As you're no doubt aware unless you hate America, the New York Yankees have filled every hole but one while preparing to win their 83rd World's Championship.
Yankees Reportedly Talking To Raúl Ibañez, Who Reportedly Is Listening
The New York Yankees could really use a left-handed hitter. Technically speaking, Raúl Ibañez is a left-handed hitter. So isn’t this a relationship worthy of eHarmony?
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They still don't have an ideal two-thirds of a Designated Hitter platoon. They've got Andruw Jones, who can certainly hold his own against left-handed pitchers. But the Yankees simply don't have a left-handed hitter on the roster who figures as a productive partner with Jones.
And now it seems like maybe they’re getting just a little desperate ...
@Ken_Rosenthal
Ken Rosenthal Sources: #Yankees in serious discussions with Ibanez. He is willing to take less to play for them than he could get elsewhere. #MLB
Two things you kinda sorta gotta know about Raul Ibanez:
1. He’ll turn 40 years old in June;
2. Playing at 39 last season, he was pretty terrible.
Granted, he was pretty good at 38 and excellent at 37. So maybe the Yankees are figuring 2011 was simply an anomaly. But when a player’s statistics go down while his age goes up, we might reasonably assume there’s some connection. And that the trendline isn’t going to turn around.
Also granted, what really killed Ibañez’s numbers last season was his “performance” against left-handed pitchers ... but he wasn’t exactly gangbusters against the righties, either: .256/.307/.440. The freaking New York freaking Yankees can’t find a left-handed hitter who can do better than that?
I’ll be surprised if Ibañez actually signs with the Yankees, and even more surprised if he signs with the Yankees and plays well for them.
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