Philadelphia Phillies Sign Free Agent Raul Ibanez to 3 Year/30 Million Dollar Contract

The 2008 World Series Champions are not staying put with their current roster, by any means. Early this morning, the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to terms with free agent left fielder Raul Ibanez. Ibanez played for the Seattle Mariners last year, and put up an incredible stat line of 83-23-110-.293-2 in all 162 games.

Raul Ibanez will receive 30 million dollars over the span of three years. Even though they will be losing former left fielder Pat Burrell to free agency, they feel like they have filled a void and a definite need.

Raul Ibanez has a lot of positive attributes as a hitter that have been consistent over the past four years. In 2008, he made batting contact at a rate of 83%, right in line with the past three years. He got on base at a stunningly effective .358, which will undoubtedly pay immediate dividends for the Philadelphia Phillies.

However, there is a big warning sign leading to Ibanez's decline. He is 36 years old, which is extremely old for any batter to continue that the pace he set for himself last season. Since the deal was made for three years, there is a real possibility that he could be released or traded before the final year of his deal, depending on his regression.

All in all, Raul Ibanez looks like a nice free agent acquisition for the Philadelphia Phillies. If they can continue to make savvy moves like this, there is no reason why they could contend to win it all again next year.

More Info: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3504