Cardinals Considerations on Catcher Rotation
ST. LOUIS — Ahead of last Saturday’s match against the Royals, amidst the excitement of Tarps Off, an engaging discussion took place in Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol’s office.
The topic? Reevaluating the current structure of the Cardinals’ catcher rotation.
So far, the setup has been straightforward: Iván Herrera has taken on the catching duties while aiming to solidify his position, specifically on the days when Michael McGreevy and Andre Pallante are on the mound. Meanwhile, Pedro Pagés has caught the remaining three starters.
While the Cardinals have enjoyed success thus far, questions arise as Herrera has emerged as a key player, but Pagés’ performance has fluctuated. His contributions were notable, however, during a two-hit game in a recent 6-2 loss to the Pirates.
One suggestion is to have Herrera catch more often, enabling Pagés to take a designated hitter role. Marmol, however, countered this idea by emphasizing the importance of both catchers’ skills.
“I think you’re underestimating the other guy’s abilities,” Marmol stated, highlighting the increased reliance on PitchCom technology and ABS challenges that some believe lessen the importance of a skilled catcher.
The Cardinals maintain that their carefully crafted rotation, established during Spring Training, has yielded promising results thus far. Marmol described the consistency of their arrangement, noting its impact on the team’s pitching success and the significant preparation involved in managing the rotation.
