Old Faces in New Places - Raul Ibanez

2008 statistics:

.293/.358/.479
23 hr
110 rbi
2 sb
85 r

Background:

Raul spent 2008 playing left field for a particularly bad Mariners team. At age 36, he became a free agent for the 3rd time in his career, and joined a free agent class that was full of corner outfielders/first basemen/designated hitter types. Raul appears to have hit the jackpot in that group. In December, he signed a 3 year, $31.5 million contract to play left field for the Phillies

Analysis:

I would tend to believe that Raul should put up similar numbers in 2009 to his 2008 season for the following reasons:

1. He is changing home parks from Seattle's Safeco Field to Philadelphia's Citizen Bank Park.
2. The lineup surrounding him in Philadelphia is much better than the Mariners' lineup was last season.
3. His team will face overall worse pitching (with regard to divisional opponents) than the Mariners did in 2008.

Even if he regresses slightly due to his age, this should be offset by the difference in the teams.


Conclusions and Predictions:

MockDraftCentral.com has Ibanez being drafted as the 34th outfielder, and 117th overall. Getting Ibanez in any round after probabl the 9th is probably a solid value, and just improves the longer he lasts. For a 3rd outfielder on your team, he's an extremely good value.

WG Predicted Stat Ranges:

.300/.370/.490
25 hr
100 rbi
0 steals
100 runs