Should he pass his physical, Johnny Estrada would serve as Nats' backup catcher. Elsa/GETTY IMAGES

Nationals notes: Estrada close to joining team

BY RICH CAMPBELL

Date published: 1/30/2008

BY RICH CAMPBELL

The Washington Nationals are close to acquiring free-agent catcher Johnny Estrada.

The switch-hitting former all-star would provide the Nationals with a much-needed left-handed bat.

A one-year, $1.25 million contract will be finalized pending a physical, according to the team's Web site, which first reported the deal and cited an anonymous source. The physical is scheduled for tomorrow, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Nationals general manager Jim Bowden would not confirm or deny the deal. David Schwartz, Estrada's agent, refused to comment because a deal has not been finalized.

Estrada, 31, has played for four teams in seven seasons. The New York Mets acquired him in a trade with Milwaukee earlier this offseason, but they non-tendered him, which made him a free agent.

A lifetime .280 hitter, Estrada played in 120 games for Milwaukee last season and batted .278 with a .296 on-base percentage and 10 home runs. He also had 54 RBI, the same amount as Nationals catcher Paul Lo Duca and former Nationals catcher Brian Schneider.

Lo Duca had arthroscopic left knee surgery on Monday and is expected to miss four to six weeks. Estrada had arthroscopic left knee surgery and surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow earlier this offseason.

Estrada hasn't played fewer than 105 games in any of the last four seasons, so a switch to a backup role behind Lo Duca would be an adjustment. The move means that 23-year-old catcher Jesus Flores is more likely to begin the season in a starting role in the minor leagues.

Dukes due back in court

Nationals outfielder Elijah Dukes appeared in criminal court yesterday in Tampa for a disposition in a misdemeanor domestic violence case against him.

The disposition was scheduled to continue on Mar. 4. Dukes, who pled not guilty at a hearing in Sept. 2007, will not be required to attend, ac-cording to court records. The Nationals will be at spring training at that time.

Dukes faces one count of violating a domestic violence injunction, a first-degree misdemeanor. He is accused of contacting the plaintiff--whom court records did not identify--on July 22.

Grady C. Irvin Jr., Dukes' attorney, did not return a message.

The Nationals acquired the oft-troubled outfielder in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on Dec. 3.

Rich Campbell: 540/735-1974
Email: rcampbell@freelancestar.com

Date published: 1/30/2008