Seriously, how is it that Raul Ibanez has yet to make an All-Star team? Maybe he’ll have better luck in the National League, eh?

Part of the problem the last couple of years has been that he was on the Mariners, the Mariners weren’t very good, and they already had a perennial All-Star outfielder in Ichiro. So if it’s one and done, it’s going to be Ichiro. Two years ago, it was Ichiro and closer J.J. Putz. Tough spot.

Might it be better in Philly? Sure. And you’d think the players’ vote would get him in, at least. This guy plays the game like it should be played, and he’s at times truly explosive offensively — see: his three HRs and nine RBIs in the last three games.

This is one of those guys who is an All-Star without portfolio. He’s clearly among the elite — fantasy players will tell you that — and he’s an upgrade in pretty much every way over a pretty good player himself in Pat Burrell.

Fact is, Ibanez was hands-down the best free agent signing of the offseason, and he’s not disappointing one bit.

Yakyu Haiku
That’s the American tradition of baseball in Japanese, and here’s an Americanized version of a Japanese tradition:
Hammer and Ian,
And some pitching this summer?
Watch out for Rangers