According to FOX Sports.com’s Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi, the Mets are out of money, which is why they haven’t been able to land a starting catcher or a fifth starter this offseason.

Two of the teams that could benefit from signing free-agent catcher Rod Barajas — the Mets and Rangers — appear hamstrung by complications at the ownership level.

The Mets, outbid by the Padres for catcher Yorvit Torrealba, are out of money, major-league sources say — a curious position for a team that spent $66 million on outfielder Jason Bay knowing it had other needs.

None of the Mets’ catchers — Henry Blanco, Omir Santos, Chris Coste and Josh Thole — is an established major-league starter. Thole, 23, had a September callup last season, but has yet to play at Class AAA.

I find it hard to believe that the Mets don’t have any more money to sign free agents but if they do, I question why GM Omar Minaya handed Jason Bay a $66 million contract knowing that he couldn’t fill other needs. The club has a lot of money wrapped up in bad contracts and continues to feel the affects of it.

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