Dein erstes Forum » 21 interceptions, 11 in the past three week

NEW YORK -- Brian McCann still wanted to catch, a lot. So with his options limited in the New York Yankees lineup, the seven-time All-Star gladly accepted a new opportunity in Houston.McCann waived his no-trade clause and was sent, along with $11 million, to the Astros on Thursday for a pair of young minor league pitchers.The Yankees acquired right-handers Albert Abreu and Jorge Guzman.It had to be the right fit, McCann said on a conference call. It wasnt going to be just anywhere.McCanns playing time diminished in the second half of the season as rookie Gary Sanchez emerged as a power hitter behind the plate. Sanchez hit 20 home runs in just 53 games.It was like nothing Id ever seen before. He was the best player in the game, McCann said.The 32-year-old McCann hit .242 with 20 homers and 58 RBI this year.We entered the offseason with the acquisition of a catcher as a primary focus, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said in a statement.Brian McCann is a great fit for the Astros as he is not only a good defensive catcher, he is also a left-handed hitter with proven run-producing ability, he said. His experience and his ability to impact his teammates will be a significant benefit to our team.Jason Castro made the most starts at catcher for the Astros last year, batting .210 with 11 homers and 32 RBI.Evan Gattis, known more for his slugging than his catching, also saw time at the spot.Houston and the Yankees met in the AL wild-card game in 2015. They both went 84-78 this year and missed the playoffs.Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the trade gives the team financial flexibility for potential free agents and trades.Houston stepped up and I think all parties got what we wanted, he told reporters.McCann made 86 starts at catcher last season, his fewest since he was a rookie with Atlanta in 2005. He figured next year in New York likely would mean catching once a week, plus some platoon time as a designated hitter.I wanted to catch every day, he said. I feel like I still have a lot of good years left.McCann also likes what he sees in the Astros, praising a lot of great young pieces.I wanted to be a part of it, he said.McCann hit 24 homers in 2006 and has hit at least 18 home runs in every season since then. He has 245 career homers with 888 RBI while batting .266.This was McCanns third season in New York after signing an $85 million, five-year deal as a free agent.McCann is due $17 million in each of the next two seasons, and the Yankees will pay $5.5 million both years.The Yankees had a $15 million option for 2019 with no buyout. The option became McCanns if he had at least 1,000 plate appearances combined in 2017 and 2018, had at least 90 starts at catcher in 2018 and didnt end up that season on the disabled list.The 21-year-old Abreu was a combined 3-8 with a 3.72 ERA for two teams in Class A. The 20-year-old Guzman was a combined 3-4 with a 4.05 ERA with two rookie-level teams. Carlos Boozer Jersey . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. 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INDIANAPOLIS -- Paul Chryst and James Franklin left the outside world behind Friday.As college football pundits debated whether two Big Ten teams should make the four-team playoff, the two coaches vying for a Big Ten championship Saturday night trained their attention on something less nebulous: Winning one more game.For No. 6 Wisconsin and No. 8 Penn State, its not the selection committee that matters right now. Its taking home the trophy and winning the title.The only thing that exists for us is Wisconsin and the Big Ten championship game, said Franklin, the Penn State coach. Im not going to sit here and make a case for us. Our whole focus will be on Wisconsin and getting ready for this game.That may sound good in the confines of a locker room or in a stadium decked out in cardinal and blue. Or at least until Sunday afternoon, when the playoff choices become final.But even inside Lucas Oil Stadium, its hard to move beyond the resumes of these teams.Wisconsin (10-2, No. 6 CFP) earned its fourth division crown in six years with six straight victories and by posting a 3-2 mark against top-10 teams. The only stumbles were a seven-point loss at No. 2 Michigan and an overtime loss to No. 2 Ohio State.I think one quality of this team that Ive appreciated a ton this year is their ability to make the most of the moment, Chryst said of his Badgers. Theyve done a good job of that. So I dont spend any time thinking about what youre asking about (the playoffs). Its not a big deal right now. Wed be doing this game and this team a real disservice if we didnt put all of our energy into it.Penn State (10-2, No. 7) is the surprise newcomer to championship weekend.It got here by winning eight straight since a 39-point drubbing at the hands of Michigan in late September. And while they only played one ranked team during that stretch, they did hand the Buckeyes their only loss of the season.Franklin declined several times to explain why his own team deserved to play for the national championship, though he did imply the Nittany Lions may have won the nations toughest division -- the Big Ten East.Hed just rather let the conference title make the case for him.Im not sure about resummes, what resumes have to do with the Big Ten championship game, Franklin said.dddddddddddd I think to play for a Big Ten championship is a tremendous honor on its own and then to find a way to win this game and take that baby home would be great.Here are some other things to watch Saturday:INJURY WATCHPenn State running back Saquon Barkley looks good to go Franklin. Hes been drinking a lot of milk all week and orange juice and vitamin C, Franklin said before turning to a reference from The Karate Kid. We flew in Mr. Miyagi, hit him on the ankle with the hands.The bigger question will be Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook, who left last weeks game with a head injury and is questionable. If Hornibrook plays, Chryst will likely use his starter and backup Bart Houston. Otherwise, Houston will have to win it. Wisconsin also lists defensive lineman Conor Sheehy (right arm) as questionable.GETTING DEFENSIVEIn an era where gaudy offensive numbers and high-scoring games have become the norm, these teams are throwbacks -- relying heavily on the run and stout defenses. Wisconsin leads the nation with 21 interceptions, 11 in the past three weeks. Penn State finished fourth in the Big Ten in total defense and hasnt allowed a touchdown in its last two games.BACK HOME AGAINIndiana has been a fertile ground for both teams recently. The Badgers have won eight straight regular-season games against Purdue and Indiana and won two of the first three title games in Indy. Penn State, meanwhile, is making its third trip to the state since Oct. 29 when they routed Purdue 62-24. Two weeks later, they hung on for a 45-31 victory at Indiana.GETTING CLOSE?Wisconsin won the Big Tens inaugural title game 42-39 in 2011 and Michigan State drove for a late score to beat Iowa 16-13 last year. In between, the games have been mostly blowouts. This time, at least on paper, it looks like a more evenly matched contest -- one that may whip the large crowd into a frenzy Saturday night.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '