Future of Catcher position.

[11WSChamps]

I wouldn't sell Pages short.

I have a feeling a lot of of folks in the organization have done that in the past looking at Crooks and Bernal.

Pages just keeps plugging away and the pitching excelling with him behind the plate can't just be a coincidence.

[Stlcardsblues]

Bernal is future C

Crooks is a great trade piece at deadline

Why would they trade Crooks at the trade deadline? We will be sellers, how does trading Crooks fit that?

He very well maybe traded to fill a different area of need, but how does Mo flipping him at the deadline over Bloom doing it over the winter make sense?

If the Cards are still in the hunt before the deadline, they could also be doing some buying, and it's possible trading Crooks could net you a good BP arm as an example.
I don't know enough about Crooks to have a strong opinion, and while this thread is very positive, nobody knows yet how Crooks and Bernal will progress or how they will actually perform at the show. The chickens haven't hatched yet. Optimistic, sure, but they are still just prospects.

The team should not view themselves as buyers under any circumstances this year. They need to be honest with themselves and know even if the magically make the playoffs they are not built to go deep. A bullpen arm isn’t changing that. It’s a terrible game plan to waste young assets on this year unless the piece coming back had several years of control.

[Cranny]

Bernal is future C

Crooks is a great trade piece at deadline

Why would they trade Crooks at the trade deadline? We will be sellers, how does trading Crooks fit that?

He very well maybe traded to fill a different area of need, but how does Mo flipping him at the deadline over Bloom doing it over the winter make sense?

If the Cards are still in the hunt before the deadline, they could also be doing some buying, and it's possible trading Crooks could net you a good BP arm as an example.
I don't know enough about Crooks to have a strong opinion, and while this thread is very positive, nobody knows yet how Crooks and Bernal will progress or how they will actually perform at the show. The chickens haven't hatched yet. Optimistic, sure, but they are still just prospects.

The team should not view themselves as buyers under any circumstances this year. They need to be honest with themselves and know even if the magically make the playoffs they are not built to go deep. A bullpen arm isn’t changing that. It’s a terrible game plan to waste young assets on this year unless the piece coming back had several years of control.

Depends on the young assets.

[Stlcardsblues]

Bernal is future C

Crooks is a great trade piece at deadline

Why would they trade Crooks at the trade deadline? We will be sellers, how does trading Crooks fit that?

He very well maybe traded to fill a different area of need, but how does Mo flipping him at the deadline over Bloom doing it over the winter make sense?

If the Cards are still in the hunt before the deadline, they could also be doing some buying, and it's possible trading Crooks could net you a good BP arm as an example.
I don't know enough about Crooks to have a strong opinion, and while this thread is very positive, nobody knows yet how Crooks and Bernal will progress or how they will actually perform at the show. The chickens haven't hatched yet. Optimistic, sure, but they are still just prospects.

The team should not view themselves as buyers under any circumstances this year. They need to be honest with themselves and know even if the magically make the playoffs they are not built to go deep. A bullpen arm isn’t changing that. It’s a terrible game plan to waste young assets on this year unless the piece coming back had several years of control.

Depends on the young assets.

Any young assets traded need to be used to fill long term holes not a 2 month rental.

[Eyelids64]

‘Framing’ ability won’ be as important as before due to ABS coming in 2026.
Guys who could frame well on 3-2 count fooling the ump on a ball 4 pitch to steal a SO will now have that pitch challenged for ball 4 and
A walk

Framing has always been a problem. I prefer no framing at all. Speculation is it causes errors in ball/strike calling.

[Carp4Cy]

I will probably eat my words but I’m not really focused on changes at catcher. If the young guys develop great. Traded that’s fine. When it comes to catcher I want good defense and the ability to make the pitching better(framing, pitch call, etc.). The bat is secondary to me. I’m not displeased with what we got is what I’m trying to say.

The trouble here is when you don’t have an MVP bat at some other position you need to have a plus bat pretty much around the diamond. Otherwise, we can have a good offense, but not quite good enough to beat someone like tigers or Red Sox.. Sooner or later we need to upgrade from good to great

[JDW]

Bernal is future C

Crooks is a great trade piece at deadline

Why would they trade Crooks at the trade deadline? We will be sellers, how does trading Crooks fit that?

He very well maybe traded to fill a different area of need, but how does Mo flipping him at the deadline over Bloom doing it over the winter make sense?

If the Cards are still in the hunt before the deadline, they could also be doing some buying, and it's possible trading Crooks could net you a good BP arm as an example.
I don't know enough about Crooks to have a strong opinion, and while this thread is very positive, nobody knows yet how Crooks and Bernal will progress or how they will actually perform at the show. The chickens haven't hatched yet. Optimistic, sure, but they are still just prospects.

The team should not view themselves as buyers under any circumstances this year. They need to be honest with themselves and know even if the magically make the playoffs they are not built to go deep. A bullpen arm isn’t changing that. It’s a terrible game plan to waste young assets on this year unless the piece coming back had several years of control.

Depends on the young assets.

Any young assets traded need to be used to fill long term holes not a 2 month rental.

I'd agree IF the Cards traded Crooks before this deadline, trade for a player/prospect with some team control left, but that's obviously not my call, and I'm comfortable with whatever decision the Cards make before the deadline.
To make a blanket statement that the Cards should not make any buys before the deadline at this point is rather silly. You never know, and think they've now won 16 out of their last 20.

[JDW]

I will probably eat my words but I’m not really focused on changes at catcher. If the young guys develop great. Traded that’s fine. When it comes to catcher I want good defense and the ability to make the pitching better(framing, pitch call, etc.). The bat is secondary to me. I’m not displeased with what we got is what I’m trying to say.

The trouble here is when you don’t have an MVP bat at some other position you need to have a plus bat pretty much around the diamond. Otherwise, we can have a good offense, but not quite good enough to beat someone like tigers or Red Sox.. Sooner or later we need to upgrade from good to great

Update from good to great, huh. Sure, just hit the easy button I guess. You're not being very realistic with that thought, or if you think I'm wrong (quite possible), tell me what your plan would be to upgrade from good to great.
That said, Herrera might develop into great. Donovan has developed into very good. Cards have plus bats at multiple positions, and they've shown so far they can beat good teams in short series. Idk, but what we're currently watching is pretty impressive.

[ClassicO]

Bernal has hit 3 HRs in 5 games last night (link) - two, 2-run jobs and a 3-run. Slashing .265/.368/.487/.855.
Oh yeah, he's still only 21 until next Feb.
The only concern is his splits (switch-hitter), but he's often had darn near the same until this year, when he's 1.398 vs lefites (32 AB) with all 6 of his HRs and .643 vs Righties (81 AB) with 6 doubles.
Also, 22 Ks (16%) and 19 BBs (14%) in 133 PAs. Not bad.

https://www.milb.com/video/leonardo-ber ... rid-699024

[BrockFloodMaris]

Bernal is future C

Crooks is a great trade piece at deadline

Why would they trade Crooks at the trade deadline? We will be sellers, how does trading Crooks fit that?

He very well maybe traded to fill a different area of need, but how does Mo flipping him at the deadline over Bloom doing it over the winter make sense?

If the Cards are still in the hunt before the deadline, they could also be doing some buying, and it's possible trading Crooks could net you a good BP arm as an example.
I don't know enough about Crooks to have a strong opinion, and while this thread is very positive, nobody knows yet how Crooks and Bernal will progress or how they will actually perform at the show. The chickens haven't hatched yet. Optimistic, sure, but they are still just prospects.

The team should not view themselves as buyers under any circumstances this year. They need to be honest with themselves and know even if the magically make the playoffs they are not built to go deep. A bullpen arm isn’t changing that. It’s a terrible game plan to waste young assets on this year unless the piece coming back had several years of control.

Depends on the young assets.

Any young assets traded need to be used to fill long term holes not a 2 month rental.

Agreed! The Cards are in a tough spot in that they have four pending free agent pitchers. Those four expiring contracts plus Arenado will occupy most of the front office energy during the last half of July. If they do any buying, it will probably be to replace one of the traded pitchers. That buying may even be for a two month rental. I think the Rays might have a closer they may move.

Back to the catcher conversation, I find it hilarious that neither Willy C or Herrera are catching. Baseball is a funny game.

[Stlcardsblues]

Bernal is future C

Crooks is a great trade piece at deadline

Why would they trade Crooks at the trade deadline? We will be sellers, how does trading Crooks fit that?

He very well maybe traded to fill a different area of need, but how does Mo flipping him at the deadline over Bloom doing it over the winter make sense?

If the Cards are still in the hunt before the deadline, they could also be doing some buying, and it's possible trading Crooks could net you a good BP arm as an example.
I don't know enough about Crooks to have a strong opinion, and while this thread is very positive, nobody knows yet how Crooks and Bernal will progress or how they will actually perform at the show. The chickens haven't hatched yet. Optimistic, sure, but they are still just prospects.

The team should not view themselves as buyers under any circumstances this year. They need to be honest with themselves and know even if the magically make the playoffs they are not built to go deep. A bullpen arm isn’t changing that. It’s a terrible game plan to waste young assets on this year unless the piece coming back had several years of control.

Depends on the young assets.

Any young assets traded need to be used to fill long term holes not a 2 month rental.

I'd agree IF the Cards traded Crooks before this deadline, trade for a player/prospect with some team control left, but that's obviously not my call, and I'm comfortable with whatever decision the Cards make before the deadline.
To make a blanket statement that the Cards should not make any buys before the deadline at this point is rather silly. You never know, and think they've now won 16 out of their last 20.

It’s not silly, it’s the proper approach. This team is not built for a deep run. Adding a fringe reliever or a pending free agent bat is not changing that. They need to stay the course ownership picked in the offseason and build for the future. I don’t agree with what they did this off season, but it’s what they picked.

[Talkin' Baseball]

Bernal is future C

Crooks is a great trade piece at deadline

Why would they trade Crooks at the trade deadline? We will be sellers, how does trading Crooks fit that?

He very well maybe traded to fill a different area of need, but how does Mo flipping him at the deadline over Bloom doing it over the winter make sense?

If the Cards are still in the hunt before the deadline, they could also be doing some buying, and it's possible trading Crooks could net you a good BP arm as an example.
I don't know enough about Crooks to have a strong opinion, and while this thread is very positive, nobody knows yet how Crooks and Bernal will progress or how they will actually perform at the show. The chickens haven't hatched yet. Optimistic, sure, but they are still just prospects.

The team should not view themselves as buyers under any circumstances this year. They need to be honest with themselves and know even if the magically make the playoffs they are not built to go deep. A bullpen arm isn’t changing that. It’s a terrible game plan to waste young assets on this year unless the piece coming back had several years of control.

Depends on the young assets.

Any young assets traded need to be used to fill long term holes not a 2 month rental.

I'd agree IF the Cards traded Crooks before this deadline, trade for a player/prospect with some team control left, but that's obviously not my call, and I'm comfortable with whatever decision the Cards make before the deadline.
To make a blanket statement that the Cards should not make any buys before the deadline at this point is rather silly. You never know, and think they've now won 16 out of their last 20.

It’s not silly, it’s the proper approach. This team is not built for a deep run. Adding a fringe reliever or a pending free agent bat is not changing that. They need to stay the course ownership picked in the offseason and build for the future. I don’t agree with what they did this off season, but it’s what they picked.

Agreed.