D-Backs acquire All-Star Estrada

DALLAS - The first trade of the Josh Byrnes Era cleared up the Diamondbacks’ catching position Wednesday by adding National League All-Star Johnny Estrada.

And while a landing point for soon-to -be -traded D -Backs pitcher Javier Vazquez and the recomposition of the starting rotation has not materialized, the D-Backs did make a drastic move.

They entered the world of agent Scott Boras with a meeting in the wee hours Wednesday, before the Estrada deal went down.

"We owe it to ourselves to do our due diligence and try to make ourselves better,’’ said Byrnes, the D-Backs general manager, late Wednesday night.

Super agent Boras owns the franchise on the top available free agent starting pitchers this offseason, representing Kevin Millwood, Jarrod Washburn, Jeff Weaver and Kenny Rogers.

"We’ve had some very late night meetings with the Diamondbacks,’’ Boras said.

"A good bulk of the teams are waiting to see what will happen in the next 24 hours. There will be a lot of clubs that are staying here to meet with us on Friday.’’

The D-Backs changed their travel plans and will depart late Friday, one day later than originally scheduled.

Millwood, considered the top attraction in that stable, is said to be asking for six years at eight figures a year, although it is uncertain if the D-Backs would commit to that much time and money.

"Tough to tell,’’ Byrnes said.

Washington appeared to lose traction as a potential trading partner when it agreed to send outfielder Brad Wilkerson, who is of interest to the D-Backs, to Texas for Alfonso Soriano.

The D-Backs have received four offers for Vazquez, according to team official, including a package from St. Louis that is believed to have included either Jason Marquis or original D-Back Jeff Suppan.

Any talks regarding Troy Glaus stalled while the DBacks busied themselves addressing Vazquez and opting against offering salary arbitration to free agents Royce Clayton and Shawn Estes, effectively losing them.

The Mets also have interest in Vazquez, who has had a relationship with general manager Omar Minaya since their days in Montreal, and were said late Wednesday to have soured on Oakland left-hander Barry Zito after considering trades for both.

The Mets appear willing to part with right-hander Kris Benson, a player the D-Backs do not appear to have interest in.

Benson also has been mentioned in a trade with Kansas City involving either Jeremy Affeldt or Mesa’s Mike Mac-Dougal, two players the DBacks inquired about at the 2005 trading deadline, when it would have cost them Chad Tracy or Conor Jackson.

Houston also emerged as a potential trading partner for Vazquez after the Astros’ declined to offer arbitration to Roger Clemens, who is mulling retirement and now is ineligible to play for the Astros until May 1.

The Astros consider Vazquez a viable option, a Houston source said, and could be willing to offer a package that includes center fielder Willy Taveras, who finished second in the Baseball Writers Association of America Rookie of the Year balloting in 2005 but is being pushed by Chris Burke, who had a strong postseason.

Estrada, acquired for Oscar Villarreal and Lance Cormier, hit .261 in 105 games with Atlanta last season after a breakout 2004, in which he made the NL All-Star team and hit .314 with nine homers and 76 RBIs in his first season as a regular.

Estrada, 29, slumped in the second half of the season after being involved in a severe collision with Darin Erstad on a midseason play at the plate. Estrada was hospitalized with a mild concussion and suffered what was likened by Atlanta doctors to whiplash but was cleared by the DBacks’ doctors after an exchange of medical reports.

"We feel we have strengthened ourselves in the short term and the long term with him,’’ Byrnes said.

Estrada is expected to earn between $2 million and $2.5 million in arbitration.