Ibanez: FOB

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

as in Friend of Beltran

]Seattle's Iba�ez on Mets' radar for outfield help BY ANTHONY RIEBER | anthony.rieber@newsday.com; Chuck King contributed July 12, 2008 Now that the Mets know Moises Alou isn't coming around the corner, they can turn their attention to trading for a replacement before the July 31 non-waivers deadline. One name on the Mets' radar, according to a baseball official, is Seattle leftfielder Raul Iba�ez. The lefthanded hitter can become a free agent after the season; the Mariners are looking to dump anyone they can in the middle of a miserable season, so the price tag for a rental could be to the Mets' liking. Iba�ez, 36, is hitting .273 with 10 homers and 53 RBIs. He's a Manhattan native and friend of Carlos Beltran, a teammate from their Kansas City days. Beltran sounded very much as if he would love to see Iba�ez walk into the Mets' clubhouse before the end of the month. "He's a great guy," Beltran said. "Love him as a person, as a player. Great guy, great guy. I think he's a great, great player. A player no one really talks about, but he always does his job. Driving in 80, 90, 100 runs, hits 25, 30 home runs, plays hard." Iba�ez's best season was 2006, when he hit .289 with 33 home runs and 123 RBIs for Seattle. Last year, his numbers were .291-21-105. He's making $5.5 million this season and could eventually re-sign with the Mariners as a free agent even if he's dealt.

[nymr83]

i'm studying too much. i thought FOB was "free on board" and the Mets had to pay his shipping costs from seattle.

[MFS62]

Strap him to a skid and paste a shipping label on his forehead.
I'll gladly pay the postage.

LAter

[G-Fafif]

I thought it meant he was a Clintonite from well back.

FYI, Iba�ez drove us not a little crazy during KC's only IL series at Shea in '02: 5-for-12, 5 RBI including a three-run homer off Pedro Astacio in the Royals' sole win. Beltran homered in that game, too.

[Guest attgig]

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/120665

seems like dbacks are looking at ibanez as well

]PHILADELPHIA - With an eye toward adding a left-handed bat, the Diamondbacks have had discussions with Seattle about Raul Ibanez, who fits the necessary profile, a left-handed hitter who can play left field.

[Guest attgig]

and from espn

]Even if they did view Ibanez as a substantial upgrade, ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that requests for top prospect Max Scherzer are keeping the D-backs from making any deals.

hrm... if they're asking for Scherzer from the dbax for Ibanez... what would they want from the mets?!?!?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Remember, we don't actually have to give them whatever they're asking for.

Johan Santana is a Met, and Jose Reyes is not a Minnesota Twin.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

attgig wrote: hrm... if they're asking for Scherzer from the dbax for Ibanez... what would they want from the mets?!?!?

Yikes, no way I touch that trade if I'm the Snakes. I'd assume the M's would like at least Fartinez, probably more than that. If that's the case, no thank you.