Trade reunites former Expos Colon, Phillips in Atlanta

The spirit of the Montreal Expos is still alive in the heart of Georgia.

Though the former franchise hasn't been in operation since it moved to Washington in 2005, some remnants of the roster are still dotted around the majors.

On Sunday, two players who were once part of the Expos organization - and who were actually traded for each other in 2002 - became teammates when the Cincinnati Reds sent Brandon Phillips to the Atlanta Braves to join Bartolo Colon.

Drafted in the second round by the Expos in 1999, Phillips spent parts of four seasons in the club's minor-league system before he was packaged in a six-player blockbuster deal with the Cleveland Indians. Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore, Lee Stevens, and Phillips were sent to Cleveland in exchange for Colon and Tim Drew.

Phillips played in 135 games with the Indians before he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Jeff Stevens, while Colon lasted just half a season in Montreal before he was flipped to the Chicago White Sox.