BBWAA 2025 ballot, only two, CC Sabathia and Ichiro Suzuki, stand out as likely Hall of Famers, and neither are a lock for first-ballot induction. Of the 14 returning candidates, none of the "normal" candidates are automatic Hall of Famers, else they would have been elected already. Thus, there is no "ballot logjam," meaning that there are not more than ten sure-fire Hall of Famers who exceed the maximum of ten votes allowed per ballot.

Brian McCann played the bulk and best part of his career with the Atlanta Braves, the team he was the primary Catcher for from 2006 to 2013.

McCann quickly became one of the top offensive Catchers in the National League.  While he was with Atlanta, McCann went to seven All-Star Games, earned five Silver Sluggers, and had seven 20 Home Run years, all of which were atypical for a Catcher in any era.   What was typical was the New York Yankees making a Free Agent offer to McCann, which he signed in 2014.  

He had three more 20 HR years with New York and later joined Houston as a veteran presence, helping the Astros win the 2017 World Series.  McCann finished his career in Atlanta for one year, and he retired with 1,590 Hits, 282 Home Runs, and 1,018 RBIs.

While he was beloved by many Pitchers for his ability to call a game, McCann's candidacy is hampered by a below-average defense, which lowers his overall resume, but any seven-time All-Star should receive someone's vote.

In a tumultuous year that was not normal for anything and everything including baseball, one thing that might be back to normal is voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Granted, the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has 14 returning candidates, with just about every one of them owning cases for induction that range from borderline to compelling.

In the aftermath of the Atlanta Braves 13-1 loss and elimination in Game 5 of the National League Division Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, Braves Catcher, Brian McCann has announced that he is retiring after 15 seasons in the Majors.

McCann was drafted by Atlanta in the 2^nd Round of the 2002 Amateur Draft and he would crack the Braves roster in 2005.  He would be named the everyday Catcher going into the 2006 season and over the next six years he was considered one of the top catchers in the National League.

McCann would begin a six-year run of All-Star Selections, and he would establish himself as the most consistent power-hitting Catchers.  From 2006 to 2017, he never had a season where he wasn’t between 18 and 26 Home Runs.  His power would earn him seven Silver Sluggers, six of which were consecutive from 2006 to 2011. 

He would sign with the New York Yankees for the 2014 season and would be there for three years and collected his seventh Silver Slugger there.  McCann would then play for the Houston Astros for two years, and he would win the World Series with them in 2017.  He returned home to Atlanta this year, in what we now know in his final year in the game.

He retires with 1,590 Hits, 282 Home Runs, 1,018 RBIs and a Slash Line of .275/.348/.469.  He is 32^ndall-time among Catchers in bWAR with 31.8.

McCann will be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025.  His numbers are more than good enough to get him on the ballot but overall metrics will make it hard for him to move past the first year of eligibility. 

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to thank Brian McCann for the memories he created on the field and we wish him the best in his post-playing career.

Brian McCann was one of the top hitting Catchers in the National League for a long period of time.  From 2006 to 2011 McCann was named an All-Star and in five of those years, he was also a Silver Slugger.  He would show off good power with seven 20 Home Run seasons with 176 total as a Brave with 1,070 Hits for Atlanta.  McCann’s defense wasn’t always the best (he allowed a lot of stolen bases) but his above-average offense more than made up for it.