FanHouse BrianMccann

Saturday Spotlight is a weekly lightning-round of questions delving into the personalities of major leaguers. This week is another multimedia edition, with an audio interview.

Braves catcher Brian McCann quickly established himself as the premier all-around catcher in the National League. In his first full season, in 2006, he made the All-Star team, and he's been back each of the two years since. McCann also played for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic this year.

Click the jump to listen to the interview.

From the Windup is Matt Snyder's extended look at some aspect of America's pastime each Thursday.

I think we can all agree that it's far too early to start voting upon who the best 2009 players are when it's only the middle of May. That being said, there are certainly some shining stars at this point who deserve some props. Plus, Major League Baseball recently released their All-Star ballots for our voting pleasure -- we vote on who will start the All-Star Game. If that's not important, I don't know what is. Let's take a gander.

MLB Power Rankings: Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.

Let me put this simply: you want no part of being No. 1 in the FanHouse MLB Power Rankings. It just brings discord, losing and possibly suspensions to your baseball team. Such was the case with the white-hot Dodgers and Manny Ramirez, who now have to deal with a 50 game-ban of their star slugger. Who's doomed this week? Let's just say that no one would be too shocked if they weren't there again next Wednesday.

Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.

When Luke Hochevar was summoned to the majors last season, he had started only 13 games at the triple-A level. He had compiled a 2-4 record with a 4.54 ERA in those starts. Translation: It appears the former number one overall draft pick had been rushed -- especially when you consider his ensuing major league numbers. In his rookie year, Hochevar went 6-12 with a 5.51 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. His strikeout rate was well below his capabilities as well.

Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.

At least we know Alex Rodriguez will have plenty of help from Yankee Stadium as he makes his way back from hip surgery.

Just ask Johnny Damon, who's suddenly turned into one of the hottest power hitters in baseball after hitting only 17 home runs all of last year. Damon has already knocked seven out this season, including three this month. The Rays joined in on the ball-smashing fun Thursday, launching six homers as a team. So is a trip to Yankee Stadium the same as visiting Arlington now?

Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.

One fantasy baseball question becoming increasingly more prevalent these days is very succinct: Is David Ortiz done? The problem? It's a tough question to answer. What do we actually mean by "done?" Is he ever going to be the guy who hit 54 home runs or the one who drove home 148 runs again? No. Not a chance.

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
Micah Owings has no intentions of pulling a Babe Ruth.

So far this year, Owings is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA as a pitcher and batting .400 as a hitter – including the game-winning double Sunday for the Reds. His pinch hit broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning, and Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News isn't alone in wondering if maybe a Cincinnati team batting .210 overall could use his bat more than a few times a week.

MLB Power Rankings: Where we care what you've done for us lately when we break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world each week.

It's been a while since a week of baseball was this sad -- we saw the tragic passings of Nick Adenhart, Harry Kalas and Mark Fidrych. And without waxing too sentimentally, it's the loss of these men that remind us exactly just how little sports matter in the grand scheme of things. RIP, gentlemen. Power rankings (that feel just a tad inconsequential, to be honest) after the jump.

It wasn't always pretty, but the U.S. got off to a much better start in the World Baseball Classic than it did last time around, hanging on for a 6-5 victory over a feisty Canadian squad on the strength of home runs by Adam Dunn, Kevin Youkilis and Brian McCann.

Sunday night, Team USA and starting pitcher Roy Oswalt are staring in the face of a much tougher test. Venezuela, which handled an overmatched Italy squad with ease Saturday and features a number of major league stars including Francisco Rodriguez, Felix Hernandez, Miguel Cabrera and Bobby Abreu, awaits, with the winner clinching a spot in the next round. If all that isn't enough to get your pulse pounding, then maybe the political implications will.

Either way, join us after the jump at 8PM ET as the MLB FanHouse crew takes you from first pitch to final out.

Not this time, Canada. Matched up with a sneaky good Canadian team in its first game of the World Baseball Classic just as in 2006, Team USA avoided an embarrassing upset loss and an early hole in the double-elimination international tournament.

It was hardly smooth sailing for the Americans though. The Canadians jumped out to 1-0 and 2-1 leads in the early innings as U.S. starter Jake Peavy labored, and then had the game-tying run on second base in the ninth inning before closer J.J. Putz shut the door for the 6-5 win.