I wonder what they're going to do with McCann at the end of the season. Bethancourt was supposed to be his heir apparent, but the kid can't hit his way out of a paper bag. Gattis is there, but is he the long-term answer? Low miles, but is already 27.
Option A : Re-sign McCann to a 4-year, $60 million deal. Pray he stays healthy. But then what do you do with Gattis? Use him as the every 5th day catcher/4th outfielder/pinch-hitter? If they want him in the lineup every day, I don't see how they do it unless they move Justin Upton to CF, put Gattis in left and trade BJ Upton for a bag of balls and eat 75% of that contract. Also, then you'd have over $50 million per year committed to the Uptons, Uggla and McCann on a team with a ~$90M payroll limit for at least the next two seasons (and $40 M for the Uptons and McCann the two years beyond that). Heyward, Medlen, Teheran, Minor, Beachy, their entire bullpen... all these guys will need to be extended or allowed to walk at some point in the next handful of years. This would be fine if it was New York, Boston, or L.A., but not for Atlanta.
Option B : Let McCann walk and make Gattis the everyday catcher. Pray he stays healthy. If he doesn't, welcome to a year of Gerald Laird as the every-day catcher. Also pray Bethancourt's bat catches up to his arm. If it doesn't..... gulp. This is the fiscally prudent (and IMO, more likely) scenario, but there are more "ifs" this way, and if things don't work out perfectly, the Braves could see what is potentially another championship window slam shut before it even has a chance to fully open.
What do you guys think?