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<blockquote data-quote="Slammed" data-source="post: 1964036" data-attributes="member: 554316">insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&amp;amp;id=2522380It&#039;s beginning to appear that the Phillies and Mets have the makings of a Richter Scale kind of deal -- one that would send Abreu to Flushing Meadow for an earth-rattling package topped by the Mets&#039; marquee position-player prospect, Lastings Milledge. Two weeks ago, Milledge had a &quot;Do Not Touch&quot; sign pasted on his cap. But suddenly, a number of Mets people have been floating his name to friends in the business. And they&#039;ve been sending signals that the one available player they would prefer to trade him for is Abreu. The Mets&#039; original deadline shopping list started (and essentially ended) with starting pitching. But clubs that have spoken with the Mets say they&#039;ve concluded there is no gettable starter with better stuff than the just-recalled Mike Pelfrey. So they have turned their attention to the one guy on their list they think could be a major difference-maker -- Abreu. The Phillies, on the other hand, are still pushing Pat Burrell before they even seriously shop Abreu. While that&#039;s only a matter of time, they would then have to decide whether they would risk shipping their No. 3 hitter to a team they would have to face 19 times a year. To do that, they&#039;d initially indicated that the package would have to center around Pelfrey. But in the meantime, according to one baseball man, they&#039;ve also done their homework on Milledge -- and haven&#039;t found anything negative except a mild case of immaturity. Sources who have been in touch with both clubs say nothing is imminent -- because the Phillies haven&#039;t posted that &quot;Open For Business&quot; sign on Abreu&#039;s back yet. And with Abreu&#039;s agent, Peter Greenberg, telling ESPN.com he would want his $16-million 2008 option picked up to waive his no-trade clause, the teams also would have to work out who pays what of the $37 million or so Abreu has coming. But with the Tigers and Red Sox showing no more than kick-the-tires interest, and the Yankees balking at dealing anyone in the upper tier of their prospect pool, this is the one burner on the Phillies&#039; stove where you can feel the heat building around Bobby Abreu&#039;s fabled casserole.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Slammed, post: 1964036, member: 554316"] insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2522380 It's beginning to appear that the Phillies and Mets have the makings of a Richter Scale kind of deal -- one that would send Abreu to Flushing Meadow for an earth-rattling package topped by the Mets' marquee position-player prospect, Lastings Milledge. Two weeks ago, Milledge had a "Do Not Touch" sign pasted on his cap. But suddenly, a number of Mets people have been floating his name to friends in the business. And they've been sending signals that the one available player they would prefer to trade him for is Abreu. The Mets' original deadline shopping list started (and essentially ended) with starting pitching. But clubs that have spoken with the Mets say they've concluded there is no gettable starter with better stuff than the just-recalled Mike Pelfrey. So they have turned their attention to the one guy on their list they think could be a major difference-maker -- Abreu. The Phillies, on the other hand, are still pushing Pat Burrell before they even seriously shop Abreu. While that's only a matter of time, they would then have to decide whether they would risk shipping their No. 3 hitter to a team they would have to face 19 times a year. To do that, they'd initially indicated that the package would have to center around Pelfrey. But in the meantime, according to one baseball man, they've also done their homework on Milledge -- and haven't found anything negative except a mild case of immaturity. Sources who have been in touch with both clubs say nothing is imminent -- because the Phillies haven't posted that "Open For Business" sign on Abreu's back yet. And with Abreu's agent, Peter Greenberg, telling ESPN.com he would want his $16-million 2008 option picked up to waive his no-trade clause, the teams also would have to work out who pays what of the $37 million or so Abreu has coming. But with the Tigers and Red Sox showing no more than kick-the-tires interest, and the Yankees balking at dealing anyone in the upper tier of their prospect pool, this is the one burner on the Phillies' stove where you can feel the heat building around Bobby Abreu's fabled casserole. [/QUOTE]

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