There seems to be a slight logjam of catchers

[RichieRichSTL]

Will Bloom trade at least one of them for help in another area? It seems it would be the prudent thing to do.

Trading a Catcher(s) could certainly be part of a deal.
In fact it is almost guaranteed to happen eventually!
Crooks could push out Pages or Pozo this Spring.
Fortunately they have time with Bernal(Sept. call up maybe?) and Rodriguez(2 years?).

you shouldn't trade a Catcher...not right now.

Bernal in Memphis, you want a good catcher with all those pitching assets. Pages RHB, Crooks LHB...let them handle the pitching staff in St. Louis.

Trading Catchers shouldn't happen until heading into 2027. I don't consider Pozo in the logjam of catchers...he's just a another guy who can sometimes handle a bat.

So is your only plan to get a quality outfielder, right now, trading Donovan? Then what's your plan for 3B?

Nolan Gorman or a warm body, if you trade Arenado.

[HorseTrader]

I bet he trades Contreras. I'm thinking Red Sox.

I bet you are right

[blackinkbiz]

As long as there's no chance Herrera is anything but the occasional spot starter behind the plate (and even that's too much IMO), I'm sure the problem will work itself out.

I find it highly unlikely his arm suddenly becomes strong and accurate enough that he's a viable starter. And, of course, he seems to be incredibly injury-proned.

[imetsatchelpaige]

I bet he trades Contreras. I'm thinking Red Sox.

No way.

[imetsatchelpaige]

Will Bloom trade at least one of them for help in another area? It seems it would be the prudent thing to do. Especially, with Rodriguez coming up in the not too distant future. Hopefully, sometime in '27.

You did this exact same thread topic just a month ago: viewtopic.php?t=1517761

IMG_0300.jpeg

It's his schizophrenia, compounded by Echolalia.
Be nice.

[craviduce]

you're not going to like the easy fix to your "quality OF now" plan.... trade Burley to the Mets for Benge. Start Benge in St. Louis, let him grow. Their BTV is quite comparable, throw in JoJo to sweeten the deal. Those are needs for the Mets 1B and LHP reliever. 1B in a rebuild/reset is awfully easy to replace.... Gorman easily comes to mind. You may get to keep Donovan in that scenario, but the prudent play is trade him for future assets, and live with Loopy throwing Saggese at 3B for a year or 2. Or let Blaze Jordan struggle offensively in St. Louis...which I don't mind either...not in a reset/rebuild...gotta see what you got. It's pretty obvious what he is...Busch stadium is the wrong ballpark for his average EV fly balls. But I'm not against him getting a shot.

[NYCardsFan]

you're not going to like the easy fix to your "quality OF now" plan.... trade Burley to the Mets for Benge. Start Benge in St. Louis, let him grow. Their BTV is quite comparable, throw in JoJo to sweeten the deal. Those are needs for the Mets 1B and LHP reliever. 1B in a rebuild/reset is awfully easy to replace.... Gorman easily comes to mind. You may get to keep Donovan in that scenario, but the prudent play is trade him for future assets, and live with Loopy throwing Saggese at 3B for a year or 2. Or let Blaze Jordan struggle offensively in St. Louis...which I don't mind either...not in a reset/rebuild...gotta see what you got. It's pretty obvious what he is...Busch stadium is the wrong ballpark for his average EV fly balls. But I'm not against him getting a shot.

Benge would be fine, but what about “Benage”?

[craviduce]

you're not going to like the easy fix to your "quality OF now" plan.... trade Burley to the Mets for Benge. Start Benge in St. Louis, let him grow. Their BTV is quite comparable, throw in JoJo to sweeten the deal. Those are needs for the Mets 1B and LHP reliever. 1B in a rebuild/reset is awfully easy to replace.... Gorman easily comes to mind. You may get to keep Donovan in that scenario, but the prudent play is trade him for future assets, and live with Loopy throwing Saggese at 3B for a year or 2. Or let Blaze Jordan struggle offensively in St. Louis...which I don't mind either...not in a reset/rebuild...gotta see what you got. It's pretty obvious what he is...Busch stadium is the wrong ballpark for his average EV fly balls. But I'm not against him getting a shot.

Benge would be fine, but what about “Benage”?

Maybe "Biles"?

[NYCardsFan]

you're not going to like the easy fix to your "quality OF now" plan.... trade Burley to the Mets for Benge. Start Benge in St. Louis, let him grow. Their BTV is quite comparable, throw in JoJo to sweeten the deal. Those are needs for the Mets 1B and LHP reliever. 1B in a rebuild/reset is awfully easy to replace.... Gorman easily comes to mind. You may get to keep Donovan in that scenario, but the prudent play is trade him for future assets, and live with Loopy throwing Saggese at 3B for a year or 2. Or let Blaze Jordan struggle offensively in St. Louis...which I don't mind either...not in a reset/rebuild...gotta see what you got. It's pretty obvious what he is...Busch stadium is the wrong ballpark for his average EV fly balls. But I'm not against him getting a shot.

Benge would be fine, but what about “Benage”?

Maybe "Biles"?

Wouldn’t an outfield of Carson “Benage” and Miguel “Biels” be a “bonanza”?

[ICCFIM2]

Will Bloom trade at least one of them for help in another area? It seems it would be the prudent thing to do.

Trading a Catcher(s) could certainly be part of a deal.
In fact it is almost guaranteed to happen eventually!
Crooks could push out Pages or Pozo this Spring.
Fortunately they have time with Bernal(Sept. call up maybe?) and Rodriguez(2 years?).

you shouldn't trade a Catcher...not right now.

Bernal in Memphis, you want a good catcher with all those pitching assets. Pages RHB, Crooks LHB...let them handle the pitching staff in St. Louis.

Trading Catchers shouldn't happen until heading into 2027. I don't consider Pozo in the logjam of catchers...he's just a another guy who can sometimes handle a bat.

Rodriguez...as well as he did in 2025 to erase concerns about his catching skills, he's still well behind Bernal as a catcher. Meaning?....he's going to be moved off of catching in a year or two...back to 3B or OF...maybe 2B?

And you NEVER trade Bernal.

I pushed Guerrero in his chat earlier today about why the Cards are so insistent on having Herrera catch with Bernal on the way. It seems to me having Herrera play LF solves the RH OF bat issue while Bernal solves the C defense issue and is the simplest solution. He clung to the Cards message of the rarity of a big bat behind the plate. You have watched Bernal play much more than me. Is he really more advanced than Herrera? If yes, does Herrera have any chance of catching up?

We have had years of a no bats in the OF, I guess I am always looking for simple solutions that are obvious. In particular when the solution seems to solve two issues, i.e. OF offense and C defense at once.

[craviduce]

Will Bloom trade at least one of them for help in another area? It seems it would be the prudent thing to do.

Trading a Catcher(s) could certainly be part of a deal.
In fact it is almost guaranteed to happen eventually!
Crooks could push out Pages or Pozo this Spring.
Fortunately they have time with Bernal(Sept. call up maybe?) and Rodriguez(2 years?).

you shouldn't trade a Catcher...not right now.

Bernal in Memphis, you want a good catcher with all those pitching assets. Pages RHB, Crooks LHB...let them handle the pitching staff in St. Louis.

Trading Catchers shouldn't happen until heading into 2027. I don't consider Pozo in the logjam of catchers...he's just a another guy who can sometimes handle a bat.

Rodriguez...as well as he did in 2025 to erase concerns about his catching skills, he's still well behind Bernal as a catcher. Meaning?....he's going to be moved off of catching in a year or two...back to 3B or OF...maybe 2B?

And you NEVER trade Bernal.

I pushed Guerrero in his chat earlier today about why the Cards are so insistent on having Herrera catch with Bernal on the way. It seems to me having Herrera play LF solves the RH OF bat issue while Bernal solves the C defense issue and is the simplest solution. He clung to the Cards message of the rarity of a big bat behind the plate. You have watched Bernal play much more than me. Is he really more advanced than Herrera? If yes, does Herrera have any chance of catching up?

We have had years of a no bats in the OF, I guess I am always looking for simple solutions that are obvious. In particular when the solution seems to solve two issues, i.e. OF offense and C defense at once.

not at Catcher. Herrera's bat is currently better, but he's not good enough behind the plate...if that makes sense? Stick him (Herrera) in LF, that's a great idea.

Bernal makes every pitcher better...at least he has in the Minors.

And if we're covering all catchers here...Crooks needs his bat to wake up at the major league level...he's the trade candidate, if we're forced into trade catching in 2026.

As for 2027...I hand the catching reins to Bernal ...at least 75% of the innings...maybe even split to start the season. 75/25 after the ASB.

[ICCFIM2]

Will Bloom trade at least one of them for help in another area? It seems it would be the prudent thing to do.

Trading a Catcher(s) could certainly be part of a deal.
In fact it is almost guaranteed to happen eventually!
Crooks could push out Pages or Pozo this Spring.
Fortunately they have time with Bernal(Sept. call up maybe?) and Rodriguez(2 years?).

you shouldn't trade a Catcher...not right now.

Bernal in Memphis, you want a good catcher with all those pitching assets. Pages RHB, Crooks LHB...let them handle the pitching staff in St. Louis.

Trading Catchers shouldn't happen until heading into 2027. I don't consider Pozo in the logjam of catchers...he's just a another guy who can sometimes handle a bat.

Rodriguez...as well as he did in 2025 to erase concerns about his catching skills, he's still well behind Bernal as a catcher. Meaning?....he's going to be moved off of catching in a year or two...back to 3B or OF...maybe 2B?

And you NEVER trade Bernal.

I pushed Guerrero in his chat earlier today about why the Cards are so insistent on having Herrera catch with Bernal on the way. It seems to me having Herrera play LF solves the RH OF bat issue while Bernal solves the C defense issue and is the simplest solution. He clung to the Cards message of the rarity of a big bat behind the plate. You have watched Bernal play much more than me. Is he really more advanced than Herrera? If yes, does Herrera have any chance of catching up?

We have had years of a no bats in the OF, I guess I am always looking for simple solutions that are obvious. In particular when the solution seems to solve two issues, i.e. OF offense and C defense at once.

not at Catcher. Herrera's bat is currently better, but he's not good enough behind the plate...if that makes sense? Stick him (Herrera) in LF, that's a great idea.

Bernal makes every pitcher better...at least he has in the Minors.

And if we're covering all catchers here...Crooks needs his bat to wake up at the major league level...he's the trade candidate, if we're forced into trade catching in 2026.

As for 2027...I hand the catching reins to Bernal ...at least 75% of the innings...maybe even split to start the season. 75/25 after the ASB.

I understand your answer to be that Herrera has no chance of catching up to Bernal defensively at C. That was my basic question. If that is the answer, then it makes no sense to me that the Cards insist Herrera be given a chance at C with Bernal on the way. I understand Herrera's angst at being a DH at a young age and that angst is good. But LF or 1B seem to be the simplest answer. Your answer corresponds to my understanding, thank you.

[Shady]

you're not going to like the easy fix to your "quality OF now" plan.... trade Burley to the Mets for Benge. Start Benge in St. Louis, let him grow. Their BTV is quite comparable, throw in JoJo to sweeten the deal. Those are needs for the Mets 1B and LHP reliever. 1B in a rebuild/reset is awfully easy to replace.... Gorman easily comes to mind. You may get to keep Donovan in that scenario, but the prudent play is trade him for future assets, and live with Loopy throwing Saggese at 3B for a year or 2. Or let Blaze Jordan struggle offensively in St. Louis...which I don't mind either...not in a reset/rebuild...gotta see what you got. It's pretty obvious what he is...Busch stadium is the wrong ballpark for his average EV fly balls. But I'm not against him getting a shot.

"trade Burley to the Mets for Benge". Evidently, you haven't heard about Contreras being traded. Burleson will be a fine first baseman for the Cardinals for many seasons to come. "Or let Blaze Jordan struggle offensively in St. Louis...which I don't mind either". That's nuts. craviduce, you are losing your fastball.

[craviduce]

you're not going to like the easy fix to your "quality OF now" plan.... trade Burley to the Mets for Benge. Start Benge in St. Louis, let him grow. Their BTV is quite comparable, throw in JoJo to sweeten the deal. Those are needs for the Mets 1B and LHP reliever. 1B in a rebuild/reset is awfully easy to replace.... Gorman easily comes to mind. You may get to keep Donovan in that scenario, but the prudent play is trade him for future assets, and live with Loopy throwing Saggese at 3B for a year or 2. Or let Blaze Jordan struggle offensively in St. Louis...which I don't mind either...not in a reset/rebuild...gotta see what you got. It's pretty obvious what he is...Busch stadium is the wrong ballpark for his average EV fly balls. But I'm not against him getting a shot.

"trade Burley to the Mets for Benge". Evidently, you haven't heard about Contreras being traded. Burleson will be a fine first baseman for the Cardinals for many seasons to come. "Or let Blaze Jordan struggle offensively in St. Louis...which I don't mind either". That's nuts. craviduce, you are losing your fastball.

that's the easiest way to your spamming concern....3B and the OF. It's the easiest way. Gorman or Jordan can man 1B. They can't be any worse than Burley was with Range at 1B. "Fine" is a blatantly wrong description of his defense. So drop that if you want to be taken seriously

[Shady]

you're not going to like the easy fix to your "quality OF now" plan.... trade Burley to the Mets for Benge. Start Benge in St. Louis, let him grow. Their BTV is quite comparable, throw in JoJo to sweeten the deal. Those are needs for the Mets 1B and LHP reliever. 1B in a rebuild/reset is awfully easy to replace.... Gorman easily comes to mind. You may get to keep Donovan in that scenario, but the prudent play is trade him for future assets, and live with Loopy throwing Saggese at 3B for a year or 2. Or let Blaze Jordan struggle offensively in St. Louis...which I don't mind either...not in a reset/rebuild...gotta see what you got. It's pretty obvious what he is...Busch stadium is the wrong ballpark for his average EV fly balls. But I'm not against him getting a shot.

"trade Burley to the Mets for Benge". Evidently, you haven't heard about Contreras being traded. Burleson will be a fine first baseman for the Cardinals for many seasons to come. "Or let Blaze Jordan struggle offensively in St. Louis...which I don't mind either". That's nuts. craviduce, you are losing your fastball.

that's the easiest way to your spamming concern....3B and the OF. It's the easiest way. Gorman or Jordan can man 1B. They can't be any worse than Burley was with Range at 1B. "Fine" is a blatantly wrong description of his defense. So drop that if you want to be taken seriously

You are getting nuttier and nuttier. Gorman and Jordan aren't the same caliber of hitters Burleson is by a long shot. And you underestimate Burleson's defensive ability at 1B like you have underestimated his hitting ability for years. Come on craviduce, give up trying to redeem your poor Burleson assessments. It's really tainting your judgement.

[Cusecards]

Will Bloom trade at least one of them for help in another area? It seems it would be the prudent thing to do.

Trading a Catcher(s) could certainly be part of a deal.
In fact it is almost guaranteed to happen eventually!
Crooks could push out Pages or Pozo this Spring.
Fortunately they have time with Bernal(Sept. call up maybe?) and Rodriguez(2 years?).

you shouldn't trade a Catcher...not right now.

Bernal in Memphis, you want a good catcher with all those pitching assets. Pages RHB, Crooks LHB...let them handle the pitching staff in St. Louis.

Trading Catchers shouldn't happen until heading into 2027. I don't consider Pozo in the logjam of catchers...he's just a another guy who can sometimes handle a bat.

Rodriguez...as well as he did in 2025 to erase concerns about his catching skills, he's still well behind Bernal as a catcher. Meaning?....he's going to be moved off of catching in a year or two...back to 3B or OF...maybe 2B?

And you NEVER trade Bernal.

I pushed Guerrero in his chat earlier today about why the Cards are so insistent on having Herrera catch with Bernal on the way. It seems to me having Herrera play LF solves the RH OF bat issue while Bernal solves the C defense issue and is the simplest solution. He clung to the Cards message of the rarity of a big bat behind the plate. You have watched Bernal play much more than me. Is he really more advanced than Herrera? If yes, does Herrera have any chance of catching up?

We have had years of a no bats in the OF, I guess I am always looking for simple solutions that are obvious. In particular when the solution seems to solve two issues, i.e. OF offense and C defense at once.

not at Catcher. Herrera's bat is currently better, but he's not good enough behind the plate...if that makes sense? Stick him (Herrera) in LF, that's a great idea.

Bernal makes every pitcher better...at least he has in the Minors.

And if we're covering all catchers here...Crooks needs his bat to wake up at the major league level...he's the trade candidate, if we're forced into trade catching in 2026.

As for 2027...I hand the catching reins to Bernal ...at least 75% of the innings...maybe even split to start the season. 75/25 after the ASB.

I’ll believe Herrera Catching when I actually see it!
1) Cards more Catching depth than any other position.
2) Herrera is ok at Catcher by why would he hold out to Catch when he is guaranteed to be in the lineup.
3) Much easier to stay healthy not catching and not getting nicked up will improve his offensive numbers.

I can understand in a way not wanting to DH. Most guys want to play the field.
I suppose 1B could open up but LF sounds like the spot.