Astros Claim Catcher, May Be Done With Quintero

Let's run through a crazy theory.

So, Houston claims another defensive catcher who can play as a backup on the major league team. They already have a couple guys like that on the 40-man roster and a starting catcher in Jason Castro who will be coming back from injury and is the presumed starter.

So, why grab a guy like Tatum, who is maybe a slight upgrade over Carlos Corporan, but not a major one?

What if it's because Houston is thinking about not keeping Humberto Quintero on the roster?

Q is getting expensive, especially for a backup. He's good to average defensively, depending on if you go by scouting reports or advanced methods. He's definitely been a terrible hitter, no matter what method you use.

It's a tough choice, since the Astros know they can count on Q to step into a role as starter if something does happen to the starter. But, with the GM being so budget-conscious lately, I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to cut a corner here and got rid of a player they've made superfluous with other roster moves.