I still don't get it. The last guy on the roster probably doesn't matter, but a third catcher seems more useful than the current version of Marwin. Is he supposed to be a good luck charm or something?
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/w...know-from-astros-roster-schedule-tickets-more They have now edited their report to reflect Marwin in and Meyers out. I posted immediately after updating my spreadsheet from their report. I was disappointed the didn't have Stubbs so the could use Castro as a PH without a backup plan for possible injury.
Marwin and Diaz are their extreme emergency catchers. If you lost one of Maldy/Castro do to injury then of course you still have to get through that game but they can add Stubbs for the next game.
Urquidy for game 2. Any chance it has something to do with weather? Didn't he struggle in Colorado early in the season? Then he struggled in Boston. Looked like it was relatively cold and I assume Atlanta will be cold as well.
Bingo. You know Marwin's been doing some work with the gear these past couple of weeks just in case that situation occurred.
Stubbs is a better catcher than Marwin although arguably worse at the plate. Diaz can emergency catch though, so what added value is Marwin adding? Marwin's 2021 was no better than Maldonado at the plate, so it's not like he's that compelling a pinch hitter. I guess he's a switch hitter, but his numbers are atrocious from the left side, so there isn't really a platoon advantage.
I find it interesting that Framber will be on 5 days rest, Urquidy on 10 days rest, Garcia on 7 days rest in games 1, 2 and 3 now and Framber on 4 days rest, Urquidy on 5 days rest and Garcia on 4 days rest in games 5.6 and 7 if necessary. It leaves only game 4 as a Bullpen Game. Framber 1-1 Home and Road, Urquidy 2-0 Home and Garcia 1-1 Road and Home.
Having Marwin makes it that much easier to burn Diaz as a pinch hitter. And we won the WS with Marwin, but lost it without him.
Never say never but I can't recall ever seeing a scenario where the Astros lost both catchers and had to go to an emergency catcher. The likely scenario is that since the Astros are playing games in an NL ballpark they are going to need more pinch hitters than what we're used to. I'd much rather have the experience of Marwin than Stubbs when it comes to a late inning or extra inning pinch hit at bat for the pitchers spot. With Marwin, they have another player that can play left field if they go with defense late in games in Atlanta.
It seems unlikely they'd be pinch hitting Diaz for anyone but Maldonado, so Stubbs would accomplish the same and be a better defensive replacement. Anyway, I'll go with the last guy on the roster doesn't really matter and he's a good luck charm.
