Johnny Estrada—Washington Nationals

Baseball Digest, Sept, 2008 by Rick Sorci

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FULL NAME: Johnny Pulado Estrada Ill

AGE, HT., WT: 32, 5-11, 195

THROWS: Right

BATS: Both

BORN: June 27, 1976 in Hayward, California

HOME: Atlanta, Georgia

STATUS/FAMILY: Married with three children

NICKNAME: Punch

BASEBALL CAREER: Selected in the 17th round of First Year Player Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997. Had his finest campaign with the Braves in 2004 when he hit .314 with 36 doubles, nine home runs and 76 RBI and represented Atlanta in the All-Star game. That season he also became the second switch-hitting catcher since 1923 (Ted Simmons was the other) to hit higher than .300 while catching a minimum of 100 games. Signed with Nationals as a free agent on January 31, 2008.

LIFE OUTSIDE OF BASEBALL: Pretty simple. Relax and spend time with my wife and kids in the off-season.

SPORTS HERO WHEN I WAS YOUNG: Carlton Fisk

PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED ME THE MOST]WHY? I was a big baseball fan growing up in the Bay Area, so I'd say any player I watched back then. I dreamed of playing baseball and making it to the major leagues some day.

BEST ADVICE ANYONE EVER GAVE ME: Believe in your dreams. Chase your dreams.

PLAYERS--PAST AND PRESENT--I'D PAY TO WATCH PLAY BASEBALL: I'd love to have watched Babe Ruth play. I got to watch

Carlton Fisk on TV, but never got to see him in person. Also, Ty Cobb.

HOBBLES: I golf in the off-season. I'm not very good at it, but I play.

TYPE OF CAR: Hummer H2

FAVORITE ACTOR: Al Pacing

FAVORITE MOVIE: Scarface

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: Criminal Minds

FAVORITE MUSIC: Rap and Hip Hop

FAVORITE FOOD: Pizza

FAVORITE BALLPARKS: Dodger Stadium and Coors Field

THREE FAVORITE CITIES ON THE ROAD: Denver, San Francisco and Boston.

FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM OUTSIDE OF BASEBALL: Oakland Raiders

PERSON IN HISTORY I'D LIKE TO HAVE MET: Babe Ruth. He lived hard, but he had a special place in his heart for children

the way he treated them.

BEST TIME OF MY LIFE/WHY? Probably the two years I spent in junior college. I played baseball at the Junior College of the Sequoias. It was the time of my life that pretty much groomed me to get where I am today, as far as work ethic and learning the game. Those two years were very special to me.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: I can't say I've had any. I've been able to live a dream. I'm not disappointed in anything up to this point.

CHARACTERISTIC I ADMIRE MOST IN A PERSON: A person who is genuine and true to themself, who is real. I see so many people in our profession who aren't real.

THE TRUE SIGN OF SUCCESS IS: Ultimately, being happy and doing something you love. To me, that's being successful.

IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT BASEBALL IT WOULD BE: We always complain about things, but I'm drawing a blank on what I'd change.

I'M MOST PROUD OF: Being able to make it to the major leagues. It's all I've wanted to do since I was a little kid.