Herrara

[JohnnyMO]

Bagwell and Ortiz had roids.

I just think of Herrera is an .800 OPS guy he should stay behind the plate. That’s not enough of a hitter to take up a DH or corner spot long term

[renostl]

Genuine question because I don’t know off hand, but how many players spent years in the minors as 18-20hr .280 hitters with an OPS around .800 and then suddenly became 30+ HR 1000 OPS players?

I’m excited about Herrera, but I feel like people are anointing him way too soon.

Cautiously optimistic.

He probably does need to carry that >.800 OPS if he is an OF/DH or 1B that
seems fair vs whatever he would do at C.

It's what he has done in 100 MLB games and over 400 MiLB games so far.
Staying at .825 or higher is greater than anyone that he'd be replacing there by 100 points
assuming DH or one of RF/LF.

There's a lot of room up to 1.000. That would be fantastic and
beyond nice.

[Futuregm2]

Bagwell and Ortiz had roids.

I just think of Herrera is an .800 OPS guy he should stay behind the plate. That’s not enough of a hitter to take up a DH or corner spot long term

I think it’s too soon to say what exactly he is, but I think he’s at least an .800 OPS player. And only 6 teams have an OPS above .780 from the DH spot in baseball. Our .599 OPS from that spot is the 2nd worst in baseball. So would I take Herrera being the full time DH? Heck yea.

[JohnnyMO]

Genuine question because I don’t know off hand, but how many players spent years in the minors as 18-20hr .280 hitters with an OPS around .800 and then suddenly became 30+ HR 1000 OPS players?

I’m excited about Herrera, but I feel like people are anointing him way too soon.

Cautiously optimistic.


He probably does need to carry that >.800 OPS if he is an OF/DH or 1B that
seems fair vs whatever he would do at C.

It's what he has done in 100 MLB games and over 400 MiLB games so far.
Staying at .825 or higher is greater than anyone that he'd be replacing there by 100 points
assuming DH or one of RF/LF.

There's a lot of room up to 1.000. That would be fantastic and
beyond nice.

For now .825 is greater than anyone he’d be replacing by .100 points (even though that is still offset by how much worse offensively Pages is than whoever Herrera replaces). But long term there are plenty of guys that can give you an .800+ OPS at DH or a corner spot. Doing it from the Carcbee position not so much

[JDW]

Curious why so many want him out from behind the plate.

Is it the toll of being a catcher the #1 issue and /or are there other concerns?

He had a great block last night.

Guessing his arm is not in the upper tier?

Herrera was at DH last night, not Catcher, so it must have been Pages with the good block.
Weak arm with a greater emphasis on the SB with the new rules and bases around the league.
If not for Crooks and Bernal rising up the system, maybe you do try to keep working with Herrera with his C, but I think him being just an emergency C while learning LF and 1B is the way to move forward with IH.

[3dender]

Genuine question because I don’t know off hand, but how many players spent years in the minors as 18-20hr .280 hitters with an OPS around .800 and then suddenly became 30+ HR 1000 OPS players?

I’m excited about Herrera, but I feel like people are anointing him way too soon.

Cautiously optimistic.


He probably does need to carry that >.800 OPS if he is an OF/DH or 1B that
seems fair vs whatever he would do at C.

It's what he has done in 100 MLB games and over 400 MiLB games so far.
Staying at .825 or higher is greater than anyone that he'd be replacing there by 100 points
assuming DH or one of RF/LF.

There's a lot of room up to 1.000. That would be fantastic and
beyond nice.

For now .825 is greater than anyone he’d be replacing by .100 points (even though that is still offset by how much worse offensively Pages is than whoever Herrera replaces). But long term there are plenty of guys that can give you an .800+ OPS at DH or a corner spot. Doing it from the Carcbee position not so much

For whatever reason, the coaches or the pitchers don't like him behind the plate... it's why Pages has gotten so much PT even with Herrera around this year and last. As fans we don't have much insight into why that is, we just know it's a fact.

So no I don't think it's a great idea to just shoehorn him into one of the most important defensive positions where his colleagues don't think he fits well, just so you can have better offensive production at that position.

[renostl]

Bagwell and Ortiz had roids.

I just think of Herrera is an .800 OPS guy he should stay behind the plate. That’s not enough of a hitter to take up a DH or corner spot long term

I think it’s too soon to say what exactly he is, but I think he’s at least an .800 OPS player. And only 6 teams have an OPS above .780 from the DH spot in baseball. Our .599 OPS from that spot is the 2nd worst in baseball. So would I take Herrera being the full time DH? Heck yea.

Not to jinx the guy but I see that .780 as a floor for him because of his way in getting there.
SO's good, BB good, OBP with a .360 floor, his lowest SLG has been .428 since 2023.
Absolutely no guarantee that's his floor but not a hard cap either.

[JohnnyMO]

Genuine question because I don’t know off hand, but how many players spent years in the minors as 18-20hr .280 hitters with an OPS around .800 and then suddenly became 30+ HR 1000 OPS players?

I’m excited about Herrera, but I feel like people are anointing him way too soon.

Cautiously optimistic.


He probably does need to carry that >.800 OPS if he is an OF/DH or 1B that
seems fair vs whatever he would do at C.

It's what he has done in 100 MLB games and over 400 MiLB games so far.
Staying at .825 or higher is greater than anyone that he'd be replacing there by 100 points
assuming DH or one of RF/LF.

There's a lot of room up to 1.000. That would be fantastic and
beyond nice.

For now .825 is greater than anyone he’d be replacing by .100 points (even though that is still offset by how much worse offensively Pages is than whoever Herrera replaces). But long term there are plenty of guys that can give you an .800+ OPS at DH or a corner spot. Doing it from the Carcbee position not so much

For whatever reason, the coaches or the pitchers don't like him behind the plate... it's why Pages has gotten so much PT even with Herrera around this year and last. As fans we don't have much insight into why that is, we just know it's a fact.

So no I don't think it's a great idea to just shoehorn him into one of the most important defensive positions where his colleagues don't think he fits well, just so you can have better offensive production at that position.

Not sure how it’s shoehorning someone into a position when he’s played it exclusively for something like 400 games in the minors.

[renostl]

Genuine question because I don’t know off hand, but how many players spent years in the minors as 18-20hr .280 hitters with an OPS around .800 and then suddenly became 30+ HR 1000 OPS players?

I’m excited about Herrera, but I feel like people are anointing him way too soon.

Cautiously optimistic.


He probably does need to carry that >.800 OPS if he is an OF/DH or 1B that
seems fair vs whatever he would do at C.

It's what he has done in 100 MLB games and over 400 MiLB games so far.
Staying at .825 or higher is greater than anyone that he'd be replacing there by 100 points
assuming DH or one of RF/LF.

There's a lot of room up to 1.000. That would be fantastic and
beyond nice.

For now .825 is greater than anyone he’d be replacing by .100 points (even though that is still offset by how much worse offensively Pages is than whoever Herrera replaces). But long term there are plenty of guys that can give you an .800+ OPS at DH or a corner spot. Doing it from the Carcbee position not so much

Very fair.
I'd say in the current roster and prospects that Herrera has less longevity at C
even IF he becomes average D there. Pages seems solid enough to always at least be
a backup. Only WC at 1B without there being another DH/1B in sight of a .800+ OPS

[renostl]

Genuine question because I don’t know off hand, but how many players spent years in the minors as 18-20hr .280 hitters with an OPS around .800 and then suddenly became 30+ HR 1000 OPS players?

I’m excited about Herrera, but I feel like people are anointing him way too soon.

Cautiously optimistic.


He probably does need to carry that >.800 OPS if he is an OF/DH or 1B that
seems fair vs whatever he would do at C.

It's what he has done in 100 MLB games and over 400 MiLB games so far.
Staying at .825 or higher is greater than anyone that he'd be replacing there by 100 points
assuming DH or one of RF/LF.

There's a lot of room up to 1.000. That would be fantastic and
beyond nice.

For now .825 is greater than anyone he’d be replacing by .100 points (even though that is still offset by how much worse offensively Pages is than whoever Herrera replaces). But long term there are plenty of guys that can give you an .800+ OPS at DH or a corner spot. Doing it from the Carcbee position not so much

For whatever reason, the coaches or the pitchers don't like him behind the plate... it's why Pages has gotten so much PT even with Herrera around this year and last. As fans we don't have much insight into why that is, we just know it's a fact.

So no I don't think it's a great idea to just shoehorn him into one of the most important defensive positions where his colleagues don't think he fits well, just so you can have better offensive production at that position.

If it were only Pages, I'd continue with Herrera in that mix. Just me.

Cards have 3 C's in their top 7 prospects...I know they're prospects...1 is really knocking
on the door now, definitely by 2026. There's no rush, can let it playout, but today Herrera needs
to advance his D.

[Monsieur De Treville]

Bagwell and Ortiz had roids.

I just think of Herrera is an .800 OPS guy he should stay behind the plate. That’s not enough of a hitter to take up a DH or corner spot long term

He's 24. It's not like the Cards have a plethora of .800 OPS guys on their roster.

Again, Herrera does not have an MLB catcher's arm.

AND....

Crooks & Bernal are not that far off. Herrera's future is not behind the plate.

[dhsux]

Curious why so many want him out from behind the plate.

Is it the toll of being a catcher the #1 issue and /or are there other concerns?

He had a great block last night.

Guessing his arm is not in the upper tier?

Herrera was at DH last night, not Catcher, so it must have been Pages with the good block.
Weak arm with a greater emphasis on the SB with the new rules and bases around the league.
If not for Crooks and Bernal rising up the system, maybe you do try to keep working with Herrera with his C, but I think him being just an emergency C while learning LF and 1B is the way to move forward with IH.

Dang you are right!

Thanks to all who answered.......I am going to agree with moving him away from full or heavy part time catching too.

[JohnnyMO]

Bagwell and Ortiz had roids.

I just think of Herrera is an .800 OPS guy he should stay behind the plate. That’s not enough of a hitter to take up a DH or corner spot long term

He's 24. It's not like the Cards have a plethora of .800 OPS guys on their roster.

Again, Herrera does not have an MLB catcher's arm.

AND....

Crooks & Bernal are not that far off. Herrera's future is not behind the plate.

If this is true add him to a pretty long list of players who were totally mishandled in the minors. Why play him as a catcher only for his entire minor league career? The arm shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.

[ramfandan]

Genuine question because I don’t know off hand, but how many players spent years in the minors as 18-20hr .280 hitters with an OPS around .800 and then suddenly became 30+ HR 1000 OPS players?

I’m excited about Herrera, but I feel like people are anointing him way too soon.

Cautiously optimistic.


He probably does need to carry that >.800 OPS if he is an OF/DH or 1B that
seems fair vs whatever he would do at C.

It's what he has done in 100 MLB games and over 400 MiLB games so far.
Staying at .825 or higher is greater than anyone that he'd be replacing there by 100 points
assuming DH or one of RF/LF.

There's a lot of room up to 1.000. That would be fantastic and
beyond nice.

For now .825 is greater than anyone he’d be replacing by .100 points (even though that is still offset by how much worse offensively Pages is than whoever Herrera replaces). But long term there are plenty of guys that can give you an .800+ OPS at DH or a corner spot. Doing it from the Carcbee position not so much

For whatever reason, the coaches or the pitchers don't like him behind the plate... it's why Pages has gotten so much PT even with Herrera around this year and last. As fans we don't have much insight into why that is, we just know it's a fact.

So no I don't think it's a great idea to just shoehorn him into one of the most important defensive positions where his colleagues don't think he fits well, just so you can have better offensive production at that position.

Have had same feeling as you that coaches/players seem to connect better with Pages . Might be his calling pitches, personality. Unsure but feel there is preference to have Pages receiving.
Not something players or coaches would discuss publicly.
Anyone else sense this ?

[scoutyjones2]

Honestly followed him for a while always been a fan. Question is what does he become and what do the cardinals do with him as far a position wise?

What I mean by become is what is the ceiling because he is an outstanding hitter

Followed him for awhile but can't spell his name?

[scoutyjones2]

DH

Give him an OF'ers glove this winter and send J. Jay to work w/him.

Throw him into some spring games next March and see how he handle the OF.

If he flops, then he's your fulltime DH.

The kid's a hitter and made for the DH role if he can't handle the OF (at least as an option, not necessarily FT unless he really takes to it ala D. Murphy when he moved from behind the plate to become a multi GG winning OF'er)!

Agree 100% let him play some first base also. The bat definitely will play full time at DH if all else fails. Hes the one guy on the team where I will stop what I’m doing to watch him bat. I also liked after the game other day when I think he had a double and 2 RBI and he commented that he didn’t like that he struck out in the one at bat I like hearing that from a player

Such a difference when you watch I. Hererra swing the bat (DAMAGE) and when you watch J. Walker swing the bat.

(Cool breezey)