PITTSBURGH -- Jacob Stallings admitted Monday night that his preparation -- one of many traits he's lauded for -- borders on paranoia. As the third catcher on the Pirates' depth chart, he must be available at a moment's notice. So when the Bucs scratched Francisco Cervelli from Monday's lineup due to flu-like symptoms, Stallings was ready.
Stallings already had done his homework on the Royals' lineup. He already had thought about his gameplan with starter Joe Musgrove. And when he came up with two on and two outs in the ninth, he already had his approach in mind.