Detroit Tigers Catcher James McCann Smoked a Bird with a Line Drive

TigerHitsBird

Rookie catcher James McCann is looking to impress the Detroit Tigers during spring training and earn a job backing up Alex Avila.

I’m not sure if crushing a poor bird with a foul ball will help or hinder his chances to head north with the big club, but it’s certainly something he’ll hear about for a long time.

The freak incident happened during the first inning of Friday’s game against the Atlanta Braves.

McCann said he wasn’t aware of the, ahem, fowl ball, until longtime umpire Joe West informed him in typical Joe West fashion.

"(West) said he didn’t know what was funnier,” McCann said, “seeing the bird get hit or the woman’s reaction when it landed in her lap.”"

What makes this even sadder for the bird is that it will never get the same notoriety the fine avian specimen blown up by Randy Johnson’s fastball in 2001 enjoyed.

First, Johnson is a much bigger name than McCann. No one doubts that.

Secondly, the 2001 explosion happened right on the field, not above it. When it comes to notable bird incidents, we know it’s all about location, location, location.

[MLive]