NY Daily News: Yankees closing in on Abreu

According to the report, the Phillies have been given the go-ahead to lift the outfielder’s no-trade clause for any deal involving the Yankees, Mets or Red Sox. They have focused their negotiating efforts on the Bombers.

Abreu’s no-trade clause has reportedly been the big obstacle in negotiations, but now that hurdle has apparently been cleared. Originally, it was reported that Abreu would only lift his no-trade if his $16 million club option was picked up though 2008.

This latest story indicates the Yankees might be sending reliever Scott Proctor and prospects to the Phils in exchange for Abreu and pitcher Jon Lieber. There are some who believe the 29-year-old right-hander could be converted into a starter, even though he hasn't pitched in that role since the minor leagues. As for the prospects, it is reported that GM Pat Gillick has backed off his demand for the Yankees’ top two prospects, pitcher Philip Hughes and outfielder Jose Tabata. One name that was mentioned in previous reports is 22-year-old third baseman Eric Duncan, a player who’s seemed destined for Philadelphia for the past two seasons. Duncan struggled in an earlier stint with Triple-A Columbus, but is hitting well in Double-A Trenton (.272 BA, 10 HR, .915 OPS).

Other teams, including the Mets, have reportedly backed off on Abreu, whose numbers have steadily diminished over the past month. Most glaring is a lingering power outage. Abreu has not homered since June 13 and has only 14 longballs since last all-star break.

For the season, Abreu is hitting .277 with 8 homers and 88 strikeouts. He is third in the league in on-base percentage with a .427 and is 12th in the NL in runs created, according to Hardball Times.

Comments

[Stubborn & Blind]

forget scott proctor, he sucks. this move would purely be a "salary dump," and i'm not against it. i've been talking about abreu's declining stats for months now. his average and power have steadily and in terms of power, dramatically fallen. his OBP is not worth his salary, and to get rid of lieber's salary as well would be good for the long-term future of this club. however, rumor now is lidle instead of lieber, which would not be as good.

[joe]

Lieber and Abreu should command prospects. If its Lidle instead, that should be PROSPECTS.

[clout]

I agree with both of you. Slipping or not, Abreu is still an offensive force. Trading him for mediocre to poor prospects like Proctor & Duncan would simply be a disguised salary dump. The problem with Lidle is he is a free agent at season's end and the Phillies don't intend to re-sign him. Thus they must deal him for whatever they can get. Bell was in that category and Lieberthal & Dellucci are too. I think a rebuilding team needs to move guys like that. Those still under contract, like Leiber, they can afford to hang onto until they get equal value back. I think Leiber can go through waivers because of his contract so he could even be dealt after the deadline. If you can get back equal value, then run him out there next year as the veteran head of a rotation that will lose 85 games and hope he has a better year and is better trade bait.

[Tim]

i'd love proctor and duncan for abreu. proctor has huge value, not just to us, but to most teams in baseball, and duncan gives us a legit upperlevel prospect at 3b which we are lacking.

i can't wait to see what this team looks like next year. i predict a lot of playing time for victorino so gillick can decide if he will be their leadoff hitter or if he needs to go get one. his history - rickey henderson, ichiro - indicates that is a spot he covets, and i doubt jroll, as productive as he is (or will be when lower in the lineup), is gillicks guy for it.

finally we're seeing a real gm at work.

[dane]

I saw one deal that included proctor, duncan, and melky cabrera. I would like that deal. cabrera could get some starts in the outfield and proctor is having a good year for the yanks. duncan is also an upper level prospect

[clout]

Proctor is 29 years old with a lifetime ERA of 4.98. Duncan failed at AAA but is young enough to bounce back. His best position is 1B which is where the Yanks have moved him. Sickels rates him 4th best prospect in what he calls (and Baseball America confirms) a weak farm system. Stubborn & Blind is correct, Abreu for these donkeys would be a salary dump and nothing more.

[Oisin]

All Hail. Word over at PhilliesPhans.com is that Ryan Franklin has been designated for assignment.

[Jon]

Any chance we could land Hughes "or" Tabata? The article says Gillick backed off his demand for the Yankees’ top two prospects, pitcher Philip Hughes "and" outfielder Jose Tabata, but is there a chance that one of those two could be moved? I really think we need to land Hughes, even if it means holding out until 3:59 tomorrow afternoon. Proctor and Duncan would be nice too, but the crown jewel just may be Philip Hughes.

[Jon]

I just saw on ESPN that Franklin has indeed been designated for assignment! This is great! No more Franklin, Fasano, or Bell! Too bad it took this long!

[Mike H.]

Great point about the leadoff hitter, Tim. Gillick did the same thing in Baltimore with Brady Anderson, of all people. His OBP was .400 in the years the O's made the playoffs. In other words, numbers JRoll hasn't sniffed in years.