D'BACKS DEAL FOR ESTRADA
The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired catcher Johnny Estrada from the Atlanta Braves for pitchers Oscar Villarreal and Lance Cormier.
What does it give the Arizona Diamondbacks
Catching was clearly a huge weakness in Arizona in 2005, and the addition of Estrada fills that gap. While he may not quite be a premier catcher, he is a strong No. 1 guy who managed to win a Silver Slugger in 2004 and can swing the bat for good average, while driving in a few runs without striking out a lot. On top of that, he's a good defensive catcher who works well with pitchers, which is a plus for Arizona's young staff. He battled back spasms last year, so the D'backs will have to watch out for that.
What does it give the Atlanta Braves
Having lost Kyle Farnsworth to the Yankees via free agency, the Braves need to bulk up the top of their bullpen, which makes Villarreal the key acquisition here. Just 24, he used his great slider toward pitching a great rookie season in 2003, but struggled through injuries the past two seasons. But he's still young enough to emerge as a top setup man. At 25, Cormier is another young righty with good potential. He's an aggressive pitcher with a relatively soft high-80s fastball, but a great change-up and strong command. Most of his minor-league service has been as a starter, and while he could get the odd start for the Braves, he'll mostly serve in middle relief.
Fantasy impact
