Abreu Reported to Angels; Colletti Reported Fiddling

ESPN.com sources indicate that Bobby Abreu, aka Manny Ramirez Backup Plan #2, may be close to signing a one-year deal with the cross-town Angels.

Free-agent outfielder Bobby Abreu is in serious talks toward a one-year agreement with the Los Angeles Angels, two baseball sources told ESPN.com.

Abreu, 34, is one of the premier hitters left on the market this offseason. The Angels jumped into negotiations with a big push this week and have emerged as clear front-runners. Although the two sides still have some issues to work through, a source said an agreement could be reached before the start of spring training this weekend in Arizona. [...]

The Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox and New York Mets are among the other clubs that have been mentioned in conjunction with Abreu. But none of those teams advanced beyond the exploratory phase.

If there is a bright side to this, I suppose it's that Abreu's acceptance of a one-year deal continues to indicate a market reluctance to offer a longer-term deal to any free-agent slugger of merit. But don't let the short duration of the Abreu deal lull you into complacency. If Abreu is gone from the dance floor, that leaves only Adam Dunn as the only other major option to add an offensive threat to our pop-less lineup.

I wouldn't be all that excited to see Abreu rather than Manny, but by my count we still have neither. Let's not get caught underestimating that Boras chap while you fiddle away, eh Ned?