What are the odds that (1) you pinch hit for the catcher (presumably in the late innings) and (2) in those late innings, your backup catcher gets hurt? Is that 1-in-100 games scenario scenario really something a team needs to plan for? I'd think you'd just accept you lose that one game rather than wasting a roster spot for the remote possibility. If you didn't need anyone else, I'd just put a ridiculous speedster that can't hit a baseball in that spot to use as a pinch runner. We can regularly see the need for that in late innings.
In a 5 game series you can’t just accept losing a game. In a 7 game series you have more flexibility. That’s why Stubbs was on the roster against the White Sox (more valuable than a pitcher you don’t intend to use), but not against the Red Sox (extra pitcher is more important). The Lance situation also makes pitching more important in the LCS.
No way. He wont make it out of the 3rd, possibly the 2nd. Look for the pen to work around 5-6 innings every game this series. Its gonna be a grind. Go Stros.
