Why not trade from surplus (catcher)?

[cardsrmyteam]

Because the value we think we have at catcher isn't really a value to anyone else, but the Cardinals.

This is a bunch of leftovers from Mo. Everyone thinks we have something, but we don't.

[CNYFan]

Sounds like we need Crash Davis down in AA.

Seriously though, I like Pages more than most on here and believe he is a viable ML back up or even platoon player. That has some value in a trade package or for the Cards in 2026.

With Ivan being given a "runway" to catch in 2026, that makes it possible that there will 3 catchers going North if either Pages or Crooks isn't packaged. So, there is a small bit of play here caused only by the dubious proposition of Ivan catching in 2026.

Leo is a man and will be fine. He is a streaky hitter and suffered a prolonged slump last year. One would hope that there would be some patience if that occurs eventually with the big club.

[Melville]

I'm a little surprised that we haven't heard a peep of a rumor about trading a catcher this offseason.

I, of course, have perfectly analyzed and advised the correct course of action on this very topic for the past several months.
The CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to trade Bernal in a package (Mootbaar, Mathews, Hence, Walker, Saggese, Romero, C. Davis being among the mix-n-match pieces) for a premium RH outfield bat.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Which would then allow for retaining Donovan (offer an extension and if not agreed to, trade him in July).
Which is equally:
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Good to see others beginning to understand.

You, and you alone, are going to be the last one to realize that Bernal is the Cardinals catcher of the future. In three years, when Herrera and Rodriguez are playing other positions, Crooks and Pages are gone, and Bernal is the Cardinals primary catcher, I fully expect you to still be in denial. Until then, someone has to play the foil. Glad you are on the forum.

A team attempting to improve long term must trade from a position of depth to a position of dearth another franchise is seeking to bolster.
STL's priority needs going into this offseason were starting pitching and a quality RH hitting outfielder with multiple years of control.
Catcher is a position from which STL can trade - and should.
Like it or not, Bernal currently is the shortest pathway to obtaining what STL needs without damaging their own strategic plan and long term goals.
I am the only person on the planet who correctly understood the optimal time to trade The Paper Tyler, Hence, DeJong, Martinez, Reyes and several others - while also correctly identifying the keepers.
I do not believe I have been wrong with a single player recommendation in at least 5 years in discussing the Cardinals.
And, there is a 100% probability that I am right on this as well.
What Bernal may or may not be 3 years from now is not the strategic imperative - the important thing is what he (and others) can bring STL right now.

Melville posted, "while also correctly identifying the keepers". Just curious. Do you consider Gorman a "keeper"? If so, he better start showing it soon.

Gorman has been badly mishandled by the Cardinals.
As a direct result, his performance has been uneven.
And yet, he is still a 25HR/80 RBI/80 runs scored per 600 PA hitter.
And the most productive LH hitting 3B in MLB last year.
And the only 25+ HR hitter on a team which ranked 29th in HR in MLB last year.
So yes, even with the issues, he is a keeper for 2026 - but Bloom must order The Marmot to put him in the lineup every day.
If he does not succeed in 2026, he will end up elsewhere - and will flourish.

[sikeston bulldog2]

I'm a little surprised that we haven't heard a peep of a rumor about trading a catcher this offseason.

I, of course, have perfectly analyzed and advised the correct course of action on this very topic for the past several months.
The CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to trade Bernal in a package (Mootbaar, Mathews, Hence, Walker, Saggese, Romero, C. Davis being among the mix-n-match pieces) for a premium RH outfield bat.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Which would then allow for retaining Donovan (offer an extension and if not agreed to, trade him in July).
Which is equally:
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Good to see others beginning to understand.

You, and you alone, are going to be the last one to realize that Bernal is the Cardinals catcher of the future. In three years, when Herrera and Rodriguez are playing other positions, Crooks and Pages are gone, and Bernal is the Cardinals primary catcher, I fully expect you to still be in denial. Until then, someone has to play the foil. Glad you are on the forum.

A team attempting to improve long term must trade from a position of depth to a position of dearth another franchise is seeking to bolster.
STL's priority needs going into this offseason were starting pitching and a quality RH hitting outfielder with multiple years of control.
Catcher is a position from which STL can trade - and should.
Like it or not, Bernal currently is the shortest pathway to obtaining what STL needs without damaging their own strategic plan and long term goals.
I am the only person on the planet who correctly understood the optimal time to trade The Paper Tyler, Hence, DeJong, Martinez, Reyes and several others - while also correctly identifying the keepers.
I do not believe I have been wrong with a single player recommendation in at least 5 years in discussing the Cardinals.
And, there is a 100% probability that I am right on this as well.
What Bernal may or may not be 3 years from now is not the strategic imperative - the important thing is what he (and others) can bring STL right now.

Melville posted, "while also correctly identifying the keepers". Just curious. Do you consider Gorman a "keeper"? If so, he better start showing it soon.

Gorman has been badly mishandled by the Cardinals.
As a direct result, his performance has been uneven.
And yet, he is still a 25HR/80 RBI/80 runs scored per 600 PA hitter.
And the most productive LH hitting 3B in MLB last year.
And the only 25+ HR hitter on a team which ranked 29th in HR in MLB last year.
So yes, even with the issues, he is a keeper for 2026 - but Bloom must order The Marmot to put him in the lineup every day.
If he does not succeed in 2026, he will end up elsewhere - and will flourish.

That’s 600 PAs. That won’t happen. Cut his plate appearance to 300, then you see what you got/ now did his glove.

[Talkin' Baseball]

I'm a little surprised that we haven't heard a peep of a rumor about trading a catcher this offseason.

I, of course, have perfectly analyzed and advised the correct course of action on this very topic for the past several months.
The CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to trade Bernal in a package (Mootbaar, Mathews, Hence, Walker, Saggese, Romero, C. Davis being among the mix-n-match pieces) for a premium RH outfield bat.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Which would then allow for retaining Donovan (offer an extension and if not agreed to, trade him in July).
Which is equally:
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Good to see others beginning to understand.

You, and you alone, are going to be the last one to realize that Bernal is the Cardinals catcher of the future. In three years, when Herrera and Rodriguez are playing other positions, Crooks and Pages are gone, and Bernal is the Cardinals primary catcher, I fully expect you to still be in denial. Until then, someone has to play the foil. Glad you are on the forum.

A team attempting to improve long term must trade from a position of depth to a position of dearth another franchise is seeking to bolster.
STL's priority needs going into this offseason were starting pitching and a quality RH hitting outfielder with multiple years of control.
Catcher is a position from which STL can trade - and should.
Like it or not, Bernal currently is the shortest pathway to obtaining what STL needs without damaging their own strategic plan and long term goals.
I am the only person on the planet who correctly understood the optimal time to trade The Paper Tyler, Hence, DeJong, Martinez, Reyes and several others - while also correctly identifying the keepers.
I do not believe I have been wrong with a single player recommendation in at least 5 years in discussing the Cardinals.
And, there is a 100% probability that I am right on this as well.
What Bernal may or may not be 3 years from now is not the strategic imperative - the important thing is what he (and others) can bring STL right now.

Melville posted, "while also correctly identifying the keepers". Just curious. Do you consider Gorman a "keeper"? If so, he better start showing it soon.

Gorman has been badly mishandled by the Cardinals.
As a direct result, his performance has been uneven.
And yet, he is still a 25HR/80 RBI/80 runs scored per 600 PA hitter.
And the most productive LH hitting 3B in MLB last year.
And the only 25+ HR hitter on a team which ranked 29th in HR in MLB last year.
So yes, even with the issues, he is a keeper for 2026 - but Bloom must order The Marmot to put him in the lineup every day.
If he does not succeed in 2026, he will end up elsewhere - and will flourish.

Melville, do you have a nickname? If not, I would respectfully suggest, "Captain". This is what going down with the ship looks like. Admire the resolve.

[sikeston bulldog2]

I'm a little surprised that we haven't heard a peep of a rumor about trading a catcher this offseason.

I, of course, have perfectly analyzed and advised the correct course of action on this very topic for the past several months.
The CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to trade Bernal in a package (Mootbaar, Mathews, Hence, Walker, Saggese, Romero, C. Davis being among the mix-n-match pieces) for a premium RH outfield bat.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Which would then allow for retaining Donovan (offer an extension and if not agreed to, trade him in July).
Which is equally:
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Good to see others beginning to understand.

You, and you alone, are going to be the last one to realize that Bernal is the Cardinals catcher of the future. In three years, when Herrera and Rodriguez are playing other positions, Crooks and Pages are gone, and Bernal is the Cardinals primary catcher, I fully expect you to still be in denial. Until then, someone has to play the foil. Glad you are on the forum.

A team attempting to improve long term must trade from a position of depth to a position of dearth another franchise is seeking to bolster.
STL's priority needs going into this offseason were starting pitching and a quality RH hitting outfielder with multiple years of control.
Catcher is a position from which STL can trade - and should.
Like it or not, Bernal currently is the shortest pathway to obtaining what STL needs without damaging their own strategic plan and long term goals.
I am the only person on the planet who correctly understood the optimal time to trade The Paper Tyler, Hence, DeJong, Martinez, Reyes and several others - while also correctly identifying the keepers.
I do not believe I have been wrong with a single player recommendation in at least 5 years in discussing the Cardinals.
And, there is a 100% probability that I am right on this as well.
What Bernal may or may not be 3 years from now is not the strategic imperative - the important thing is what he (and others) can bring STL right now.

Melville posted, "while also correctly identifying the keepers". Just curious. Do you consider Gorman a "keeper"? If so, he better start showing it soon.

Gorman has been badly mishandled by the Cardinals.
As a direct result, his performance has been uneven.
And yet, he is still a 25HR/80 RBI/80 runs scored per 600 PA hitter.
And the most productive LH hitting 3B in MLB last year.
And the only 25+ HR hitter on a team which ranked 29th in HR in MLB last year.
So yes, even with the issues, he is a keeper for 2026 - but Bloom must order The Marmot to put him in the lineup every day.
If he does not succeed in 2026, he will end up elsewhere - and will flourish.

Melville, do you have a nickname? If not, I would respectfully suggest, "Captain". This is what going down with the ship looks like. Admire the resolve.

Everybody.

Listen to me.

And return me.

My ship!

I’m your captain.

I’m your captan.

And I m feeling.

Mighty sick.

Mark. Mel. Don.

[Melville]

I'm a little surprised that we haven't heard a peep of a rumor about trading a catcher this offseason.

I, of course, have perfectly analyzed and advised the correct course of action on this very topic for the past several months.
The CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to trade Bernal in a package (Mootbaar, Mathews, Hence, Walker, Saggese, Romero, C. Davis being among the mix-n-match pieces) for a premium RH outfield bat.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Which would then allow for retaining Donovan (offer an extension and if not agreed to, trade him in July).
Which is equally:
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Good to see others beginning to understand.

You, and you alone, are going to be the last one to realize that Bernal is the Cardinals catcher of the future. In three years, when Herrera and Rodriguez are playing other positions, Crooks and Pages are gone, and Bernal is the Cardinals primary catcher, I fully expect you to still be in denial. Until then, someone has to play the foil. Glad you are on the forum.

A team attempting to improve long term must trade from a position of depth to a position of dearth another franchise is seeking to bolster.
STL's priority needs going into this offseason were starting pitching and a quality RH hitting outfielder with multiple years of control.
Catcher is a position from which STL can trade - and should.
Like it or not, Bernal currently is the shortest pathway to obtaining what STL needs without damaging their own strategic plan and long term goals.
I am the only person on the planet who correctly understood the optimal time to trade The Paper Tyler, Hence, DeJong, Martinez, Reyes and several others - while also correctly identifying the keepers.
I do not believe I have been wrong with a single player recommendation in at least 5 years in discussing the Cardinals.
And, there is a 100% probability that I am right on this as well.
What Bernal may or may not be 3 years from now is not the strategic imperative - the important thing is what he (and others) can bring STL right now.

Melville posted, "while also correctly identifying the keepers". Just curious. Do you consider Gorman a "keeper"? If so, he better start showing it soon.

Gorman has been badly mishandled by the Cardinals.
As a direct result, his performance has been uneven.
And yet, he is still a 25HR/80 RBI/80 runs scored per 600 PA hitter.
And the most productive LH hitting 3B in MLB last year.
And the only 25+ HR hitter on a team which ranked 29th in HR in MLB last year.
So yes, even with the issues, he is a keeper for 2026 - but Bloom must order The Marmot to put him in the lineup every day.
If he does not succeed in 2026, he will end up elsewhere - and will flourish.

Melville, do you have a nickname? If not, I would respectfully suggest, "Captain". This is what going down with the ship looks like. Admire the resolve.

Has nothing to do with resolve.
Just data.
Yes - Gorman strikes out too much.
But games are won and lost based on runs, not strikeouts.
And whether folks like it or not - or like how he does it - Gorman does produce runs at a quality rate.
Right now, Gorman has a career rate of 28 HR and 79 RBI per 601 PA's - even with the terrible mishandling by the STL staff and his inconsistencies over the past 2 seasons (primarily due to knee jerk playing time decisions) - and is still just 25 years old.
Fact is, he is just about MLB average at getting on base and possesses above average power.
That is not an endorsement.
It is simply a fact.
He will either succeed in STL in 2026 - or he will do so with another team in the future.

[sikeston bulldog2]

I'm a little surprised that we haven't heard a peep of a rumor about trading a catcher this offseason.

I, of course, have perfectly analyzed and advised the correct course of action on this very topic for the past several months.
The CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to trade Bernal in a package (Mootbaar, Mathews, Hence, Walker, Saggese, Romero, C. Davis being among the mix-n-match pieces) for a premium RH outfield bat.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Which would then allow for retaining Donovan (offer an extension and if not agreed to, trade him in July).
Which is equally:
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.
Good to see others beginning to understand.

You, and you alone, are going to be the last one to realize that Bernal is the Cardinals catcher of the future. In three years, when Herrera and Rodriguez are playing other positions, Crooks and Pages are gone, and Bernal is the Cardinals primary catcher, I fully expect you to still be in denial. Until then, someone has to play the foil. Glad you are on the forum.

A team attempting to improve long term must trade from a position of depth to a position of dearth another franchise is seeking to bolster.
STL's priority needs going into this offseason were starting pitching and a quality RH hitting outfielder with multiple years of control.
Catcher is a position from which STL can trade - and should.
Like it or not, Bernal currently is the shortest pathway to obtaining what STL needs without damaging their own strategic plan and long term goals.
I am the only person on the planet who correctly understood the optimal time to trade The Paper Tyler, Hence, DeJong, Martinez, Reyes and several others - while also correctly identifying the keepers.
I do not believe I have been wrong with a single player recommendation in at least 5 years in discussing the Cardinals.
And, there is a 100% probability that I am right on this as well.
What Bernal may or may not be 3 years from now is not the strategic imperative - the important thing is what he (and others) can bring STL right now.

Melville posted, "while also correctly identifying the keepers". Just curious. Do you consider Gorman a "keeper"? If so, he better start showing it soon.

Gorman has been badly mishandled by the Cardinals.
As a direct result, his performance has been uneven.
And yet, he is still a 25HR/80 RBI/80 runs scored per 600 PA hitter.
And the most productive LH hitting 3B in MLB last year.
And the only 25+ HR hitter on a team which ranked 29th in HR in MLB last year.
So yes, even with the issues, he is a keeper for 2026 - but Bloom must order The Marmot to put him in the lineup every day.
If he does not succeed in 2026, he will end up elsewhere - and will flourish.

Melville, do you have a nickname? If not, I would respectfully suggest, "Captain". This is what going down with the ship looks like. Admire the resolve.

Has nothing to do with resolve.
Just data.
Yes - Gorman strikes out too much.
But games are won and lost based on runs, not strikeouts.
And whether folks like it or not - or like how he does it - Gorman does produce runs at a quality rate.
Right now, Gorman has a career rate of 28 HR and 79 RBI per 601 PA's - even with the terrible mishandling by the STL staff and his inconsistencies over the past 2 seasons (primarily due to knee jerk playing time decisions) - and is still just 25 years old.
Fact is, he is just about MLB average at getting on base and possesses above average power.
That is not an endorsement.
It is simply a fact.
He will either succeed in STL in 2026 - or he will do so with another team in the future.

Your last sentence- Either way you are predicting success- here or afar. Isn’t that an endorsement.

[Basil Shabazz]

Who are you trading?

Pages and Pozo have very little value in regard to trades.

Herrera is slotted to be a catcher and is one of your top offensive weapons for 2026.

Bernal is most likely the catcher of the future.

Rainel is one of your bigger bats coming through the pipeline. He probably will not be a catcher.

That leaves Crooks, who is probably the most tradeable commodity amongst the catchers, but he would likely have to be packaged in a deal to bring back real value.

[sikeston bulldog2]

Who are you trading?

Pages and Pozo have very little value in regard to trades.

Herrera is slotted to be a catcher and is one of your top offensive weapons for 2026.

Bernal is most likely the catcher of the future.

Rainel is one of your bigger bats coming through the pipeline. He probably will not be a catcher.

That leaves Crooks, who is probably the most tradeable commodity amongst the catchers, but he would likely have to be packaged in a deal to bring back real value.

Donovan.

[TheSolution]

They will. When it’s time.

They will try to boot Herrera value this season.

And they’ll have a better idea of who to move and when.

[Talkin' Baseball]

According to Katie Woo's reporting the Cardinals are interested in having Herrera catch 60-80 games this season. Her reporting is better than my guessing, so at least until the Cardinals change their mind, I'll assume that is true. That leaves 80-100 games to be caught. Are they really going to tie up roster spots with Pages and Crooks to cover 80-100 games? I can't see it.

If they only have one of Crooks or Pages on the ML roster, what do they do? They aren't sending Pages down. Are they really going to send Crooks to AAA with Pozo and Bernal on the roster? Would they really hold Bernal back to AA to avoid having all 3 catchers at Memphis? None of that makes sense.

If they aren't committed to having Herrera catch 60-80 games it's a different conversation, but if they are, they need to cut bait with either Pages or Crooks, and plan to call up Pozo if someone gets hurt, or Herrera can't cut it.

Contrary to comments on here, both Pages and Crooks have trade value.

[TheFantasyStud]

Please trade Pages. I’d rather just see Herrera and Crooks in the bigs this year Pozo could server in a pinch.

[Melville]

According to Katie Woo's reporting the Cardinals are interested in having Herrera catch 60-80 games this season. Her reporting is better than my guessing, so at least until the Cardinals change their mind, I'll assume that is true. That leaves 80-100 games to be caught. Are they really going to tie up roster spots with Pages and Crooks to cover 80-100 games? I can't see it.

If they only have one of Crooks or Pages on the ML roster, what do they do? They aren't sending Pages down. Are they really going to send Crooks to AAA with Pozo and Bernal on the roster? Would they really hold Bernal back to AA to avoid having all 3 catchers at Memphis? None of that makes sense.

If they aren't committed to having Herrera catch 60-80 games it's a different conversation, but if they are, they need to cut bait with either Pages or Crooks, and plan to call up Pozo if someone gets hurt, or Herrera can't cut it.

Contrary to comments on here, both Pages and Crooks have trade value.

Meanwhile, the pitching staff is interested in Herrera catching 6-8 games in 2026......
And yes, you are correct - both Pages and Crooks have significant trade value.
But Bernal is the right trade piece at this point in time.

[Talkin' Baseball]

According to Katie Woo's reporting the Cardinals are interested in having Herrera catch 60-80 games this season. Her reporting is better than my guessing, so at least until the Cardinals change their mind, I'll assume that is true. That leaves 80-100 games to be caught. Are they really going to tie up roster spots with Pages and Crooks to cover 80-100 games? I can't see it.

If they only have one of Crooks or Pages on the ML roster, what do they do? They aren't sending Pages down. Are they really going to send Crooks to AAA with Pozo and Bernal on the roster? Would they really hold Bernal back to AA to avoid having all 3 catchers at Memphis? None of that makes sense.

If they aren't committed to having Herrera catch 60-80 games it's a different conversation, but if they are, they need to cut bait with either Pages or Crooks, and plan to call up Pozo if someone gets hurt, or Herrera can't cut it.

Contrary to comments on here, both Pages and Crooks have trade value.

Meanwhile, the pitching staff is interested in Herrera catching 6-8 games in 2026......

...or fewer.

[sikeston bulldog2]

According to Katie Woo's reporting the Cardinals are interested in having Herrera catch 60-80 games this season. Her reporting is better than my guessing, so at least until the Cardinals change their mind, I'll assume that is true. That leaves 80-100 games to be caught. Are they really going to tie up roster spots with Pages and Crooks to cover 80-100 games? I can't see it.

If they only have one of Crooks or Pages on the ML roster, what do they do? They aren't sending Pages down. Are they really going to send Crooks to AAA with Pozo and Bernal on the roster? Would they really hold Bernal back to AA to avoid having all 3 catchers at Memphis? None of that makes sense.

If they aren't committed to having Herrera catch 60-80 games it's a different conversation, but if they are, they need to cut bait with either Pages or Crooks, and plan to call up Pozo if someone gets hurt, or Herrera can't cut it.

Contrary to comments on here, both Pages and Crooks have trade value.

Meanwhile, the pitching staff is interested in Herrera catching 6-8 games in 2026......

That’s like saying the staff is glad it isn’t them individually.