Our Ancient Foe Returns
If this blog has held to one central, core argument since its inception (and indeed its prehistory), it is that Raul Ibanez will never amount to anything.
The Seattle Mariners officially announced their $2.75 million, one-year deal with outfielder Raul Ibanez on Wednesday, returning the veteran to where he began his major league career in 1996.
Seattle confirmed an agreement with Ibanez over the weekend but needed to clear a roster spot before making the transaction official. That took place when the Mariners designated for assignment right-handed pitcher D.J. Mitchell, opening a spot on the 40-man roster. Mitchell was acquired from the New York Yankees in the trade last July for Ichiro Suzuki.
The deal allows Ibanez to earn an additional $1.25 million in performance bonuses. This will be his third stint with the Mariners, after rejoining them from 2004-08.
Let me be the first LGM contributor to decry and denounce this deal, to confidently predict that it will somehow end disastrously for the Mariners, and to reiterate my argument (first made in 1998), that Raul Ibanez just doesn’t have much of a future in the majors.
rea:
December 26th, 2012 at 6:40 pm
Well, it’ quite true that at this point in his career, Ibanez does not have much of a future in the majors . . .
James E Powell:
December 26th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
So the term “performance bonuses” is a straight line.
Kurzleg:
December 26th, 2012 at 7:01 pm
W/O checking out the stats, I’d say Ibanez improves the Ms offense.
Murc:
December 26th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
If this is true, I would recommend Mariners fans just start drinking right now and not stop until next fall.
Warren Terra:
December 26th, 2012 at 7:21 pm
guidelines are available.
Sherm:
December 26th, 2012 at 8:05 pm
Only 17.4 career war as per baseball reference. I would have guessed more.
lowkey liesmith:
December 26th, 2012 at 8:21 pm
Next They can bring back A-Rod.
greylocks:
December 26th, 2012 at 8:21 pm
The Mariners are a major league team?
rea:
December 26th, 2012 at 8:32 pm
Technically, although we Tiger fans prefer to think of them (along with the Marlins) as part of our high minor leagues (e. g., Fister for Furbush, Carlos Guillen for Ramon Santiago . . .)
mark f:
December 26th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
Hey he got an MVP vote this year.
Bill Cross:
December 26th, 2012 at 9:01 pm
I think this move is so he can retire as a Mariner and will therefore go into the Hall in a Mariner’s hat
Erik Loomis:
December 26th, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Which Hall are we talking about here? Hall of Mirrors?
Bill Cross:
December 26th, 2012 at 9:05 pm
Ex-players can pay their money to get in to Cooperstown just like you or I
Kurzleg:
December 26th, 2012 at 10:35 pm
He was better in terms of OPS+ for Ms corner OF in 2012…
Joel:
December 27th, 2012 at 3:01 am
Ibanez is probably a better signing than Josh Hamilton would have been. So the Mariners have that going for them.
John Protevi:
December 27th, 2012 at 6:24 am
Very nice
Sherm:
December 27th, 2012 at 7:40 am
Five year commitment for a talent like Hamilton sounds like a bargain to me.
c u n d gulag:
December 27th, 2012 at 8:04 am
The new ‘Ancient Mariner.”
He also played last year in Yankee Stadium, a hitters paradise, where the RF stands are within reach for a strong Little Leaguer – ok, a 14 year-old with forged ID.
And now, he’s playing in Baseball’s version of Death Valley.
Thank goodness for the organization, that KC and Pittsburgh have also been in MLB for the past decade.
But I suspect that both of those team will come within at least sniffing disatance of the Playoffs, long before the Mariners do.
Linnaeus:
December 27th, 2012 at 8:59 am
Hey, another year where I’ll be able to get good seats at Safeco Field…
Tybalt:
December 27th, 2012 at 9:05 am
He’s also a hopeless fielder now. He’s getting into the Kevin Reimer Zone with the glove. Also, the M’s have about eight guys like him already.
Steve S.:
December 27th, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Ending the DH rule would improve the M’s offense.