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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. Jonathan Isaac Magic Jersey . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. "This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. Jason Williams Magic Jersey . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. http://www.magicauthentic.com/kids-aaron-gordon-magic-jersey/ . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. Jerian Grant Magic Jersey . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Nikola Vucevic Jersey . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap.​​​​​​​With Zlatan Ibrahimovic suspended for Manchester Uniteds clash with Arsenal, Jose Mourinho faces a selection dilemma up front. The stats suggest its time to unleash Marcus Rashford through the middle. Arsenals visit to Old Trafford on Saturday stirs special memories for Marcus Rashford. The teenager scored twice in three minutes when he made his Premier League debut in the same fixture last season, helping Manchester United to a memorable 3-2 win and catapulting his name into the headlines.Three days earlier he had netted two goals on his senior bow against Midtjylland, but doing it against a Premier League title contender was a different story. Rashford became a superstar-in-waiting, and the previously unknown youngster finished the season as Louis van Gaals first-choice striker with eight goals in 18 appearances. Nine months on from those thrilling beginnings, Rashford finds himself in a rather different situation. Jose Mourinho made a point of defending his youth policy at his Manchester United unveiling in July, but the critics appeared to be vindicated as Zlatan Ibrahimovic took centre stage and Uniteds rising star started the season on the bench. Marcus Rashford scored twice against Arsenal last season Rashford had to be patient, but he has made a habit of taking his chances. He came off the bench to score a stoppage-time winner against Hull in his first competitive appearance under Mourinho in August, and he won his new managers trust with an industrious second-half cameo in the Manchester derby.Rashford was rewarded with a chance to lead the line for Uniteds Europa League trip to Feyenoord a few days later, but he struggled to make an impact in a 1-0 defeat at De Kuip. Ibrahimovic was restored up front, and Rashford has been confined to the flanks ever since.Its an unfamiliar role for the academy product. Rashford revealed he had not played as a winger since the age of 12 or 13 in an interview with Sky Sports in September, and he was clear about his priorities, too. On a personal level, scoring lots of goals is the main objective, he said. Marcus Rashford struck a dramatic winner against Hull in August Four goals in his first six appearances of the campaign augured well, but Rashford has struggled to hit the heights of last season since then. He has not scored in his last seven appearances for United. The barren run stretches to 10 games for club and country. Its the longest of his fledgling career.Rashford hopes the experience of playing out wide will make him a more complete player and Mourinho has been impressed by his defensive work-rate, but his new responsibilities are clearly coming at a cost. A statistical comparison between this season and last reveals his attacking output has dropped in all departments. Marcus Rashford 2015/16 vs 2016/17 Stat 2015/16 2016/17 Games played 18 14 Goals scored 8 4 Assists 2 1 Shots per game 2.0 1.5 Shots on target per game 0.dddddddddddd8 0.4 Chances created per game 0.7 0.6 Dribbles attempted per game 4.7 3.3 Dribbles completed per game 1.6 1.0 Touches in opposition box per game 6.5 6.1 Rashford is a penalty box predator who scored with his first shots on his Europa League, Premier League and international debuts. But since moving to the flanks he is shooting less and spending less time in the areas where he is most effective. In Uniteds goalless draw at Anfield last month, he didnt touch the ball once in Liverpools box. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price Its not just his goal threat which has been diminished. Rashford is creating fewer chances than last season, his dribbles have fallen from 4.7 per game to 3.3, and his crossing stats are those of a striker shoehorned into an unnatural position. Of 25 attempted deliveries, only two have found a team-mate. It gives him a success rate of just eight per cent. Marcus Rashfords heatmap in Manchester Uniteds 0-0 draw with Liverpool Despite the obvious drawbacks of moving Rashford from his favoured position, Mourinhos faith in Ibrahimovic has been unwavering. The Swede went six Premier League games without scoring before his double against Swansea prior to the international break, but he is still the only outfield player to have started every minute of Uniteds campaign.Rashford, of course, is not the only player in the frame to deputise against Arsenal. Wayne Rooney has lost his place in the United team this season, but he could get the nod to start up front on Saturday having recovered from the apparent knee injury which forced him out of England duty. Importance of Carrick The details behind why Michael Carricks return can be the catalyst for Manchester United. Mourinho might be tempted to err on the side of experience when he comes to pick his team, but he would be better off casting his mind back to the last time Arsenal visited Old Trafford. Rashford was the hero that day. Moving him back into his natural position could be Uniteds best hope of claiming another three points against the Gunners. Get a Sky Sports Pass Dont miss Man Utd v Arsenal. Watch live on NOW TV for ￡6.99. No contract. Also See: Nevilles Man Utd-Arsenal preview Tylers Man Utd-Arsenal special Rooney celebrations defended Your clubs Premier League omens ' ' '