Mets land Estrada

[stevejrogers]

The sports radio shows are reporting that Johnny Estrada has been traded from the Brewers for Mota!

Right now I can't find an internet link

[stevejrogers]

Okay, this is from a site that will not be MentiOned FOr several reasons

]METS ACQUIRE CATCHER JOHNNY ESTRADA[/font] The New York Mets announced today that they have acquired catcher Johnny Estrada from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for righthanded pitcher Guillermo Mota.[/font] �Johnny adds depth to our catching situation,� said Mets General Manager Omar Minaya. �He�s a former All-Star who switch-hits and has hit over .300 three times in his career.�[/font] Estrada, 31, hit .278 (123-442) with 40 runs scored, 25 doubles, 10 home runs and 54 RBI in 120 games with the Brewers last year. The 5-11, 209-pounder batted .313 (42-134) vs. lefthanded pitchers and hit .297 (60-202) with runners in scoring position last season. Johnny also constructed .313 (31-99) mark with four home runs and eight RBI against National League East opponents in 2007. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on October 4th to repair the torn medial meniscus in his left knee and also had a bone spur removed from his right elbow. The surgeries were performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL. Estrada has batted .280 (567-2,026) with 198 runs scored, 129 doubles, 42 home runs, 281 RBI in 589 major league games with Philadelphia, Atlanta, Arizona and Milwaukee. Johnny was named to the 2004 National League All-Star team. In addition, he has hit .333 (7-21) with two home runs and five RBI in six postseason games in 2004-2005 while with Atlanta.[/font] Estrada has compiled a .297 (272-915) batting average during his career with runners on base and has hit .353 (18-51) with the bases loaded. Mota, 34, went 2-2 with a 5.76 ERA in 52 games with New York last season. In 59.1 innings, he allowed 63 hits, 39 runs, 38 earned, with 18 walks and 47 strikeouts.[/font]

[A Boy Named Seo]

Steve, if you're going to post the trade talk, give us the source, too, and we'll make up our own minds about it.

[metirish]

I don't believe we got him for Mota.

[stevejrogers]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Steve, if you're going to post the trade talk, give us the source, too, and we'll make up our own minds about it.

I did in code.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Apparently we did. Mets.com release:

]The New York Mets announced today that they have acquired catcher Johnny Estrada from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for righthanded pitcher Guillermo Mota. "Johnny adds depth to our catching situation," said Mets General Manager Omar Minaya. "He's a former All-Star who switch-hits and has hit over .300 three times in his career." Estrada, 31, hit .278 (123-for-442) with 40 runs scored, 25 doubles, 10 home runs and 54 RBI in 120 games with the Brewers last year. The 5-11, 209-pounder batted .313 (42-for-134) vs. lefthanded pitchers and hit .297 (60-202) with runners in scoring position last season. Johnny also constructed .313 (31-for-99) mark with four home runs and eight RBI against National League East opponents in 2007. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on October 4th to repair the torn medial meniscus in his left knee and also had a bone spur removed from his right elbow. The surgeries were performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL. Estrada has batted .280 (567-for-2,026) with 198 runs scored, 129 doubles, 42 home runs, 281 RBI in 589 major league games with Philadelphia, Atlanta, Arizona and Milwaukee. Johnny was named to the 2004 National League All-Star team. In addition, he has hit .333 (7-for-21) with two home runs and five RBI in six postseason games in 2004-2005 while with Atlanta. Estrada has compiled a .297 (272-for-915) batting average during his career with runners on base and has hit .353 (18-51) with the bases loaded. Mota, 34, went 2-2 with a 5.76 ERA in 52 games with New York last season. In 59.1 innings, he allowed 63 hits, 39 runs, 38 earned, with 18 walks and 47 strikeouts.

[Gwreck]

Daily News has the story too.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2007/11/mets-deal-mota-for-johnny-estr.html

[A Boy Named Seo]

It looks like he made 3.4M last season and is arbitration eligible for '08. At worst, it's Johnny Estrada for one year at +/- $4M and look again for a catcher next year.

[Centerfield]

.699 OPS at Miller Park. Yeesh.

I guess he was the best option though. What's he like defensively?

[metirish]

Seems like a good bit of business for the Mets, I would never have thought you could get him for Mota. I guess the surgery has something to do with that.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Centerfield wrote: .699 OPS at Miller Park. Yeesh. I guess he was the best option though. What's he like defensively?

73 steals allowed, 11 caught = .131 CS%. His career line is a little better at .239.

By comparison, Yorvit's rate in '07 was .197 (61 SB, 15 caught) and Lo Duca's was .234 (72 SB, 22 CS).

Complete fielding stats for each:

Estrada

Torrealba

Lo Duca

[Mex17]

"Okay, this is from a site that will not be MentiOned FOr several reasons"

Did you say hi to Paulie?

[Valadius]

If somebody can work with him on how to draw walks, then I'm pretty happy right now!

[stevejrogers]

Mex17 wrote: "Okay, this is from a site that will not be MentiOned FOr several reasons" Did you say hi to Paulie?

KO, Bill, BRD and crew all say hello as well!

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm pleased.

[MFS62]

Getting Estrada for Mota?
Johnny's a fan favorite before he plays in his first game.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

"...this is from a site that will not be MentiOned FOr several reasons"

Enough with this nonsense OK?

1) you're only copying something that someone there copied from elsewhere. It's not like that site was the source of the material in the first place.
2) there's no reason you can't mention a site. Stop inventing problems that don't exist.



Back to Estrada - and a brief comparison to the guy who almost landed here:
- 2 years older than Torreabla
- 23 points better in BA than YT in 2007 (30 pts career)
- 27 points Lower OBA last season. 12 BBs in 442 ABs!!
- similar sluggers: .125 IsoP vs .121
- switch hitter vs RH only. Helps slightly in platoon situations
- recently repaired knee vs questionable throwing shoulder
- probably similar $$ costs for 2008, but one year vs three at which point it looks like he'll be a FA after that so this may well be a one year and out deal.
- Cost of money only vs a sometimes promising if erratic reliever whose brief success may or may not have been due to steroids.

He had that one pretty good year in Atlanta, a year he never quite duplicated after that (I've seen this movie before) although had a decent one with Arizona in 2006.

In all it's probably an OK move, especially considering the limited options at the position.
Maybe our Wisconson-based correspondant can check in with his new Brewer-fan friends and get some impressions about his defense or other general tendancies beyond what the numbers show.

Edited November 20, 2007 by Guest

[Theoldmole]

What's a switch hitter vs RH only?

[Frayed Knot]

In trying to compare how Estrada stacks up against Torrealba (since he's essentially the replacement choice) I'm pointing out that Estrada is a switch-hitter while Torreabla hit RH only.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Looks like a win for us, just getting Mota out of town makes it worth it!

[Mex17]

So if they can get Estrada for Mota, then why can't they get a solid #1-#2 pitcher for Gomez-or-Milledge and Pelfrey-or-Humber-or-Mulvey?

[Frayed Knot]

="metsguyinmichigan"]Looks like a win for us, just getting Mota out of town makes it worth it!

Reverse the names and that's what a quickie sampling of Brewer fans are saying about Estrada:
"If Mets fans were disappointed with Lo Duca's defense, they're in for a heckuva surprise with Johnny" ... "garbage defensively" ... "clubhouse cancer" ... "didn't play like he cared" ... "whoever replaces him can't possibly be worse" ... "needs to lose 40 pounds" etc.

]So if they can get Estrada for Mota, then why can't they get a solid #1-#2 pitcher for Gomez-or-Milledge and Pelfrey-or-Humber-or-Mulvey

On what planet does one have anything to do with the other?

[smg58]

He hits pretty well in even-numbered years. The guy has some upside if he can stay healthy. Most importantly the Mets gave up less than nothing to get him. Hard to like the walks, granted, but I have to give a thumbs-up to this one.

[seawolf17]

I'm happy going into the season with Jamon Castrada behind the plate. Good deal, especially considering they gave up nothing. And it's only a year. See ya, Mota.

[Fman99]

I love this deal. Estrada's career BA is 30 points higher than ol Yorvit and no Mota in 2008. To me it's win/win.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

This sounds like an exchange of the least popular players of two teams.

Word on Estrada is he's fat, lazy and has a bad attitude.
Word on Mota is he's a cheater, an asshole and he sucks.

[Guest vtmet]

Valadius wrote: If somebody can work with him on how to draw walks, then I'm pretty happy right now!

what is the advantage in a catcher that draws walks? Most of them are slower than molases anyhow...He doesn't strike out much, has averaged about 37 extra base hits per season in the last 4 seasons, has a .297 batting average with runners on base (past 3 season average)...and most importantly is not Paul Lo Duca...

[Guest Edgy DC]

I like Estrada. I don't believe that last line at all.

[Centerfield]

Didn't Estrada get into a fist fight with Yost during a Mets game?

[Guest Kid Carsey]

sea: >>>Jamon Castrada behind the plate<<<
>>>it's only a year<<<

That's the right way to boil it down.