1978 Boston Red Sox replay
 

I usually play modern saves but I wanted to try replaying the 1978 season for my beloved Red Sox. I was seven years old that year and the playoff game at the end of the year between the Yankees and Red Sox is still a vivid memory. So I fired up a new save, chose the Red Sox in 1978 and turned on the real life transactions and lineups to see how it would go this time. Only one problem. OOTP didn't assign a backup catcher to the opening day roster. Now I know Carlton Fisk was an iron man among catchers at that point in time, starting 150 games at catcher in 1978 after starting 149 at the position in 1977, but I find it hard to believe that no catcher was on the roster but him on opening day. OOTP has both Bob Montgomery and Fred Kendall, the two other guys to make starts at catcher for Boston that year, on the IL with 255 days remaining before they are available.

So any ideas on a fix? Should I just ignore it and let Fisk be the superman at catcher that he apparently was? I can never pinch run for him late in a game? I'm not familiar with how historical works so any tips or help would be appreciated.

Here was the real opening day roster from 1978
Tom Burgmeier
Bill Campbell
Reggie Cleveland
Dick Drago
Dennis Eckersley
Bill Lee
Allen Ripley
Bob Stanley
Mike Torrez
Jim Wright
Carlton Fisk
Bob Montgomery
Bob Bailey
Jack Brohamer
Rick Burleson
Frank Duffy
Butch Hobson
Fred Kendall
Jerry Remy
George Scott
Bernie Carbo
Dwight Evans
Fred Lynn
Jim Rice
Carl Yastrzemski

Disabled List - Luis Tiant

And the transactions for the season
4/18 - Sold Reggie Cleveland to Texas, Activated Luis Tiant from DL.
6/15 - Sold Bernie Carbo to Cleveland
6/16 - Recalled Sam Bowen from Pawtucket
7/10 - Placed Rick Burleson on Disabled List
7/14 - Recalled Garry Hancock from Pawtucket
7/24 - Sent Allen Ripley to Pawtucket, Acquired Andy Hassler from KC.
7/28 - Sent Sam Bowen to Pawtucket, Activated Rick Burleson from DL.
9/02 - Recalled Bobby Sprowl from Pawtucket.
9/16 - Recalled Sam Bowen, John LaRose & Gary Allenson (did not appear in a game in 1978) from Pawtucket.

I was trying to play in "challenge mode". Will this be impossible for this save since it appears I need to use commissioner mode to fix the roster or is there another way to fix it?

As far as I know this will not be possible in challenge mode.