¿Donde Estrada?

Though no one seems to be saying it too loudly, I’m betting that Johnny Estrada will not be back with the Braves next year. While he’s a great catcher, he’s arbitration eligible and plays a position in which the Braves have more depth at than virtually any other major league club (with McCann, Pena, Boscan, Sammons, and Salty). So where will he go? The Rockies are looking for a catcher, but the players they are offering don’t seem to match our needs. The Diamondbacks are in need of a solid catcher, and the Padres may have some interest as well. The Angels will be in need of a catcher if Molina leaves, but I don’t think any GM in his right mind would put Estrada and Erstad on the same team after the collision. The Marlins will be hot to deal LoDuca as they continue to dismantle. But he is owed $6.25 million over the next two years which may make Estrada more attractive as clubs pass on LoDuca. This may be one of the items on Schu’s list at the winter meetings next week. All signs point to Furcal’s decision coming before then. Money quote from Schu: "We have enough depth in our organization to be aggressive and do something.”