Out of sheer necessity the Nationals have mastered the art of the bargain in recent offseasons.
They are hoping for yet another one with the signing of catcher Johnny Estrada, whose one-year $1.25 million contract became official when he passed a team physical on Thursday.
“We feel very fortunate,” said Nats general manager Jim Bowden. “I’d compare this signing with getting Dmitri Young and Ronnie Belliard. For Johnny to still be on the open market and to get him at the number we did made a lot of sense to us.”
Estrada is a switch hitter who can help balance a lineup loaded with right-handed batters. He has a .283 batting average from the left side of the plate.
Young signed a non-guaranteed $500,000 contract last winter with the Nats after a disastrous 2006. He rebounded with an All-Star season and was named National League Comeback Player of the Year. Belliard signed a non-guaranteed $850,000 contract last winter and batted .290 while starting most of the season at second base.
