Outfield: Raul Ibanez is a Popular Guy
According to Jayson Stark at ESPN.com, the Mets, Phillies, Cubs, Cardinals, 
Nationals, Braves, Royals, Rays, Blue Jays, Rangers, Angels and Mariners have all expressed interest in free-agent OF Raul Ibanez.
In fact, “The Mets, Cubs, Cardinals, Braves and Mariners have him at the top of their position-player shopping lists,” writes Stark.
Stark quotes a team official as saying of Ibanez, “Character. Proven run producer. In better shape than a lot of 25-year-olds. And he’ll play hard every day, every game, every second he has the uniform on.”
Ibanez played in all 162 games this season, and hit .293 with 23 HR, 110 RBI and a .358 OBP.
He has hit at least .280 with 20 HR and a .350 OBP during each of the last four seasons with the Mariners.
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.”
