No backup catcher? Dave Roberts sees Will Smith and Austin Barnes as ‘1 and 1A’
LA TimesDodgers catcher Austin Barnes and reliever Joe Kelly celebrate an NLDS win against San Diego in October. Austin Barnes, not Smith, started four of the Dodgers’ six World Series games behind the plate. “I just don’t want Austin to come into this season as a backup because, clearly, in the postseason, yeah, we leaned on him.” Dodgers catcher Will Smith celebrates after hitting a two-run single against the Atlanta Braves in Game 7 of the NLCS on Oct. 18. His three-run home run in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, with the Dodgers facing a 3-1 series deficit against the Atlanta Braves, might have saved his team’s season. “Especially when you’re talking about our ballclub, the length of lineup and have a guy that’s really elite back behind the plate and to feel comfortable hitting him somewhere in the middle of the order, versus right, versus left, is certainly a luxury.” In October, however, the Dodgers didn’t consider the luxury enough to overcome Smith’s deficiencies.
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