Philadelphia Sports Blog

The following is from Phillies.com

The left-handed-hitting portion of the Phillies batting order, already quite imposing, is likely to become more formidable in 2009 and beyond.

The World Series champions have replaced the power of Pat Burrell with the more consistent — and completely left-handed — swing of free agent Raul Ibanez.

A report on ESPN.com and FOXSports.com on Friday said the Phillies have agreed to a three-year contract with Ibanez, pending his passing a physical examination. The contract, the report said, is believed to be worth $30 million.

Ibanez, 36, is to become the Phillies’ every-day left fielder, His presence eliminates the chance of Burrell, also a free agent, returning. He had drawn interest from a number of clubs — the Mets, Cubs, Angels and Braves among them.

But, as ESPN reports, he had sent signals through friends that the Phillies were his first choice. The Phillies intensified their effort to sign him Thursday after they learned the Angels had been negotiating with Ibanez to serve as a left-handed run producer should Mark Teixeira sign elsewhere.

Ibanez played the past five seasons with the Mariners. There he had become a favorite of Pat Gillick who became the Phillies general manager and who now is serving as a consultant for the Phillies.

He batted .293 with 23 home runs, 110 RBIs, a .358 on-base percentage and a .472 slugging percentage in 2008.

Burrell, the Phillies’ biggest right-handed power threat, averaged 30-plus homers a year for the past four seasons.

During last season’s World Series run, Burrell hit 33 homers with 86 RBIs in 157 games. He added three more homers during the postseason.