Ibanez is one of the nice guys
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Ibanez is one of the nice guys
Daily News staff
Just a random tidbit to pass along ...
Raul Ibanez might not be terribly popular with all the Phillies fans right now, but he is popular with other major leaguers.
In this week’s Sports Illustrated poll, 290 MLB players were asked, “Who is the nicest player in baseball?” Ibanez finished second with 7 percent of the vote.
The winner was former Phillie Jim Thome with 21 percent. Tampa Bay Rays’ DH Johnny Damon (5 percent) was tied for third with retired former Phillie Mike Sweeney.
Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer was fifth at 4 percent.
Among the top 25 votegetters, only one pitcher was selected -- Oakland's Craig Breslow ( 1 percent). Nine first basemen were chosen.
Download our NEW iPhone/Android app for easy access to all of our Phillies coverage, plus app-exclusive videos and analysis. Get it here.
Raul has been overly kind to the baseball this year by not hitting it.— cannon00- Nice guys finish LAST!— flyerssignguy
- of course 1B are up there, all they do is talk. of course Raul is up there because he's nice enough to go back to the bench after each of his ABs.— palmyra21
Leo Dorocher said this about Mel Ott, namnager of the NY Giants, "Nice guy, finishes last". I'm not surprised the players like Raul since he makes their .250 averages look great compared with his pathetic output. His AB in the 9th inning last night was a classic. So was his "What, me worry?" look he gave the camera on the way back to the dugout.- Note, Raul joined the Phillies immediately AFTER the Phils won a CHAMPIONSHIP and sine Raul arrival in 2009, the team has been in a DECLINE mode for 3 years BUT heck, he's a nice game who has never won anything.
Also, take note Raul replaced Pat Burrell and Pat the Bat went on to win ANOTHER championship since then
Just saying ................— johnpaulcpa 
Comment removed.- If the Phils were running a summer camp for kids, I want Raul. Unfortunetely, they are trying to win baseball games and that is something he is not very good at.— ericg610
- This is not Little League or even Babe Ruth......If HE was not STEALING (I meant to say earning)the salary that he is, he would have been RELEASED!!!— plaurie
- Who cares. I think the Phillies are way too nice with their opponents. They qet hit by a pitch and thrown at a lot, get run over by baserunners and there is not retaliation.— EL Zorro
At this point, Ibanez needs to be a bat off the bench or a DH. I think Ibanez and the rest of the roster are feeling the power drain now that baseball is being more agressive in enforcing its drug policy.
This roster was not built on bunts, singles and moving the runner. It was built on power, and some of that power came from steroids.
Now that baseball is checking for 'roids, hitters are showing less power, and smart hitters have adjusted by leveling their swings and trying to put the ball in play. In contrast, most of the Phillies run producers are trying to compensate for the loss of power by swinging uppercut to generate more power.
Mike Schmidt noted how Howard is particular is hitting less opposite field HRs because he's swinging too uppercut.
Howard used to generate enough power with a level swing that line drives became HRs, and pop-ups became upper deck HRs. Now the line drives are singles, and the pop-ups are outs.
Howard's power numbers have declined EVERY year since 2008, even though he should still be in or close to his physical prime.- Comment removed.
- Raul has been nothing but a class act and adds to the good chemistry that helps make the team successful. He's always been incredibly streaky. Let's hope he has one more extended hot streak in him.— peteroseHOF
- Yeah but can we dump him for somebody else?? Anybody else who can hit .250. ???— Koons
- You guys bustin' on Ibanez are all lame. I still give him a lot of credit for carrying the team the first half of last year.— damageboy
