Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Welcome to STLtoday.com's forum for fans of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Moderators: STLtoday Forum Moderators, Cards Talk Moderators

Chubbs0910
Forum User
Posts: 3001
Joined: 24 May 2018 18:01 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by Chubbs0910 »

Bad14 wrote: 26 Jun 2025 17:35 pm
Basil Shabazz wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:30 pm
MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:26 pm He is what he is. I don't think anybody says he is great.
To be fair, there have been plenty on here who have raved about his defensive abilities. I personally think he is average defensively. He does one thing better than Herrera, and that has throw the ball.
He blocks better and frames pitches better. He's not the long term solution but Herrera should never catch another game.
Which was always the point.
scoutyjones2
Forum User
Posts: 6415
Joined: 23 May 2024 14:43 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by scoutyjones2 »

WLTFE wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:10 pm'BAZAR '
Love Bazar
CorneliusWolfe
Forum User
Posts: 391
Joined: 02 May 2025 19:12 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by CorneliusWolfe »

Bazar.jpg
Bazar.jpg (48.53 KiB) Viewed 320 times
ScotchMIrish
Forum User
Posts: 343
Joined: 08 Sep 2024 21:25 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by ScotchMIrish »

MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:26 pm He is what he is. I don't think anybody says he is great.
True. Better than the alternative.
bccardsfan
Forum User
Posts: 386
Joined: 25 May 2024 11:11 am

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by bccardsfan »

His your basic .220 hitting decent defensive catcher. Baseball history is full of them.... nothing to see here. He is a place holder. If IH could throw.. but alas he cannot. Pozo should get some more starts. He can hit and doesn't look terrible behind the plate. We are a year or two away from one of the youngsters taking the position (we hope).
renostl
Forum User
Posts: 2238
Joined: 23 May 2024 12:40 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by renostl »

Basil Shabazz wrote: 26 Jun 2025 17:51 pm
Bad14 wrote: 26 Jun 2025 17:35 pm
Basil Shabazz wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:30 pm
MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:26 pm He is what he is. I don't think anybody says he is great.
To be fair, there have been plenty on here who have raved about his defensive abilities. I personally think he is average defensively. He does one thing better than Herrera, and that has throw the ball.
He blocks better and frames pitches better. He's not the long term solution but Herrera should never catch another game.
His framing is exaggerated and I believe causes pitchers to lose strike calls more than steal strike calls that would have been balls.


Just because you see a guy framing a pitch, doesn’t make him a good framer.

I’d also debate whether he blocks balls in the dirt better. Not saying either one is great, but I haven’t seen where one is better than the other one thing I know for sure Herrera is a much better hitter than Pages.
Agree.
Catchers getting charged for a PB is similar to an OF earning an error in today's game.
ScotchMIrish
Forum User
Posts: 343
Joined: 08 Sep 2024 21:25 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by ScotchMIrish »

Basil Shabazz wrote: 26 Jun 2025 17:51 pm
Bad14 wrote: 26 Jun 2025 17:35 pm
Basil Shabazz wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:30 pm
MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:26 pm He is what he is. I don't think anybody says he is great.
To be fair, there have been plenty on here who have raved about his defensive abilities. I personally think he is average defensively. He does one thing better than Herrera, and that has throw the ball.
He blocks better and frames pitches better. He's not the long term solution but Herrera should never catch another game.
His framing is exaggerated and I believe causes pitchers to lose strike calls more than steal strike calls that would have been balls.


Just because you see a guy framing a pitch, doesn’t make him a good framer.

I’d also debate whether he blocks balls in the dirt better. Not saying either one is great, but I haven’t seen where one is better than the other one thing I know for sure Herrera is a much better hitter than Pages.
Perhaps I'm giving MLB too much credit but it appears next season we will get the much needed electronic strike zone and framing pitches will be irrelevant.

A poor defensive catcher will cost the team more runs than he will produce with his bat.
Basil Shabazz
Forum User
Posts: 992
Joined: 23 May 2024 12:41 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by Basil Shabazz »

ScotchMIrish wrote: 27 Jun 2025 06:33 am
Basil Shabazz wrote: 26 Jun 2025 17:51 pm
Bad14 wrote: 26 Jun 2025 17:35 pm
Basil Shabazz wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:30 pm
MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:26 pm He is what he is. I don't think anybody says he is great.
To be fair, there have been plenty on here who have raved about his defensive abilities. I personally think he is average defensively. He does one thing better than Herrera, and that has throw the ball.
He blocks better and frames pitches better. He's not the long term solution but Herrera should never catch another game.
His framing is exaggerated and I believe causes pitchers to lose strike calls more than steal strike calls that would have been balls.


Just because you see a guy framing a pitch, doesn’t make him a good framer.

I’d also debate whether he blocks balls in the dirt better. Not saying either one is great, but I haven’t seen where one is better than the other one thing I know for sure Herrera is a much better hitter than Pages.
Perhaps I'm giving MLB too much credit but it appears next season we will get the much needed electronic strike zone and framing pitches will be irrelevant.

A poor defensive catcher will cost the team more runs than he will produce with his bat.
Mine isn't an argument that Herrera should be a starting catcher. It is an argument that Pages is overrated by many on here for his defensive ability.
Bad14
Forum User
Posts: 290
Joined: 19 Jun 2024 11:53 am

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by Bad14 »

Chubbs0910 wrote: 26 Jun 2025 18:53 pm
Bad14 wrote: 26 Jun 2025 17:35 pm
Basil Shabazz wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:30 pm
MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:26 pm He is what he is. I don't think anybody says he is great.
To be fair, there have been plenty on here who have raved about his defensive abilities. I personally think he is average defensively. He does one thing better than Herrera, and that has throw the ball.
He blocks better and frames pitches better. He's not the long term solution but Herrera should never catch another game.
Which was always the point.
Exactly. I think people forget how horrible Herrera is until he gets back there. And I don't think anyone believes Pages is the catcher of the future.
Melville
Forum User
Posts: 3270
Joined: 23 May 2024 16:16 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by Melville »

ClassicO wrote: 26 Jun 2025 18:09 pm Baseball Prospectus has more detail on defense than the simple DRS - and Pages ranks 10th.
He'll be replaced by Bernal and/or Crooks - hopefully next year.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/lead ... /fielding/
This has been my position as well.
Right now, he is easily the best catcher (defensively) from the group which has populated the roster this year.
The pitching staff and the coaches have made it very clear that he is the one they trust.
It is his job.
And it will remain his job until one of the prospects takes it away from him.
Crooks and Bernal will be given the opportunity to begin that competition next year - though given Rodriguez is perhaps 2 years behind them, it is certainly possible one will be traded thereby leaving the other to compete.
Carp4Cy
Forum User
Posts: 1727
Joined: 23 May 2024 14:38 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by Carp4Cy »

Clubmaker2 wrote: 26 Jun 2025 16:39 pm Kind of ironic a team with 4 catchers needs a catcher...

who are the great coaching disciples that have you scoot up and get your arm broke, catch on one knee even with runners on and increase passed balls , stolen bases, do all that moving if a runner goes to undo the supposed framing setup. Move the glove way too much on pitches that were strikes to begin with.
May I suggest....

Image
We always knew it would be hard to replace Yadi. That's why we kept him so long, even though half the posters didn't appreciate what we had.
ScotchMIrish
Forum User
Posts: 343
Joined: 08 Sep 2024 21:25 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by ScotchMIrish »

Basil Shabazz wrote: 27 Jun 2025 07:13 am
ScotchMIrish wrote: 27 Jun 2025 06:33 am
Basil Shabazz wrote: 26 Jun 2025 17:51 pm
Bad14 wrote: 26 Jun 2025 17:35 pm
Basil Shabazz wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:30 pm
MIDMOBIRDTWO wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:26 pm He is what he is. I don't think anybody says he is great.
To be fair, there have been plenty on here who have raved about his defensive abilities. I personally think he is average defensively. He does one thing better than Herrera, and that has throw the ball.
He blocks better and frames pitches better. He's not the long term solution but Herrera should never catch another game.
His framing is exaggerated and I believe causes pitchers to lose strike calls more than steal strike calls that would have been balls.


Just because you see a guy framing a pitch, doesn’t make him a good framer.

I’d also debate whether he blocks balls in the dirt better. Not saying either one is great, but I haven’t seen where one is better than the other one thing I know for sure Herrera is a much better hitter than Pages.
Perhaps I'm giving MLB too much credit but it appears next season we will get the much needed electronic strike zone and framing pitches will be irrelevant.

A poor defensive catcher will cost the team more runs than he will produce with his bat.
Mine isn't an argument that Herrera should be a starting catcher. It is an argument that Pages is overrated by many on here for his defensive ability.
Valid point. Looking at defense among catchers across the league Tampa's catchers are amazing but neither of them can hit. 2 passed balls and 10 wild pitches at the midway point of the season.
ClassicO
Forum User
Posts: 704
Joined: 23 May 2024 18:37 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by ClassicO »

Melville wrote: 27 Jun 2025 08:57 am
ClassicO wrote: 26 Jun 2025 18:09 pm Baseball Prospectus has more detail on defense than the simple DRS - and Pages ranks 10th.
He'll be replaced by Bernal and/or Crooks - hopefully next year.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/lead ... /fielding/
This has been my position as well.
Right now, he is easily the best catcher (defensively) from the group which has populated the roster this year.
The pitching staff and the coaches have made it very clear that he is the one they trust.
It is his job.
And it will remain his job until one of the prospects takes it away from him.
Crooks and Bernal will be given the opportunity to begin that competition next year - though given Rodriguez is perhaps 2 years behind them, it is certainly possible one will be traded thereby leaving the other to compete.
As usual, you revise history and lie.
You compared Pages to 3-time gold-glover Pagnozzi. Ha ha ha.
With respect to those prospects, you said "One of the prospects may do so - but it won't be easy and won't be handed over." It will be handed over.
And BTW - Raniel Rodriguez is not regarded highly defensively and has fallen down since going to low-A ball- .200/.297/.338/.636 with one HR in almost the same PAs as in Rookie ball where he was on fire.
Lloyd Braun
Forum User
Posts: 1851
Joined: 05 Feb 2021 22:03 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by Lloyd Braun »

Web7 wrote: 26 Jun 2025 15:09 pm Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?
Nope. I looked, it can't be done
Melville
Forum User
Posts: 3270
Joined: 23 May 2024 16:16 pm

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by Melville »

ClassicO wrote: 27 Jun 2025 15:41 pm
Melville wrote: 27 Jun 2025 08:57 am
ClassicO wrote: 26 Jun 2025 18:09 pm Baseball Prospectus has more detail on defense than the simple DRS - and Pages ranks 10th.
He'll be replaced by Bernal and/or Crooks - hopefully next year.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/lead ... /fielding/
This has been my position as well.
Right now, he is easily the best catcher (defensively) from the group which has populated the roster this year.
The pitching staff and the coaches have made it very clear that he is the one they trust.
It is his job.
And it will remain his job until one of the prospects takes it away from him.
Crooks and Bernal will be given the opportunity to begin that competition next year - though given Rodriguez is perhaps 2 years behind them, it is certainly possible one will be traded thereby leaving the other to compete.
As usual, you revise history and lie.
You compared Pages to 3-time gold-glover Pagnozzi. Ha ha ha.
With respect to those prospects, you said "One of the prospects may do so - but it won't be easy and won't be handed over." It will be handed over.
And BTW - Raniel Rodriguez is not regarded highly defensively and has fallen down since going to low-A ball- .200/.297/.338/.636 with one HR in almost the same PAs as in Rookie ball where he was on fire.
As usual, you attack others and avoid facts.
I brilliantly compared Pages to Pagnozzi as a glove first catcher who secured the starting job on that basis - and not on the basis of his bat.
And no - the job will not be gifted to one of the prospects - and the Cardinals do have some promising ones.
One of them will be required to take it away.
Obviously, you are in full agreement with me.
Just as obviously, you can't admit that.
And that is just fine.
Bad14
Forum User
Posts: 290
Joined: 19 Jun 2024 11:53 am

Re: Can we stop with how great Pages is behind the plate ?

Post by Bad14 »

And he calls a better game! Ask Sonny! :lol:
Post Reply