Why not trade from surplus (catcher)?

[AZ_Cardsfan]

Problem is - which one? Which one will become an everyday or even star catcher and which will fail? If you trade the wrong one ouch.

Pozo and Pages are not big trade chips. Herrera is but not as a catcher.

IMO of the 3 prospects we have likely one will pan out.

[Jatalk]

In particular catcher?

Pages and Pozos (limited if anything)
Hererra (some desperate team potentially giving him a chance as secondary catcher who can hit at DH and potentially other positions)

Crooks, Bernal, Rodriguez.

There are a lot of catchers at the top. Obviously a critical position so you want to hold onto 1-2 but I would think moving a controlled highly touted catching prospect (if done correctly), could fetch you a player of similar upside that fills a position of need.

Interesting you mention Herrera. Many have him as future all star. I think he would be a very interesting trade piece or a component to a multiple player trade.

[2ninr]

In particular catcher?

Pages and Pozos (limited if anything)
Hererra (some desperate team potentially giving him a chance as secondary catcher who can hit at DH and potentially other positions)

Crooks, Bernal, Rodriguez.

There are a lot of catchers at the top. Obviously a critical position so you want to hold onto 1-2 but I would think moving a controlled highly touted catching prospect (if done correctly), could fetch you a player of similar upside that fills a position of need.

You rightly list 6 catchers presently. When I think about the catchers beyond this year, I don't think of Herrera and Rodriguez as catchers. I think they will change positions. I don't worry about Pozo in the mix. He's great to have as depth. If we have 2 ML catchers and he is at AAA, I would be really glad to have him on the big league roster in case of injury.

I see Bernal as the catcher of the future whenever he is ready.

So the two I see as possible trade pieces are Pages and Crooks. They have about the same trade value, but teams may have a preference based on experience, or handedness with the bat. It seems one of these two could/should be traded.

There you have it. All of this.

[Jatalk]

To me Herrera’s situation is a test for the Bloom regime. He will get first shot at opening day catcher apparently. So I assume most of his spring training will be as a catcher.

Personally he has already had a long look in that position. Based on that I don’t think he is the guy. If they waste his reps in spring at catcher are they losing the opportunity to teach him another position such as LF?

This could be a big mistake or hopefully they see something I don’t ( which is very possible).

[Melville]

Problem is - which one? Which one will become an everyday or even star catcher and which will fail? If you trade the wrong one ouch.

Pozo and Pages are not big trade chips. Herrera is but not as a catcher.

IMO of the 3 prospects we have likely one will pan out.

"Which one will become an everyday or even star catcher and which will fail? If you trade the wrong one ouch."
Respectfully, that is the wrong question strategically.
The CORRECT question is "which can help bring the return needed now, without depleting the long term existing depth at the position"?
When the right question is asked, the right answer appears.
Bernal is indisputably the correct trade piece.

[Cusecards]

Problem is - which one? Which one will become an everyday or even star catcher and which will fail? If you trade the wrong one ouch.

Pozo and Pages are not big trade chips. Herrera is but not as a catcher.

IMO of the 3 prospects we have likely one will pan out.

Good question.
Short term I can see dealing Pages or Pozo if Crooks is ready to split the duties with whoever remains?
You won’t get much back for either unless they are part of a package.
Bernal makes it to the show late 2026?
Rodriguez a ways off.

[craviduce]

there's not really a surplus. Crooks is the only one of consequence at the Major League level. Bernal is a year behind him, having not seen AAA yet. Rodriguez is 2-3 seasons behind Crooks, and not in Bernal's league defensively.

Also, and this gets overlooked, you want your defensively capable catcher with your best crop of minor league pitchers. Thankfully, this lines up perfectly for Bernal...he gets to catch Mathews, Henderson, Mautz, and possibly Doyle....those pitchers should have a great receiver....not a bunch of minor league rejects behind the plate.

There's not really a road block or clog at catcher until 2027.

The MLB pitching staff loves pitching to Pedro...I'd rather go with Pedro and Crooks in 2026, then trade Crooks in the next offseason and go with Bernal and Pages in 2027. Maybe Crooks starts to hit well....great, then move Burleson in a trade and make Crooks your 1B in 2027. You can't have both Crooks and Bernal as your catchers...They will both hit LH in the majors, slight chance that Bernal continues as a SH, but LH is his best....that makes Bernal and Crooks redundant.

.......anyways, that's my two cents....there's no surplus/backlog...or at least there's no rational reason to move one of those two at this moment. Our pitching future is too important. Don't F with that.

=---------

Edit ~ in fact...I would trade for another catcher we can put in AA. The Campos/Kross experiment has been a disaster so far. We need quality catching at Springfield with Doyle, Lin, Rincon, Savacool, Franklin, Clarke, etc.

As much as a like Adkison and Tarlow...they're not proven starting material.

[2ninr]

there's not really a surplus. Crooks is the only one of consequence at the Major League level. Bernal is a year behind him, having not seen AAA yet. Rodriguez is 2-3 seasons behind Crooks, and not in Bernal's league defensively.

Also, and this gets overlooked, you want your defensively capable catcher with your best crop of minor league pitchers. Thankfully, this lines up perfectly for Bernal...he gets to catch Mathews, Henderson, Mautz, and possibly Doyle....those pitchers should have a great receiver....not a bunch of minor league rejects behind the plate.

There's not really a road block or clog at catcher until 2027.

The MLB pitching staff loves pitching to Pedro...I'd rather go with Pedro and Crooks in 2026, then trade Crooks in the next offseason and go with Bernal and Pages in 2027. Maybe Crooks starts to hit well....great, then move Burleson in a trade and make Crooks your 1B in 2027. You can't have both Crooks and Bernal as your catchers...They will both hit LH in the majors, slight chance that Bernal continues as a SH, but LH is his best....that makes Bernal and Crooks redundant.

.......anyways, that's my two cents....there's no surplus/backlog...or at least there's no rational reason to move one of those two at this moment. Our pitching future is too important. Don't F with that.

=---------

Edit ~ in fact...I would trade for another catcher we can put in AA. The Campos/Kross experiment has been a disaster so far. We need quality catching at Springfield with Doyle, Lin, Rincon, Savacool, Franklin, Clarke, etc.

As much as a like Adkison and Tarlow...they're not proven starting material.

Voice of reason

[Carp4Cy]

I’m okay with letting the catcher situation shake out a bit…

Agreed. At this point it doesn’t seem clear who is actually the best anyway, and it is critical we correctly identify and keep the best for ourselves.

But we were supposed to have vastly improved prospect evaluation capabilities, so maybe they could’ve figured that out by now?

Pages isn’t going to be the next Yadi at any rate. Although he also probably doesn’t have much trade value.

[CorneliusWolfe]

I’m okay with letting the catcher situation shake out a bit…

Agreed. At this point it doesn’t seem clear who is actually the best anyway, and it is critical we correctly identify and keep the best for ourselves.

But we were supposed to have vastly improved prospect evaluation capabilities, so maybe they could’ve figured that out by now?

Pages isn’t going to be the next Yadi at any rate. Although he also probably doesn’t have much trade value.

I don’t think Pages is even in the running for the best of the catchers. Maybe he’s the leading candidate to be the backup to whoever that guy is, since he’s not particularly good, or terrible, at anything, and seems to stay healthy.

But you’re right, they should know by now. Maybe they do but he’s not ready just yet…Bernal? Raniel?

There’s also a false narrative that Bloom knows everything Mo didn’t.

[Talkin' Baseball]

I’m okay with letting the catcher situation shake out a bit…

Agreed. At this point it doesn’t seem clear who is actually the best anyway, and it is critical we correctly identify and keep the best for ourselves.

But we were supposed to have vastly improved prospect evaluation capabilities, so maybe they could’ve figured that out by now?

Pages isn’t going to be the next Yadi at any rate. Although he also probably doesn’t have much trade value.

Who is to say they haven't figured it out by now and decided who they will go with long term?

Pages does have some trade value. Teams that would be interested in him right now would be Tampa, Texas, and perhaps the Phillies.

[Alex Reyes Cy Young]

In particular catcher?

Pages and Pozos (limited if anything)
Hererra (some desperate team potentially giving him a chance as secondary catcher who can hit at DH and potentially other positions)

Crooks, Bernal, Rodriguez.

There are a lot of catchers at the top. Obviously a critical position so you want to hold onto 1-2 but I would think moving a controlled highly touted catching prospect (if done correctly), could fetch you a player of similar upside that fills a position of need.

Interesting you mention Herrera. Many have him as future all star. I think he would be a very interesting trade piece or a component to a multiple player trade.

I agree. Everyone wants to move dead weight / vets but that too me is silly making that your priority. They should be focusing on talent acquisition at all cost first focusing on the players who have service time accrued and value. Not a lot but there are some including Herrera. He could bring you back a nice prospect (hopefully a bat and not more pitching)

[Talkin' Baseball]

In particular catcher?

Pages and Pozos (limited if anything)
Hererra (some desperate team potentially giving him a chance as secondary catcher who can hit at DH and potentially other positions)

Crooks, Bernal, Rodriguez.

There are a lot of catchers at the top. Obviously a critical position so you want to hold onto 1-2 but I would think moving a controlled highly touted catching prospect (if done correctly), could fetch you a player of similar upside that fills a position of need.

Interesting you mention Herrera. Many have him as future all star. I think he would be a very interesting trade piece or a component to a multiple player trade.

I agree. Everyone wants to move dead weight / vets but that too me is silly making that your priority. They should be focusing on talent acquisition at all cost first focusing on the players who have service time accrued and value. Not a lot but there are some including Herrera. He could bring you back a nice prospect (hopefully a bat and not more pitching)

You don't have to trade Herrera for a bat. He is the bat you hope to acquire.

[hugeCardfan]

I think it's a little early to be talking about surplus catchers.

[Alex Reyes Cy Young]

In particular catcher?

Pages and Pozos (limited if anything)
Hererra (some desperate team potentially giving him a chance as secondary catcher who can hit at DH and potentially other positions)

Crooks, Bernal, Rodriguez.

There are a lot of catchers at the top. Obviously a critical position so you want to hold onto 1-2 but I would think moving a controlled highly touted catching prospect (if done correctly), could fetch you a player of similar upside that fills a position of need.

Interesting you mention Herrera. Many have him as future all star. I think he would be a very interesting trade piece or a component to a multiple player trade.

I agree. Everyone wants to move dead weight / vets but that too me is silly making that your priority. They should be focusing on talent acquisition at all cost first focusing on the players who have service time accrued and value. Not a lot but there are some including Herrera. He could bring you back a nice prospect (hopefully a bat and not more pitching)

You don't have to trade Herrera for a bat. He is the bat you hope to acquire.

Don’t you want a player who fields a position and hits? Besides he’s 26 and has quite a bit of service time already.

Hes someone you move on from. Timing is off.

[Alex Reyes Cy Young]

I think it's a little early to be talking about surplus catchers.

Isn’t that what good orgs do? Beat teams to the punch and flip players? They have needs (gaping holes) that need to be addressed. Most of their top players are years away. Why fight it the timing isn’t there.