Outfielder: Mets in Touch with Ibanez, not Others
In Newsday, citing ‘two people familiar with the situation,’ Ken Davidoff writes, “The Mets have touched base with the agents for outfielder Raul Ibanez.”
However, Davidoff adds, they have not been in contact with Pat Burrell, Adam Dunn or Orlando Hudson.
…i do not get the sense ibanez is minaya’s first choice, or, at least not a top priority…ideally, i believe he would prefer to get a younger, right-handed bat in the outfield, but i am not sure how that happens…so, it makes sense that he would quickly reach out to ibanez, to let the player and his agent know where the Mets stand…
The 37–year-old Ibanez has hit at least .280 and 20 HR with a .350 OBP during each of the last four seasons.
In a recent post to ESPN.com, Peter Gammons wrote of Ibanez, “His 338 RBIs the past three years are more than Ramirez, Teixeira, or Vladimir Guerrero; he is a leader, a tremendous person and a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat.”
Ibanez was born in Manhattan, Davidoff explains, adding, “He long has held an interest in playing in New York, according to a friend who spoke on the condition of anonymity.”
By the way, to read more from Davidoff, check out his Baseball Insider blog for Newsday, which he will clearly be updating through the off-season.
