When Joe Mauer is your catcher, you shouldn't need the best backup in the league. But having Jose Morales around provided good cover last year when Mauer was beat up and needed to DH a stretch of games in August.

Morales has run into some bad luck. A former second baseman, he was injured for three straight offseasons and unable to play winter ball to work on his catching skills. Consequently, he's not the best behind the plate, and teams could run on him.

He is out of options, so the Twins might have decided that they need the roster space for someone else, that he wasn't going to make the team and that they should deal him now to get something in return instead of losing him on waivers at the end of spring training.

Drew Butera is very good behind the plate - but is not a good hitter. Fans are going to look at that scream about Morales not being around.

But how much would he have played as the third catcher on a major league roster when Mauer is going to play as much as he can? if the Twins sign Jim Thome - which they are trying to do - how limited would the bench be? Morales, Thome, Butera, Jason Repko and Matt Tolbert. If there's a 12-man pitching staff and 13 position players, that's one too many bench players already.

So the Twins must have decided to get what they could for Morales now. We'll find out later when Bill Smith is available.

Here are stats on Paul Bargas. Like the strikeout rate, but will that hold as he moves through the farm system?