Ibanez Is Aboard
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Ibanez Is Aboard
Todd Zolecki
Raul Ibanez will be roaming left field for the Phillies through 2011.
The Phillies have agreed to terms with free agent leftfielder Raul Ibanez.
It will be a three-year, $31.5 million contract.
Ibanez, 36, fills a void that had been in left field since the season ended. It became clear the Phillies did not want free agent leftfielder Pat Burrell back, and Ibanez quickly emerged as one of their top choices. They tried earlier this week to acquire Mark DeRosa from the Chicago Cubs, but once that fell through they stepped up their efforts with Ibanez, who they had been talking to for a while.
Ibanez, 36, hit .293 with 23 home runs and 110 RBIs last season for the Seattle Mariners. He has 338 RBIs over the past three seasons, which ranks 12th in baseball. Interestingly, Ryan Howard ranks first (431) and Chase Utley ranks 20th (309), which means the Phillies have three of the top 20 RBI-men over the past three years in their lineup. (Only three outfielders -- Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday -- have more RBIs than Ibanez in that span.) Burrell ranked 32nd in that category with 278 RBIs. Of course, Burrell also hit righthanded, which is important to Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. He strives for balance in his lineup, but it looks like Manuel will have lefthanded hitters in his Nos. 3, 4 and 5 slots.
Ibanez is a career .286 hitter. He hit better against lefthanded pitching (.305) than righthanded pitching (.288) last season, but in his career he is 25 points better against righthanders (.293) than lefthanders (.268). Howard hits 73 points better against righthanders and Utley hits 26 points better against righthanders. Burrell hits 25 points better against lefthanders, but weighing their options the Phillies obviously felt they are better with Ibanez than Burrell.
Because Ibanez is a Type A free agent and because the Mariners offered him salary arbitration, the Phillies will forfeit their first-round draft pick in 2009 to the Mariners.
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Burrell leaves the Phillies in third place on the franchise's all-time list in home runs (251) behind Mike Schmidt (548) and Del Ennis (259). He also ranks seventh in RBIs (827), eighth in extra-base hits (518), fifth in walks (785) and second in strikeouts (1,273).
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Here's another thing to consider when looking at Ibanez's numbers: He played half his games in Safeco Field. According to The Bill James Handbook 2009, Safeco Field had a 92 runs index from 2006-08, which ranked 12th out of 14 ballparks in the American League. Citizens Bank Park had a 104 runs index from 2006-08, which ranked fifth out of 16 ballparks in the National League.
A 100 index means the park is neutral to hitters and pitchers. An index higher than 100 favors hitters and an index less than 100 favors pitchers. Ibanez put up those numbers in a pitcher-friendly ballpark. He could find things a bit better in Philly.
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The Phillies are still looking for pitching.
Contract negotiations with Jamie Moyer have gone very slowly, but Manuel said he thinks Moyer, who has been talking to the Brewers, will be back. If that happens, the first four spots in the Phillies' rotation are secure: Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Joe Blanton and Moyer. Manuel said he expected J.A. Happ, Kyle Kendrick and Carlos Carrasco to compete for the fifth spot. Manuel didn't mention Adam Eaton, and for good reason: the Phillies are trying to give him away, eating most of his salary in the process.
Sources said yesterday the Phillies are close to a deal for righthanded relief pitcher Chan Ho Park.
The Phillies are expected to sign righthander Blaine Neal to a minor-league contract. Neal, a South Jersey native and Bishop Eustace graduate, has pitched in the majors for Florida, San Diego, Colorado and Boston. Neal and Mike Koplove, a Philadelphia native who agreed to terms to a minor-league contract last month, will get looks in major-league camp this spring.
Comments (327)
This is a solid signing, although we still need a right handed bat.— Gary Varsho- A bit sad since this probably ends the Pat "The Bat" Burrell era. Heard rumor that the Brew Crew are interested in Moyer. Maybe that will get things rolling btwn him and the Fightin's— KarenA
- Nice signing! And it looks like they got him cheaper than what Ibanez was originally looking for in the 12 or 13 million/yr range.— parkwood
- Horrible... 36 year old lefty who costs us a 1st round draft pick... below avg speed and fielder. How is this better than at least offering arb to Burrell? So now instead of having at least one 1st rd pick we have none! Can't wait for our first pick at #70! I haven't been this mad at the Phillies in a while. Feels like old times. We will be paying $10 mil in 2011 to a 39 year old who is likely headed for an inevitable fast decline, instead of, at the worst, retaining a RH, younger hitter for less years and total cost, so we could use the money elsewhere for say, I don't know, a starting pitcher!— CyHamels
- Oh great, just what this team needs. An overpriced, aging veteran.— Mike Kotyk
- Excellent choice and decisively done.— JayW
- sad to see Pat go but this is a very good thing.— Bender
- Great signing - if you look at Ibanez's splits from last season, he actually hit lefties better than he did righties. Burrell is a career .276 hitter against left handed pitching, while Ibanez is a career .268 hitter against left handed pitching. Granted, Burrell has a higher OBP and SLG%, but the drop-off isn't that significant. In all, we're looking at a guy who's averaged 112 RBI, 25 HR and a .291 average the past three seasons. Can you say upgrade?— tjc
- Look at his career stats last year was an aberration. Don't kid yourself. Why would someone think he could improve at 36?— CyHamels
- 36 year old getting a 3 year, $30 million deal? Absurd especially when you consider Burrells career averages per 162 games are higher. This kind of reminds me of past free agent blunders...Parrish, Jeffries, Thome, etc. I could go on but why bother? They still need another righthanded bat in the lineup. A starter at the back end of the rotation would be nice as well should any combination of Happ, Carrasco and/or Kendrick not work out.— mdriban
- Phils didn't want to pay Burrell $16 mil for one season, especially because he gets pulled in the 7th for defense. However, I'm not sure if Ibanez can replace his numbers, he doesn't walk alot. Probably a better defender and baserunner, and he actually hits lefties pretty well. Not as prone to streakiness as Burrell.— RG
- Great deal and we lose none of our pitching prospects. The first round pick is like a high second anyway.— GarnetValley Mike
- burrell was great, but too streaky. raul hit consistently in the AL, against better pitching in deeper parks. he will only improve in the NL. and better yet, i'm so glad to see that Pat Gillick remains active. i trust him entirely. Gillick was a GM that made so many great moves like this one- ala moyer- and he explains why he made them to the press. imagine that fat andy?— jb99
- We lose a first round pick with this, but gain one when Burrell signs elsewhere. Stop complaining, the guy bats close to .300 with 20+ HR's and 100+ RBI every year. And 10 mil is a good price.— Gary Varsho
- This stinks of Gillick....good thing to know we have another puppet in the front office in Amaro.— mdriban
- Looks like a good deal.— KarenA
- Phils don't get a pick because they didn't offer Burrell arbitration. Gillick knows Ibanez from his Seattle days so you gotta give the reigning World Champs the benefit of the doubt on this. Sad to see Burrell go but that's baseball. I won't miss his slumps!— ChekUrFax
- We don't gain one when Burrell signs elsewhere, as we didn't offer Burrell arbitration.— tjc
Comment removed.- Gary, we won't get a pick for Burrell or Moyer because they were not offered arbitration. I agree with CyHamels. Why sign another lefthanded hitter? Unless they move somebody (who?), you are going to have a middle of the order with 3 lefthanded hitters in a row. That will be a killer in the late innings. Amaro did not make Charlie's job any easier.— EL Zorro
- I think I would rather have Burrell on the team. I really dont care about the money, because it is pointless, but Burrell would have probably been cheaper or the same and he is younger.— dry ice man
- OK Ruben you got your left fielder, now what are you going to do with the minor leaguers who are working hard and deserve a chance? Another patch with no future.— wiseoldowl
- Excellent signing. The guy can flat out hit. Defense was never a strong point in left anyway. He's not the kind of player who goes into prolonged slumps. He'll bring some consistency to the offense.— SJJim
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- everything doesn't revolve around the left hand to right hand ratio. These our professional hitters and they will do good regardless. Some of you are acting like it's instant death to have 3 left handers up...but it's really not. If he comes to bat for us, it's going to be a great thing, even if he's batting upside down.— MFPhils
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- Dumb Dumb Dumb... The first stupid move (of many I'm sure) of this regime... Well, at least we had last year...— zeezuma
- I wish Ibanez were two years younger, but taking Burrell to arbitartion would have gotten us nowhere. The Phils needed to get someone and they did, and you can't argue with this guys numbers, especially against superior AL pitching. And to CyHamels - why so angry? The Phils just won the World Series, and didn't give up any pitching to get this guy - and speaking of pitching - you complain that they didn't go out and get any - who? the Mets and the Yankess are busy giving people WAY to much money. Do you think they are reallty goiong to drop 15-20M a year on a righty? I have no problem with the Phils staring rotation as it stands, and they have the best middle relievers and closers in baseball, nuff said.— CTL
Some people just love to cry poor and hungry while carrying hams under both arms. Great move! Pat highly over estimated his value!- You are correct on Burrell and no arbitration, my bad. But it really isn't an issue with the pick. Would you rather we sign a tybe b or worse free agent, just to avoid losing a pick? Then everyone would call them cheap.— Gary Varsho
- Well done Amaro, I am very pleased with this signing. Now we can focus solely on pitching.— Coff
- Phils didn't offer Burrell arbitration, so they don't get a first rounder for him signing elsewhere— Repubrebirth
- Granted, he is a good hitter, but we needed a righthanded bat. Also, he hit great against lefties last year, but in 2006 he hit .243 and in 2007 .256. So it was a good year allaround for him. The question is, can he repeat does numbers while getting older?— EL Zorro
- the best part of this is the commenters above who probably never even heard of this guy...this is a GREAT signing, im not gonna do your homework but look at his numbers, its over 285 and 25 homers and 100 RBI plus every year for hte past 5 or 6 years...so basically, it sa better player than burrell for cheaper....raul ibanez is very very good but gets no play becaues he's played in KC and Seattle.....and forget about needing alefty, this guy is a hitter, who cares what side of the plate he is...the way i see it, you have rollins, vict, werth and feliz who at right, plus whoever catchers, thats 5 rightys if a lefty shows up— TR
- mmdriban, you consider Thome a blunder?— FlimFlam
- we don't get a pick for Burrell, as he wasn't offered arbitration.— DCExpat
- What I don't get is that this team was not willing to go to a third year to sign Burrell, which is what the sticking point was in their negotiation. Yet, they sign this guy to a 3 year deal, one in which he will be 40 in June 2012. I know some people who work for them and Burrell wanted nothing more than 3 years at around 13 mil per. They couldn't cobble together 9 million more dollars over 3 years to keep a guy who knows the team, knows the city, loves it here, WANTS TO PLAY HERE, and will only be 35 at the end of it? Surely they made at least that much in unexpected World Series Revenues and profits. This is not good. It may be good for 2009 but after that, this Ibanez is going to fall apart.— seaonasdad
- Sad to see Pat go, but it was the right move. I appreciate everything he did to get me a chip— phillyking22
- This is a great signing for the Phillies. Ibanez is a very good player, who has somehow managed to stay under the radar out in Seattle. At $10M/season he is a bargain. I am glad to know that Gillick will still pull some strings when necessary. Pat Burrell won't be coming back, but Ibanez is a better player anyway.— GHOSTPHAYCE
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- Oops, can he repeat those numbers...— EL Zorro
- CyHamels, how was last year an aberration for Ibanez? The last 3 years he's been extremely consistent- about .290, 25 HR, 110 RBI. He's hit between .280 and .304 for the last 8 years. I don't know how you can get much more consistent than that.— Potus415
- Well said Gary Varsho. This guy is a proven commodity. Even a broad street parade cant keep some of the haters at bay for a while. Give Amaro some slack and see how the signing pans out. Nobody hits home runs in December
- The Phillies greatest weakness in 2008 was driving in runners in scoring position. Burrell struck out a lot with runners in scoring position.— Metropolitan
- "Get ready to hear that excuse when we find ourselves, as usual, behind the Mets at the all-star break and at the trading deadline" How'd that turn out for them? Too bad they don't play half seasons. do you enjoy whining?— RG
- Solid player. This guy even hit .300 against lefties. Everyone stop complaining. Moyer or Lowe will be signed.— Matt
- Burrell would have produced for three more years. Ibanez is old, left handed, and played well for a bad team. An old player can get bad real fast. Should have gone after Delmon Young. After Amaro signs Moyer, (another bad idea) he is going to try and convince us this team is as good or better than last year.
- 10 million for 3 years was as good of a price as this team was going to get on a good player to fill in left field. Check his stats, that price is a bargain! This certainly leaves a few dollars to go after another pitcher.— Gary Varsho
- Why is everybody complaining about replacing Burrell with Ibanez? Ok, so defensively and on the bases, you're looking at almost no upgrade, but the guy rakes. I understand he's left handed and that could be a problem, but like somebody mentioned before, he hits lefties as well as Burrell...and how can CyHamels say last yesr was an aberation? It was the third straight year he hit 20+ HR's and drove in 100+ runs and the 4th time in his career he's done that...and he's a career .286 hitter. He hit .293 last year...and all those number came in Seattle where he's hitting in that graveyard called Safeco (not to mention another 10 games/season hitting in Oakland, another pitcher's park). If nothing else the guy is consistant. Oh, and he doesn't strike out as much. Hey, I was hoping for a RH hitter as much as anybody, but there's nobody available. This is an upgrade folks, regardless of age. Best of luck to Patty B. He'll be missed.— Billy The Kid
- I wish I had recorded several conversations over the past month. Been telling friends of mine that out of everyone available, Ibanez would be the best fit, not to mention that he would actually *save* the Phils a couple mil a year instead of re-signing Burrell. And, oh yeah - he has more RBIs over the last three years that Manny Ramirez.— headtrip
- who's gonna bat 5th now?— allegrabene
- Bad move. The guy will be 36 in June. He has great career stats, but he's a LEFT-HANDED hitter. It doesn't matter that he hits lefties as well as righties. Howard doesn't. Get ready for a lot of ugly at bats for The Big Man this year. Chase can't be thrilled, either.— patrick125
- We don't gain one when Burrell signs, since he was not offered arbitration. This was s solid pickup. Defending World Champs are supposed to try to defend their title, not rebuild.— Welcome to Martyland!
- I'm not sure why this deal is any better than just resigning Burrell. Ibanez has a better average, but definitely won't be on-base as often as Burrell, with all the walks that he's always getting.— andwhysee
- Just here me out gang...The Phillies tried to trade Ryan Howard last year because he eventually wants A-Rod and the phillies won't give that type of money to anyone.....So what if the Phillies trade Howard for someones entire farm system (you get my point) then sign Texeria....You get a swithch hitter and a first baseman!!!! Just food for thought!!!! Happy Holiday! Go Phils— rabvab
- Why are people getting mad over this signing? This is a good. .286 career hitter. 1 of 5 outfielders to have over 100+ RBI's the past couple years. .305 against lefties last year. Hate to see Burrell go but his mission was complete here.— Beef69
- Ibanez bats fifth, he is good protection for Howard. If they can find a decent right handed bench player, that would round out the offense and they can focus on the pitching.— Gary Varsho
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- I think this means Werth will be hitting 5th, with Ibanez 6th.— phillylawyer78
I'll take consistent Ibanez over a streaky Burrell for that price- Ibanez' OBP was only 9 points lower than Burrell's last year, stop with the "Pat got on base more". As for age, Pat moved around like a 36 yr old last year anyway. Again, solid signing. Who cares about the draft pick? They had a ton of early picks last year. They won't miss this one.— Billy The Kid
- Just here me out gang...The Phillies tried to trade Ryan Howard last year because he eventually wants A-Rod and the phillies won't give that type of money to anyone.....So what if the Phillies trade Howard for someones entire farm system (you get my point) then sign Texeria....You get a swithch hitter and a first baseman!!!! Just food for thought!!!! Happy Holiday! Go Phils— rabvab
- We don't get a pick if Burrell signs elsewhere, cause we didn't offer him arbitration, Gary....— Mark1npt
- Varsho, you obviously haven't played the game in a while. Since Burrell wasn't offered arbitration, there is no draft pick. Duh.— PhillySubsMac
- I can't believe anyone would complain or whine about this signing. We added a solid left fielder and even if its Moyer we resign, we are at least as good if not better than last year. We have Blanton and a renewed Myers at the start of the season with the best pullpen in the national league still. We kept Happ which I love and remember people were talking about platooning a combination of what was already on the team in left. So far we;ve kept Donald and Carrasco. If all Amarro does now is sign Moyer or Lowe, we're ready to take another shot.— SJJim
- Brutal signing. Wade, I mean Amaro should have realized this guy is 36 years old, and does he not know that Ibanez is left handed. Hey Ed, I mean Ruben, we need a right handed bat in the lineup.— puckhead
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- I corrected my point about the pcik for Burrell a long time ago, get over it. Keep reading.— Gary Varsho
- kooky, we were talking about LHP splits, were we not? .769, .663, .650 OPS for 05, 06, 07 respectively, then he posted an .869 for 08. Career split of .734. What is consistent with the 2008 stat? In contrast, Burrell's career OPS numbers vs RHP is .819. In conjunction with the Burrell non-arb offer, if no one understands why this was a dumb move in terms of business operations, I give up.— CyHamels
- Keep in mind Ibanez is going from one of the best pitcher's parks in baseball to one of the best hitter's parks. What do you think Burrell's numbers would have looked like hitting in Safeco the last 5 years on a terrible Mariner's team?— JZan
- Good signing, he is money, has been for years. He is wicked consistent and good enough in the field to play whole games. I like it.
- My season tix are in left field, so this is very sad. No more Pat!!!— nephillychick
- The last thing this team needs is a 36 yr old vet that has already had his best years, AMARO IS A IDIOT!!!— geoff02
- the future is now...we need to win as many world series as possible before howard, utley, rollins and hamels become free agents.— nervegenerator
- Ibanez hit .309 on the road last year and .297 when you look at 2006-2008. He is going to hit well at Citizens Bank and he's not prone to horrid slumps like Burrell. He has also put up outstanding numbers in August & September over the last 3 years (.330 34HR 130RBI).— GHOSTPHAYCE
- Horrible. 36 years old. Left handed. It's not just Utley and Howard being left handed as well but also Victorino. And Rollins is only strong from the left side as well. We're counting on Feliz, Werth and Ruiz to carry this team when we face a tough lefty now? Brutal.— MidlanticDave
- World Champions. Say that just one more time before the incessant whining starts. A more consistent contact hitter coming to a LH hitters home run park and hitting between (or protected by) Utley and Howard who can run and actually play left field. Hmmmmm. I truly appreciated the effort that Burrell put in but come on...he was a gaping defensive hole and a key strikeout for almost 4 full months this season. Think about this lineup with a more consistent hitter in left and it gets goosebumpy. They are banking on Werth having arrived as an everyday 3 or 5 hole RH hitter which is what he proved to be last year. Rollins, Victorino are switchhitters, Werth, Feliz and Ruiz are RH hitters. That's 5-4 R vs L. I can't believe all the whining over this. Rollins had a down yr last yr , Burrell got lost somewhere in July thru Oct and Howard was invisible for long stretches. Top Bullpen in NL returns intact and the starting rotation has solidified itself nicely in Hamels, Myers, Blanton (who looks like a major find). Bring up a Carrasco as your 5th starter and the jury is still out on Happ, Kendrick. Derrick Lowe would be nice but they're getting 5 and 6 yr offers for a 36 yo guy at major money.— Phanfrombirth
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- Ibanez is a good hitter. 36 isn't "old" anymore. He can hit in the 3 hole while Utley is out.— PhillyHouse JayDuce
- Gary, we don't get a 1st rounder when Burrell signs. Rube didn't offer arbitration, remember? As GarnetValley pointed out: the Phils draft slot is in the bottom 5 or 10, based our regular season record. So we don't lose a whole lot.— Sully
- this also may signal the end for geoff jenkins. with the need for a righthanded bat, you may see him get traded. not a condemnation on him, but the bench needs a solid righthanded bat.— Phillyfan28
- Boy can this guy play. He just made us a whole lot better than we were. He does a hell of job in left, can run, and boy can he hit. Way to go Phillies. You guys really showed up for this one. He'll bat three until Utley is ready. He's a guy that can carry a team on his back. Got to remember this too, the opposition pitched around him big time in Seattle. Check out his stats with men on base in game winning situations. All of sudden he's Ty Cobb. Gotta like this move. Come on let's start playing now!— jp
if only he bat righty— potus- Lets face it, if the Phil's didnt wint it all last year, the public would have seen this as a terrible move. This is only an average player. We'll be signing Chan Ho Park next, cant wait— K333
- So what if Burrell walked a lot? So did Bobby Abreu. That didn't help the team win. The Phillies were lucky that Carlos Ruiz and Pedro Feliz hit with runners in scoring position in the World Series because otherwise they would have lost to Tampa Bay.— Metropolitan
- Great move, Ibanez is a very good hitter, he works pitchers, he is a decent outfielder that does not need to be replaced in late innings. His age really means nothing. Its only a three year deal. 10 mill a year for a 290 hitter who drives in 100 + rbi's is a good deal. Losing the 1st round is not a big deal either. 1st round talent is throughout the baseball draft its just a matter of throwing enough money at them.— dawggone
- i believe we do NOT gain a pick for Burrell, since we didn't offer him arbitration.— riorancho
- gary we dont gain one since he wasnt offered arbitration but this is still a very good signing and some of you people need to relax the guy put up better numbers last year than burrell is quicker and better defensively...next year you will be praising this signing...yes i agree we need another right handed bat but as long as the runs are getting produced and our pitching continues to pitch great there wont be a problem..everyone RELAX!— PhillySports23
- It is what it is.Its probably a good signing.I have screamed at Burrell alot of times but he kinda grew on me.Bitter sweet ending to the Pat Burrell era in Philly.Lets at least wish him well.— philbirds6470
- well done...I agree...a decisive and solid pick up of a CONSISTENT hitter who has more defensive range than a tank stuck in mud— TheLon
Good signing. He hits lefties as well as righties. Good defense too. He won't have to come out of the game after 7 innings. I still think the Phils are going to do something else that may surprise us. They usually do.- What everyone seems to be ignoring is that this one more guy who strikes out way too much. He's averaged 100K's the last three years. The Phils needed a guy who can make contact and add some speed to the lineup. I don't think its a horrible signing but the age concerns me a bit and the fact that he's never played under any pressure, he's been on losing teams and never played anywhere that he's been under the microscope. Just gotta hope he doesn't crumble under the pressure of playing where fans actually care.— elbobbo
- OK, let's start talking Howard! Trade Howard for Pevy, or another top of the rotation pitcher, and sign TEX!!! I LOVE IT!!!— geoff02
- Omar Minaya is now gonna sign every free agent lefty reliever available. Don't know yet if this signing is a good thing or not.— waynoNE
- Have to agree with Cy Hamels. I'm not saying Burrell's defense is underrated but he's not as much of a liabilty out there as everyone thinks either. They will miss that right handed bat sorely next year. They'll miss that #1 pick down the road too.— cbecko
- Last nail in Burrell's coffin. So long Pat, thanks for dropping by. This is definitely an upgrade at the position. Pat just didn't put wood on the ball consistently and somewhat a liability in the field. The Mets are upgrading their pitching, we have to upgrade our hitting and this moves does that. Not the dynamite move everyone wanted, but not bad either.— dapmman
We don't get anything if Burrell, or Moyer sign elsewhere. They didn't offer either of them arbitration. They better hope this guy can still hit lefties. If not, this has epic fail written all over it.— Hazy- i am starting to believe that most of you so called phils fans have never watching a game in your life!! have any of you watching burrell play left field? yes he has a strong arm but it takes him about an hour to get to the ball w/ that metal boot on. and CyHamels. take a look at Ibanezs stats before you make any more ridiculous statements. He avgs 21hrs 93rbis and a 286 per 162 games. he can def come close to matching burrells stats offensively, is obviously an upgrade in the field(he isn't good, but still an upgrade) and he plays hard everyday. the only thing the phils will miss from burrell is the fact that everybody on the team loved him. wake up guys this is a solid signing. ps gary varsho - we don't get another 1st round pick when burrell signs elsewhere because the phils didn't offer him arbitration. So that kinda sucks but, oh well..— therev
- I don't care for this move. As noted, his fielding has had circus quality, the deal takes him to 40 years of age which is not generally productive for a non-DH professional baseball players, his $10M/year is a $4.5M raise and the most he has ever made, and there were other options that were likely cheaper. It was obvious that Amaro and the front office were not going to sign Pat even if he offered to play for GM CEO wages, so morn that if you must. I just do not see how getting statistically less offense (OBP, BB, and SLG), and subjectively observed unreliable defense (google) while adding age makes any sense.— thephan
- I like this signing, although I am sad to see Burrell go. I must admit this is an upgrade. I am getting a little weary of the obsession with which side of the plate someone hits from. It is only an issue if the LH hitter does not hit LH pitching, ala Ryan Howard. Utley and Ibanez both hold their own against lefties. A .024 or .025 difference in BA is not telling. Most hitters, even RH hitters, will have that much of a variance, as righties tend to hit lefties a little better. And if it is that much of a concern, then they can choose to hit Utley 2nd, Ibanez 3rd, Howard 4th and Werth 5th against righties, and hit Utley 2, Werth 3 (who murders LH pitching), Howard 4 and Ibanez 5 against lefties. I am more concerned about Werth against RH pitching than I am with Ibanez against LH pitching.— RollinsWasRight
- This is a positive move the next is to see how aggresive they will be in the starting rotation. You folks who are cheesed off with this deal will be the ones cheering till they are hoarse when Ibanez rips the ball around the park. This club has to step to the plate and bring in a quality starter and Lowe could fit the bill. Will they do it remains to be seen.— DDH1205
- Cy, your life is an aberration. I haven't been this mad at the phillies since..." Let me guess.... Since they won the World Series??? Read the article you jackass, "(Only three outfielders -- Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday -- have more RBIs than Ibanez in that span.) Burrell ranked 32nd in that category with 278 RBIs." Aberration??— JayB
- Good signing. Probably is adequate in field also. Pat was (is) a solid guy in clubhouse, but his streakiness and defense made him a liability. Not sure if there is a big disadvantage in I-Man's being a lefty bat as he seems to hold his own against southpaws. Given presence of Dobbs and Stairs, not sure if Jenkins fits in '09. Loss of draft choice is not much of a price to pay. Glad to hear that the GM in the closet is nearby to advise Rubie.— mick314
- Let's all hope Ibanez doesn't turn into a Moises Alou clone...— gilbyrocks
- Phillies gain nothing when Burrell signs. The Phillies did not offer him abitration.— 76er
- We don't get a 1st since we didn't offer Burrell arbitration but let's not treat baseball picks like its football. And yes Gillick loved Ibanez so consider that before Amaro bashing.— pgcd3
- mick314 raises the real question in my mind...obviously, this spells the end of Burrell's career in Philly, but what does it mean for Geoff Jenkins? If he isn't going to start on a regular basis, does it make any sense to keep him on the same bench as Matt Stairs? Personally, I would love to see them move Jenkins, and try to sign Tony Clark to take his place, a solid veteran bench player, switch hitter, with some power from both sides of the plate.— RollinsWasRight
- By the way, Ibanez has a career BA of .353 against Santana and .318 against Krod. I can picture it now...Mets with a one run lead late and bring in Putz in the 8th and he faces Rollins/Vic/Utley/Howard/Ibanez. Now that's baseball.— tryinbrian
- Ibanez will make people see just how inconsistent Burrell was all these years....Lowe will never sign here because we won't overpay in years or dollars like some other desperate teams will....remember, we're NOT desperate....Rube and Cholly will find a couple of RH hitters for us and we will have balance......the Mutts just signed 2 big time RP who both happen to be righthanded! Why wouldn't we want more LH bats? This is lining up perfectly......can we print next year's WS tix now?— Mark1npt
- sad day— PhilsPhan83
- Ibanez will make people see just how inconsistent Burrell was all these years....Lowe will never sign here because we won't overpay in years or dollars like some other desperate teams will....remember, we're NOT desperate....Rube and Cholly will find a couple of RH hitters for us and we will have balance......the Mutts just signed 2 big time RP who both happen to be righthanded! Why wouldn't we want more LH bats? This is lining up perfectly......can we print next year's WS tix now?— Mark1npt
It's all for naught unless you bring in a real arm. Go get lowe or Burnett. You saved salary and got older. He's a shade of Pat Burrel w/ an AARP card. It remains befuddling why they never offered Burrel arb. I guess the fear was he'd accept and you'd be in for one year at 20M.— Bone- Great signing. Thank you Pat for all the great memories. A class act all the way. The Mets wanted this dude bad and we got him. A nice move that solidifies the left field spot without giving up any pitching prospects. Bring on 2009!!!!— athousandgods
- I do not know much about Ibanez. But if he hits more consistently than Burrell (better average with runners in scoring position, comes up with big hits in key spots, hits into fewer rally-killing double plays) then I say it is a great signing. And I suspect Ibanez, while no speedster, is more solid defensively than Burrell, which should eliminate the need for a late inning defensive replacement in LF.— jrw723
- A swing and a miss by Reuben! Did we really gain anything by signing an aging left handed outfielder to a 3 yr,10M contract that costs a first round pick? ANY GM could have signed a FA without losing the pick.— bluedog24
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- Great, we can put him on the same list that included Wes Helms / Adam Eaton / Rod Barajas / Freddy Garcia /David Dellucci, etc.— beezer77
- Frankly, his career numbers look a lot like Abreu's but w/o the steals. Plus he's two years older. Could Bobby have been had for 10 mil? (made 16 last year)— nyphilsphan
- For those who think Ibanez's numbers will drop due to age, Seattle has a Park factor that ranks 24 (Pitcher friendly) whereas our park is 15 (hitter friendly) http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/parkfactor— Sully
- Great signing. This guy has THOSE numbers playing at a stadium like Safeco. Forget about age, this is baseball not football or basketball. Aside from his age, it's been said by many he's a workhorse when it comes to conditioning. To say that Burrell is better then this guy is a joke. This guy hits for average and power. Pat Burrell goes months at a time without consistency. This guy IS consistency. What you need to defend a championship. Amaro Era off to a decent start. And as for the first round pick, who cares? In baseball, most of the time your first round pick isn't ready to produce for 5 years, sometimes even later.— robkaos
- This signing is not what I would call ideal. I would rather have a young stud with speed. However, a comparison shows that Pat the bat's last three years are a steady decline in his batting average and RBI's. This is not true of the older Ibanez. His stats have remained steady, .290 BA & 100 RBI's. Also, I trust Pat Gillick and he has given his blessing to the signing. Overall, this organization has been on the money in the guys they have added to the roster so I am with them on this one.— tom trochum
- This signing is not what I would call ideal. I would rather have a young stud with speed. However, a comparison shows that Pat the bat's last three years are a steady decline in his batting average and RBI's. This is not true of the older Ibanez. His stats have remained steady, .290 BA & 100 RBI's. Also, I trust Pat Gillick and he has given his blessing to the signing. Overall, this organization has been on the money in the guys they have added to the roster so I am with them on this one.— tom trochum
- Love this acquisition..... ironic thing about this..is that Pat the Bat would of thought 3 for 30 was an outrageous discount, and he is going to be hard spent finding a similar deal. Raul will play nine innnings..yeah!— swiftbosox
- So Long Pat, You'll always be a world champion, can't wait to hear the ovation when you come back.— wvbillz
- Anyone doubting this deal has no clue about baseball. This guy is consistency. He also did it in a park practically twice the size of Citizens, with no protection in his lineup. Now he has plenty of protection. He's a workhorse in great shape, and a solid character guy. For 10 mil a year, he's a steal. He'll up his numbers in HRs and RBIs, maybe tail off slightly in average. 36 isn't old either anymore. What is old, was watching Burrell limp around the outfield and being removed for 'defensive purposes.' I project his numbers around 32 HRs, .285, 115RBIs. That's worth 10 million in baseball, these days.— robkaos
- The Phillies just traded a 1st round draft pick to the Mariners for the right to pay an above average (but not a star) left fielder $30 million for his age 36, 37 and 38 seasons. This is after declining to offer arbitration to Burrell, who is just as good as Ibanez, for his age 32 season. Taken together, these moves are absolutely terrible. What value does Amaro place on first round picks?— iah
- K333, you call Ibanez an "average player". Wow! The guy drives in 100+ run the last three seasons while on a bad Mariners team and hits in the .290 range while doing it and he's average?— Billy The Kid
- Okay. Why are people getting upset about signing Ibanez??? You call him an average fielder, maybe, but at least he can run. He can still hit you 20+ homeruns and 100 + RBI's. Would you rather have Jenkins out ther batting .220, maybe 10 homers, and have them sign Kevin Mench who is looking for work year after year??? You geniouses need to think about that. I know it's upsetting that Pat the bat is gone but his time here has expired. Let's move on.— Evan
- good luck to Charlie in trying to create balance in this lineup... bad decision for the Phils.— PhilsPhan83
- I think it is a solid pick-up. He is a good place holder for Donald to take over in 2010 maybe?— OneChampionshipPLEASE
- Hey Gary Varsho, we didn't offer arbitration to Pat Burrell. We don't get a draft pick for him when he signs. Also it is absolutely painful to read the idiots on here yelping about losing a first round draft pick in this deal. This isn't your fantasy football draft, dolts, it's running a team. You give up a first rounder without even thinking about it for an defensive upgrade in left field. We're the World Series Champs, I'm glad to see us acting like it. Great signing.— AJSer
- We get no pick on Burrell because Amaro didn't offer Pat arbitration. Same with Moyer. Well, at least we have a new backup catcher to block Lou Mar and irritate Coste. Paging Mr. Arbuckle. Mike, you busy? Can we get a mulligan?— ghostdog
- We don't gain another pick when Burrell signs - we didn't offer arbitration. This looks to be a marginal upgrade, though his age and the fact that he is left-handed are a bit disappointing. He may walk less then Burrell but he also strikes out a lot less too. Pat has been a career ~.250 hitter, and while he did provide some moments for this team, his subpar defense and maddening cold streaks won't be missed...— PhilliesFool
- This entire thread just reinforces my theory that there are "Phillies fans", and then there are "baseball fans". Clearly, there are a LOT of people who know nothing about what goes on in baseball outside of Philadelphia (and of course, I am sure that is true in all sports cities). Ibanez is a NICE pickup. Not stellar, but solid. He will best Burrell's performance in consistency alone. Did no one else notice that Burrell, while a beast for 2 1/2 - 3 months every season, was TERRIBLE for 3 months every year as well? Not streaky, not prone to slumps...3 consecutive months good, 3 consecutive months AWFUL. I'll take six consecutive months solid over that any day.— RollinsWasRight
- iah, Burrell would have gotten no worse than $15 mill in arbitration...and he may be 32 yrs old, but I think you'd even have to admit that he's an old 32. Patty B has not aged well. There's no reason for the Phillies to offer Burrell arbitration. I have to believe a lot of you have never even heard of Raul Ibanez and will be surprised when you see the guy play. Hearing things like he's an "average player" and that he's not an improvement over Burrell is asinine. The only complaint anybody can have is that he's not a right handed hitter...and to those complaining that he won't be productive at the end of his contract (when he's 38), remember, it wasn't all that long ago that a 46 yr old pitcher won 16 games for this team...and a lot of you want that guy back for a 2 yr/$20 mill deal.— Billy The Kid
- Why is everyone upset about Ibanez??? Would you geniouses rather have them put Jenkins out there batting .200, maybe 10 homers or sign a Kevin Mench who is looking for a job year after year??? And he can run faster then Burrell even at his age. I know it's upsetting to see Pat the bat go but his time here has expired. Ibanez can still hit 20+ homers and get over 100+ rbi's.— Evan
- bad idea, we spend 10 MM on a 36 year old AND give up a #1 pick in what is an already depleated farm system. Although, if "Gary Varsho" is right, it all evens out in the wash when Burle gets signed. At the least, this can't be worse that the Jenkins signing.— Eagles Phan in LI
- Raul Ibanez = the most underrated offensive performer in baseball. This thread absolutely proves that.— RollinsWasRight
- I agree. This was a good move, he was on a bad team in a pitchers park...I think his numbers will improve a lot at CBP— beeron
- ibanez is tremendous pick-up he hits for average burrell does not he is fast burrel is not he is a good defensive outfielder burrell cant move Ibanez can hit for power and speed what a move by the stanford boy what a move.... I love it utley howard ibanez werth victorino rollins wow what a move amaro is a stanford boy..............— donofrio
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- I see one problem oh thats right he is left handed!! Good job Ruben now all any team needs to do now is bring in the lefty no protection for Howard nice job!! Oh and do not give me the well he hits lefties well .265 is not well. And he is old this is a horrible move glad I got to see a parade the next one will be in 28 years.— lcd24
- Ok - we don't get the draft pick, that was brain cramp on my part - but we don't lose much. Our draft pick is late first round, its not like we gave up the number 1 pick in the draft. And Ibanez helps this team right away - and is a solid addition in trying to repeat. And $10 million is a bargain for this type of player in right field. I think Ruben already saved money while upgrading the team. That's a few more dollars to spend on a pitcher and RH bat off the bench.— Gary Varsho
- grew up on the legends of del ennis and chuck klein in pinstripes. burrell was going to surpass both if given the chance. this is rarified air in phil's tradition. after another three years here, pat's number would have had a place of honor on the outfield wall, and deserved it. instead, ibanez will be an answer to a trivia question ten years from now, and no more. short sighted move for an organization that says it values it's traditions and history. not enough of an upgrade, if any, to jettison a valued member of a championship team, who actually wanted to play here rather than anywhere else in baseball. sorry, pat. you deserved better. guess we really needed those few extra dollars to lock up chan ho park. putrid.— richard kincade
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- Poor Gary; he makes one mistake (which he later acknowledges) in an otherwise decent post and everyone jumps all over him! This is an interesting signing; I can't wait to see how it works out!— Timmy
- *left field.— Gary Varsho
- some of you guys are real idiots. He was born in NYC, I guess he sucks now. Do you realize how utterly stupid that sounds? Give him a chance. He didn't hit 265 vs left handers champ, try 305. You were probably the same guys crying about the Brad Lidge deal last year.— beeron
We will NOT get a first round pick when Pat signs elsewhere. The Phils didn't offer him arbitration.— Flyboy24- They will pick up a rightie pinch hitter RF is my guess. Also, they will sign Jaime and allow competition for the 5th starter. Who knows? Perhaps even another reliever like Park will help eat up some early innings. Not a bad deal but not one which will take them to another championship unless the pitching is almost perfect. I am glad they did not trade Donald and I am sad the Phils will not give Marson the 2nd catching job.— KGKoons
- This is philadelphia, people are going to complain no matter what the phillies do, thats why people from other cities rip on us all the time— smiggs13
- Why is everyone commenting on how old Ibanez is? He's 36...big deal. Can he play...yes. Burrell is 32 only in number...he runs like he is 82! Plus, now Charlie has gained a bench guy in theory late in the game because he doesn't have to use one (Bruntlett) in the seventh inning of every game.— parkwood
- My first reaction to this was negative. However, if a LH hitter can hit .250-.270 that's really not bad at all. Ibanez is a better runner and a better fielder, hits for higher average and is a lot more consistent. Only time will tell if this will work out. Meanwhile, we are still WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!— James TL
- gary dont we get a first rounder only if we offered pat the bat arbitration? i am a bit concerned about an aging guy whi is a lefty but i will bite my tongue as gillick likes him— Clem
- Billy the Kid, the reason Ibanez has had 100+ RBI's these past few years was due to having Ichiro bat in front of him. Not to say he isn't a good hitter, but it is always easier to knock in a runner when you have one of the best hitters ahead of you. Signing an older pitcher such as Moyer is one thing because he doesn't rely on speed so his arm isn't totally burnt out, but signing an older outfielder is a little iffy. Maybe he will proove to be a good sign, but I don't know. Right now Ruben Amaro hasn't impressed me much, although on Saturdays I can't wait for Chan Ho's Hos.— wolfburn
- Sorry Gary, but we don't gain a pick when Burrell signs elsewhere. Since Pat was not offered arbitration, there is no draft-pick compensation for losing him.— southpaw57
- I hate this signing. Hate it. We needed a right-handed bat.— Tartan69
- "We lose a first round pick with this, but gain one when Burrell signs elsewhere." I don't think so. The Phils did not offer arbitration, so no draft pick for Burrell.— TheHammer
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- Awful. Pat got us here and would have been just fine if we could have gotten him near this price. I'm sure Raul will be awseome when he's 40, in the last year of his contract and out with a strained back.— sochill520
- Awful. Pat got us here and would have been just fine if we could have gotten him near this price. I'm sure Raul will be awseome when he's 40, in the last year of his contract and out with a strained back.— sochill520
- Safco likely suppressed his HR numbers, but the same park factor likely increases his hits. CBP is not a very friendly park for flap hitters. The extra ten doubles is not very impressive when you consider all the turf that needs to be covered in Seattle. The lack of defense still has me seeing a replacement late in games (on Mariner's blogger suggests that Ibanez would do just as well to let his glove lay in the outfield), and three steals signals nothing there either. I think that the Phillies could have gotten a better financial deal in general then the $4.5M raise this year to the richest contract Ibanez has ever had. I think that they could have had Ibanez for less, but perhaps went to the table in fear of the Mets picking him up as well. As to the arguments that the team gained speed, that has to be a joke. The argument that the pick is really a second round pick is weak too. A lost pick is a lost pick and the farther down the ladder you are, the weaker the talent. Obvious.— thephan
- gary varsho...we don't get a first round pick when Burrell signs elsewhere, because the idiot Phils mgmt didn't offer Pat arbitration. why that is, i have absolutely no idea. just low ball an offer and you get a 1st round pick for nothing, amaro apparently isn't smart enough to figure that out. and i'd still expect to see good old bruntlett in the outfield in the 7th.
- Phillies did well to get Ibanez. He was reportedly highly sought after by the Angels and Cubs. There isn't much of a market out there for Burrell. That's about all you need to know if you can take off your Phillie fan glasses and see the larger perspective.— jtj06
- I am not denying that Ibañez is a good consistent hitter and an upgrade over Burrell. My problem with the signing is that the Phillies power is relying too much on lefthanded hitters that most likely will bat back-to-back-to-back in the middle of the order. In late innings and in a short series this could be a handicap. That’s why the Cubs, who were eliminated in the playoffs in part because they were a righthanded-heavy team, are looking for a lefthanded hitter (Abreu?). And if you look at the WS, our pitchers controlled the Rays, whose only left-handed threat was Carlos Peña. You need balance in your lineup and this signing does not accomplished that.— EL Zorro
- I realize - its not fair to judge until he actually gets in the batters box.... but, IMHO too much money for too long a period for too old, too slow, too average a fielder/thrower - who bats LEFT HANDED !!!!!! He better hit a ton and in the clutch or this will be a big mistake !!! We wouldn’t even be talking about this if Jenkins would only hit.— GM-wanta-be
- I think this is a good signing. Eliminates the streakiness of Burrell. If we get a couple good years out of Ibanez, this deal will have been a success.— p-diddy
- People complained that they were about to give up Happ for DeRosa, and instead they give up nothing (other than a future pick) for a better player than DeRosa, and people complain. Complain, complain, complain. I know Burrell is a fan favorite, but if you take a look at the broader picture, this is an upgrade!!— Gary Varsho
- This is a great move! The worst part is he is a left-handed bat. But like Howard and Utley, he hits well against lefties (.305 last year). He will not strike out as much as Burrell. After I did my research about outfielders, he was by far the best choice. Adam Dunn was the only possibility, but he strikes out a lot, too. Sad to see Burrell go, but this is a good baseball move for the Phillies. I am excited.— PhillyScott
- Teams can receive compensation with a draft pick in the following year's draft for a 'Type A" player being signed by another team only if the player was offered salary arbitration.— PhilzRock
- gary varsho, you arent getting a pick for pat cause they didnt offer arbitration.— abbs
- I don't like this at all.— smfiv
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- For the guy belittling Ibanez' .265 BA v. left hand pitchers, you pretty much seal the deal that this is an upgrade over Burrell- a lifetime .257 bat who has only topped .265 twice in his career, the last time being 2005.— jtj06
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