It appears that Mike Rabelo is going to be the starting catcher with Matt Treanor as the backup .

Matt Treanor was on the lineup card Sunday -- no surprise, since that's where backup catchers typically wind up for a day game following a night game. What is a bit of a surprise is that Treanor has been reduced to backup status behind Mike Rabelo after the word all spring was that the two would split the duties.

Rabelo has started 11 of the Marlins' 17 games since he emerged from the disabled list on April 11. Manager Fredi Gonzalez was coy in his explanation to reporters for the reason behind his decision.

''When your name's in the lineup, you play,'' Gonzalez said. ``Seriously, whoever is playing well, plays. It's not that big of a deal.''

Gonzalez mentioned that Rabelo (.273) is hitting. But it's not like Treanor wasn't contributing with his bat before Rabelo joined the roster. Treanor was 7 for 26 at the time Rabelo started cutting into his playing time, but has gone 2 for 16 since.

Since Rabelo's return from the DL, he has caught every game with the exception of Nolasco's starts and Sunday's games.

The .273 BA argument is pretty lame considering that on April 24th, Rabelo was hitting .216 and was still getting most of the time behind the plate.

Here is what I know or at least as it appears to me:  Rabelo isn't, at this point, a better defensive catcher than Treanor.  He is also a very slow and crappy runner of the bases.  Not to mention in almost in the same number of games, Treanor has thrown out 7 runners and Rabelo only two.

I'm not really trying to beat up on Rabelo, it is possible he will get better defensively and will learn the reason that there are base coaches on the field, though I doubt he will get any faster.  It is just that, don't use a .57 point jump in batting average in the last two days as a reason to justify one catcher over the other.  I find it insulting.  At least come up with something better than that.