The good news is that Allen Craig will be one of the most overqualified National League DHs in recent World Series memory when the St. Louis Cardinals add him to their roster for this week’s trip up to Boston. The theoretically bad news: His position in the field is even more in question than usual.
Mozeliak on @KMOX: It's 99.9% Craig will be activated. Hopes to use him as DH in Boston & cross bridge when we get there in St. Louis
— KMOXSports (@KMOXSports) October 21, 2013
I say theoretically bad because the Cardinals have won two postseason series in a row without so much as a pinch-hit appearance from Craig; just having him around to replace Adron Chambers off the bench at Busch is more than I think most of us were expecting as his rehab drifted further into the postseason.
It took an unexpectedly serious foot injury to do it, but the Cardinals have basically found themselves in the same place the Red Sox annually find themselves with David Ortiz: wondering whether it’s worth the risk to health and defense to get to full power on offense.