Contreras moving to first base

[jagtrader]

I think Contreras is not a bad catcher and I think Herrera who seems to be a good hitter could very possibly improve his CS % by enough points that it doesn’t matter. So I like it a lot.

Pages is going to get the lion’s share of the playing time. You’re not taking that black hole on offense if you think the other guys are good catchers.

[haltz]

If he won’t accept a trade, you play him at catcher. That’s where he’s most valuable. Unless, wait for it, you don’t he’s good there.

Or unless you're not trying to win this year.

They’re not trying to win because it costs money. This money is spent.

Yes they're rich [expletive] and just like a rich [expletive] they bought the car but they're going to leave it in the garage to protect their investment.

[ghostrunner]

I think Contreras is not a bad catcher and I think Herrera who seems to be a good hitter could very possibly improve his CS % by enough points that it doesn’t matter. So I like it a lot.

Pages is going to get the lion’s share of the playing time. You’re not taking that black hole on offense if you think the other guys are good catchers.

I've read this multiple times and don't understand it

[Jocephus]

not to discourage discussion but this is a "whatever" imo

[Lesson]

If he won’t accept a trade, you play him at catcher. That’s where he’s most valuable. Unless, wait for it, you don’t he’s good there.

Why play him at catcher when he continues to get hurt?

I would prefer him to play at C, but this team isn’t going anywhere and he won’t be traded. So why pay someone millions to be hurt when your priority is slashing payroll?

[TGantz]

This 2025 team will have much bigger problems than the defensive drop off from Contreras to Herrera. It will also be a major upgrade at 1B.

Herrera might get better with time. I'd rather give the .800 OPS catcher time to develop other areas of his game in a rebuild year than watch the lovable Knizner/Crash Davis types of catchers who catch a decent game but that's about it. Pitchers will need to be quicker to the plate regardless of who is catching in 2025.

[TGantz]

Do the Cardinals trade Baker at this point or does he just get DFA'd? I know he's going to hit 30 HR's for a team like the Rockies once we trade him, but he has very little value right now.

[CardsofSTL]

Do the Cardinals trade Baker at this point or does he just get DFA'd? I know he's going to hit 30 HR's for a team like the Rockies once we trade him, but he has very little value right now.

He has value as a cheap bat off the bench that crushes lefties.

[Fan_In_NY]

If he had agreed to a trade they'd trade him, but he didn't so they're not going to beat him up at catcher since they have to pay him for three more years and squeezing value out of various roster spots isn't a priority.

this is all I can think of as well

since Crooks is widely seen as above average offensively and defensively and will be in AAA next year, this is just for a year anyways as far as the pages/herrera tandem

since contreras won't accept a trade, you can only hide him at 1b and DH, so you don't block Crooks

Every team in baseball has a "Crooks" type catcher that seems destined to be a major leaguer...and rarely any actually pan out. I mean below are the writeup on Herrera's defense in 2020, 2021, 2022 - all seem to indicate that the defense was playable - and now its not. You should never clear out a roster spot for a catching prospect until they fully knock threw that door. Let them prove it and they can have that starting spot.

2020

While Herrera’s defense is behind his bat, club officials are quick to note the strides he has made behind the plate in the past year, especially with regards to his blocking. His arm strength has ticked up to above average thanks to an offseason throwing program, and the hope is that it will allow him to better mitigate the running game at higher levels. Herrera’s receiving and catch-and-throw skills will require more time to develop, but he has the athleticism, aptitude and work ethic required to make the necessary gains.

2021

Herrera’s most significant gains as a pro have come defensively. His blocking improved in 2020, thanks in part to the time he spent around Yadier Molina at the alternate training site, and his arm strength has continued to improve after the Cardinals put him on a throwing program early in his career. Herrera also earns high marks from club officials for his work ethic and dedication to improving on and off the field. A bilingual catcher, he began learning English early in his pro career and takes pride in communicating with his teammates and coaches.

2022

St. Louis officials have long been enthused by Herrera’s defensive growth and the work he’s put in on that side. His blocking has gotten better in the last two years, but there is still room to improve in that area. Once put on a throwing program by the Cardinals, Herrera now projects to have an above-average arm behind the plate. The Cardinals haven’t needed a Yadier Molina replacement yet, but they will after 2022. With solid tools across the board, Herrera could be the guy.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

not to discourage discussion but this is a "whatever" imo

We have three and a half months with nothing else to do so we've got to find all the nits we can.