LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP) -Brian McCann will join the Atlanta Braves in Philadelphia on Friday after having success with his new glasses in a minor league rehab game on Thursday night.
McCann was 1-for-3 with a run-scoring double and a walk in a game with Triple-A Gwinnett. He also threw out a baserunner in Gwinnett’s 4-0 win over Syracuse.
It was McCann’s first time playing with glasses at any level.
He said he would fly to Philadelphia early Friday, the day he is eligible to come off the disabled list.
“I’m pretty sure I’m going to be activated tomorrow,” McCann said after the game. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be in the starting lineup, ready to go. I’m excited to get back and join the team. I think everything is going to go great.”
McCann said his plans to join the Braves on Friday were not contingent on his results on Thursday night.
s), whether it be in the minor leagues or in the big leagues,” he said. “I want to be with the team and I want to help them win.”
McCann said his only concern was having the glasses become sweaty or foggy when catching. He had the glasses on while catching in the first, second and ninth innings and caught without the glasses the rest of the game. He wore the glasses for each of his four plate appearances.
“I definitely see better when they’re on,” he said. “I let a ball get back to the backstop that I normally don’t let get back there. I’m still going to have to feel them out.”
McCann had laser surgery on his eyes after the 2007 season and said he had “perfect eyesight for a year and a half.” He said he began to struggle with blurred vision “all of a sudden” this season. After going on the disabled list on April 25, he was unable to wear contact lenses.
A second laser surgery “would be a last resort,” he said.
McCann, a three-time All-Star who has a .295 career batting average, was in a 1-for-20 slump that dropped his batting average to .195 when he was placed on the DL. He has two home runs and seven RBI in 13 games.
e fourth, when he wasn’t wearing the glasses.
“I thought he did a nice job,” said Gwinnett manager Dave Brundage of McCann. “I thought he had a great throw to second base. In the end I thought his legs were kind of a little rusty. He hasn’t caught in over a week.”
Even when he was not wearing the glasses, McCann stayed with a new hockey goalie style catcher’s mask. He switched to the new mask to accommodate the glasses.
“I’m not used to taking the mask on and off (with glasses),” he said. “I kind of smeared the lens. I was going to try to go the rest of the game without wearing them, but I’m probably going to have to wear them when I catch.”
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