Mike McCann's Field of Fotos

From 2008, Citi Field rising alongside Shea Stadium. This was taken from the right field corner of Shea -- with the new ballpark appearing between the scoreboard and the farthest tip of the left field grandstand.

Part of the reason I bought the Canon SX50HS was to take advantage of its 50:1 zoom. Its real strength are portraits that capture the personality of an athlete or musician. My subject here: Mets 3rd baseman David Wright.

One of the treats of shooting from one of Citi Field's photo pits is capturing dugout scenes. Watching Diamondbacks coach Don Baylor watch a game is a treat. The man is all business. It's same tough, focused demeanor we saw in his playing days with the A's, Orioles and Yankees. And it's on display here last July.

The Dodgers have done pretty well over the years with catchers from the Philadelphia area: Roy Campanella, Mike Piazza -- and in between, Mike Scioscia. A defensive standout during his 13-year career, he also became (in 1990) the first Dodger to start an All-Star Game since Campy. Since then, he's made his mark with Southern California's other team. Managing the Angels since 1999, he led them to their first (and still only) World Series championship in 2002. We've got some other big baseball names with November 27th birthdays -- Ivan Rodriguez, Jimmy Rollins and Dave Giusti and long-ago pitcher Bullet Joe Bush.

Clean, clear and simple -- the Orioles honor their legends by displaying their retired numbers along the stands near the left field corner. Then, on the fair side of the foul pole, the blue Brooklyn 42 for Jackie Robinson. How many of the Baltimore players can you name? #20 is Frank Robinson, #5 Brooks Robinson, #4 Earl Weaver, #22 Jim Palmer, #33 Eddie Murray and #8 Cal Ripken. Then, in the plaza beyond the outfield and the bullpens, there are statues for these Oriole heroes -- below is the one for Frank Robinson.

When the Braves let 7-time All Star catcher Brian McCann leave as a free agent, it was a show of confidence in two young players: Panamanian-born prospect Christian Bethancourt (above -- seen in 2013 Spring Training) and Evan Gattis , (below) who hit 21 homers splitting his rookie season between the outfield and catching. For a cost-conscious ballclub, having two young players deemed ready made it easy to pass on an $85-million deal that could vest to six-years and $100-million at a position that wears bodies down at a faster pace than any other.

The Yankees have snared the first big free agent this winter. Several reporters, including Jon Heyman of CBSsports.com have the longtime Braves catcher signing with the Yankees for 5 years and $85-million. Lots of money? Sure. But it fills a void on the Yanks for lefty power and a steady everyday catcher. McCann will be a dramatic upgrade over the tandem of Chris Stewart and Austin Romine. And his swing should help boost his home run totals now that he'll play half his games with Yankee Stadium's right field corner beckoning. The Yankees, despite occasional pronouncements that they'll hold down spending, prove that money is often no object. At least in this case, it appears to be money well spent.

While the "new" Yankee Stadium opened in 2009, demolition of the old ballpark wasn't completed until the spring of 2010. Here's one of many shots I snapped contrasting the rubble of the fallen park in the shadow of its sparkling successor.

Deals like the one announced last night rarely happen these days. The Rangers and Tigers swapped high-salaried stars, with 2nd baseman Ian Kinsler (left) heading to Detroit in exchange for slugging 1st baseman Prince Fielder (below). This could be the even rarer commodity -- the deal that actually helps both clubs. The Tigers upgrade significantly at 2nd base with Kinsler. While Fielder will fill the power void created when Josh Hamilton left for the Angels and free agent Nelson Cruz likely heading elsewhere after a Biogenesis-related PED suspension. Both players are on long-term contracts; Detroit is likely to send Texas some money since Fielder's contract is  both longer and more lucrative each season. This could also impact the free agent market, with the Tigers less likely to seeking a 2nd baseman, while the Rangers could be done in the quest for another power hitter.

I was very impressed by MCU Park in Brooklyn. The home of the Mets short-season farm club the Brooklyn Cyclones takes full advantage of its location next to the Coney Island amusement area. And when you capture a late-summer late-afternoon, the skies can provide some spectacular colors of their own. And it taps nicely into the borough's baseball history -- notice how the legacy of the Dodgers is saluted on the video board's graphics for the home players when they come to bat. Aim the camera to the side of the big screen and there's a boardwalk and the Atlantic Ocean.

Part of what makes each ballpark special is the way it honors its local tradition. At Citizens Bank Park, a display of flags atop the Ashburn Alley gift shop salutes the club's first place finishes dating back to 1915. Below, beneath the Alley -- the park's distinctive center field concourse -- is the Wall of Fame. Here, standout players, managers, executives and other off-field personnel are singled out. To the right, the plaque for the beloved broadcaster Harry Kalas. Established in 1978 at Veterans Stadium, the Wall -- originally displayed indoors on a lower-level concourse -- began with the induction of a legendary Phillies player as well as one from the long-departed Athletics. The initial two honorees were Robin Roberts and Connie Mack. The first A's player honored was Jimmy Foxx, in 1979 (going in at the same time the Phillies named Richie Ashburn) The dual inductions ended in 2003, the Vet's final season. For 2013, Curt Schilling's plaque was added.   ...

I caught this image of the Yankees outfield standing together for the national anthem just before a July game in the Bronx. Left-to-right: Alfonso Soriano, Brett Gardner and Ichiro Suzuki.

For the Mets fans who're hoping that the Blue Jays might want to send Jose Reyes back to New York after two disappointing seasons, you'll like this image from Spring Training 2007. Here, he slaps one past the pitcher in a game against the Orioles at Port St. Lucie.

If your birthday is November 14th, you share it with Phillies infielder Freddy Galvis. The native of Venezuela has shown flashes of talent the last two seasons, but still ranks behind Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins among Philadelphia's middle infielders. This summer, I caught him with the Triple A Lehigh Valley IronPigs in Syracuse and in September, after being recalled by the Phils. There's still room for improvement in his hitting -- he's a career .245 batter in the minors. While Galvis is the youngest major leaguer born on November 14th, who's the best player with that birthday ? That's likely Curt Schilling, who made his name as a post-season ace with the Phillies, Diamondbacks and Red Sox.

Surprising news yesterday as outfielder Marlon Byrd signed with the Phillies for two years, $16-million (and an option for 2016). Coming off his best season ever at age 35 with 24 homers between the Mets and Pirates, Byrd was in like for a big bump in pay -- but a two-year guarantee that could become three seems surprising, Keep in mind, his career was hanging by threads last March when he came to the Mets on a minor-league deal before making the team with a strong spring training. Did Philadelphia GM Ruben Amaro reach too far for right-handed power, or is Byrd whose career began with the Phils in 2002, just a late bloomer? I've got a hunch that the other available free agent outfielders, such as Beltran, Ellsbury and Choo, saw their price tags rise based on the numbers in Byrd's deal.

Last night, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the documentary Being Mariano . A poignant and insightful celebration of the Greatest Closer of All Time, the program aired last night on the YES Network. But it has also aired on FOX Sports 1 and will likely pop up on MLB Network. When you get the opportunity, catch it -- or least save it on your DVR. Pleasantly understated in its production, it balances reverence and reality, the humanity of a gifted athlete and true gentleman.

While looking to see if I had a picture of Pirates reliever Jason Grilli -- which I apparently don't -- I found this picture taken from the photo booth alongside Citi Field's visiting team dugout. Look at how deep it is -- with the modern crop of ballparks, dugouts have not become less cramped, but have grown to resemble pens or courtyards! Sure, there is the traditional tow of seats under the overhang. But look how much space there is in front, before the fence separating it from the playing field.

Sorry, I don't really have anything Alan Hale-related today -- but I just had to use the line. But there is a skipper in today's photo: Rich Renteria, most recently the Padres bench coach, has been named the new manager of the Cubs. Let me squash one rumor -- he won't be taking the Phanatic along as his hitting coach.

With the World Series settled and the five-day waiting period over, clubs are free to make offers to such impressive talent as Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin Soo Choo, Brian McCann and Nelson Cruz. But the big prize is Robinson Cano. His impressive offensive numbers for a second baseman, combined with above-average defensive skills, likely mean he'll earn this winter's biggest contract. But should he? With Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter missing more than half of the 2013 season, the Yankees struggled to remain close to the eventual champion Red Sox. Attendance in the Bronx was down, creating the perception that unlike Jeter, A-Rod or previous Yankee icons Mantle, DiMaggio or Reggie, fans don't come out just to see him. There's also that supposed issue of hustle. Too often, he's watching his fly balls headling toward the fences, instead of running hard for a possible extra base. And if he hits infield grounders, he appears at times to raise the white flag before a fielder...

On election day, much attention was paid to names such as Chris Christie, Terry McAuliffe and Bill DiBlasio. But did you catch the story from Houston where voters rejected a referendum to refurbish the Astrodome and re-purpose it as a convention center. Time flies -- the Astrdome has not been home to the Houston Astros since 1999. The Oilers left several years earlier, leaving the Eighth Wonder of the World a generally empty venue. Now, with no clear plan and certainly nothing financially viable to preserve or utilize it, this groundbreaking but aging facility might soon meet the same fate as the Kingdome, Ebbets Field and Veterans Stadium. It always seems to come down to money. Is the first domed, air-conditioned stadium deserving of special status? Should it be treated more like Carnegie Hall than the Polo Grounds? And should taxpayers be asked to foot the bill? Click on comment and share your thoughts. And if you've ever visited the Astrodome -- as I did back in July 1969 --...

During the off-season, I'll be mixing in some images of stadium architecture alongside the player photos. This one, taken on my first visit to the "new" Yankee Stadium, captures the curved sweep of the frieze that overhangs the stadium roof, and several levels of seating.

On my August visit to Citizens Bank Park, I tried to capture some unusual images of the ballpark, some angles and scenes beyond the usual game action and player portraits. These two certainly tell a story: the center field wall, with its Wrigley-esque ivy, is familiar from TV shots of the ballpark. But had you ever wondered what was behind that wall? Seen from behind and above, it's one of the panels devoted to Phillies history -- a collage of Veterans Stadium memories, most prominently the exuberant Tug McGraw at the moment the Phils wrapped up their first World Series title in October 1980.

June 30th, 2010 was my most recent visit to Pawtucket, where we caught the Triple-A Red Sox hosting the Yankees club from Scranton. Two top Yankee prospects were in that night's lineup, including Eduardo Nunez. He hit and fielded well that night, and did little to cast doubt that he'd soon be moving up to the majors.