ESPN: Raul Ibanez Signs with Phillies

by Charlie Wilmoth on Dec 12, 2008 2:05 PM EST

If ESPN has the terms right and this really is three years and $30 million, this is one of the worst contracts of the past couple years. Ibanez is still a pretty good hitter, but he's never been a great one. He's 36 and he's horrible defensively--just ask any Mariners fan. This is going to be a mess.

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Totally unrelated...

Any shot the team (Buccos, of course… not the Phillies) goes after someone like Gabe Gross (providing he is non-tendered)? Or will he have enough suitors to keep him away from PNC?

The Utah Jazz

by UtesFan89 on Dec 12, 2008 3:35 PM EST reply actions

I think we sign at least one OF.

I think Gross was tendered, but Jonny Gomes wasn’t. I’ve been half-expecting them to get in on Juan Rivera, too.

by Vlad on Dec 14, 2008 6:24 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, Gross was tenedered.

End of that.

Maybe someone like Salazar? Or Taveras? Or does that explain the rumored interest in Wigginton?

The Utah Jazz

by UtesFan89 on Dec 14, 2008 7:50 PM EST up reply actions

We need a corner guy, not a CF.

Which means that Salazar and Taveras aren’t really good fits. We could just start Nyjer in a corner and get the same general effect.

Wigginton would make more sense in that role, and there are some other veteran corner OFs out there whom we might look at – I mentioned a few in my earlier post.

by Vlad on Dec 14, 2008 9:33 PM EST up reply actions

I was thinking

wouldn’t it work to put someone like Taveras in CF, and move Nate to RF or LF?
Then, when McCutchen is ready (hopefully before the trading deadline), you call him up and spin Taveras, or something like that?

Gomes isn’t anything much in the field though, which could be a bit worrisome. I don’t think I’d mind Rivera… depending on the cost, of course.

The Utah Jazz

by UtesFan89 on Dec 14, 2008 10:27 PM EST up reply actions

Nate probably should go to a corner.

But I’m unconvinced that Taveras or Salazar are going to be significantly better than just punting for a year with Nyjer. Salazar, at least, is likely to be pretty cheap, but Taveras is probably going to get something like $6M a year to put up a .650-ish OPS. In a market where a good mid-rotation starter like Kawakami is going to get $7-8M a year, that’d be a criminal waste of money for us.

by Vlad on Dec 15, 2008 11:57 AM EST up reply actions

Spot on, Vlad:

“Salazar, at least, is likely to be pretty cheap, but Taveras is probably going to get something like $6M a year to put up a .650-ish OPS. In a market where a good mid-rotation starter like Kawakami is going to get $7-8M a year, that’d be a criminal waste of money for us.”

by patthatt on Dec 15, 2008 12:23 PM EST up reply actions

I imagine so

I was just throwing out names that would fit (if money wasn’t much of an issue).
I imagine NH & co. are doing a lot more considering than I am…

The Utah Jazz

by UtesFan89 on Dec 15, 2008 2:24 PM EST up reply actions

Mariners fan here,

Thought you guys might appreciate some of the most amazing defensive plays I have ever seen from Ibanez:

Here.

Also here.

Hey, another one.

Enjoy watching him in the NL. Myself, I’m happy with the compensation picks.

Every day I hear about Seattle sports' failures. Every night I fall asleep to the sound of my own tears.

by Benne on Dec 13, 2008 2:23 AM EST reply actions

Pretty funny stuff.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Dec 15, 2008 3:37 PM EST up reply actions

As a Phillies fan (going to school in Pittsburgh), I hate this move. For some reason a lot of people in Philadelphia have an “Anyone but Burrell” attitude right now and are swayed by pretty avg’s and shiny RISP’s.

by sabrcore on Dec 14, 2008 9:19 PM EST reply actions