When the Phillies signed Raul Ibanez to a three-year, $30 million deal this past offseason, there were quite a few people skeptical of giving a then-36-year-old (Raul turned 37 last week) outfielder $10 million for three years. Especially when we all saw how much other free agent outfielders ended up getting elsewhere. Plus there was the fact that, at 36 years old, no matter how well he's played, he has to start declining at some point.Well that decline is yet to start. Ibanez is hitting .327 with 20 homers and 55 RBI for the Phillies this year, exceeding just about anybody's expectations. Of course, given the culture of today's game, in which we seemingly find out about a new superstar using steroids (though not raping or killing anybody) every few weeks, it's only natural to be somewhat suspicious of Ibanez's performance.
Which is exactly what the guys over at Midwest Sports Fans did this week when they wrote an article in which they didn't come out and say Ibanez was taking anything, but that it has to be considered a possibility. So then the Philadelphia Inquirer picked up on the story and asked Ibanez about it before Philadelphia's game on Tuesday night and it's not too surprising that Ibanez wasn't very pleased.
"I'll come after people who defame or slander me," he said before last night's game against the New York Mets. "It's pathetic and disgusting. There should be some accountability for people who put that out there.It's hard to blame Ibanez for being upset about this because having people hurl these kinds of allegations at you without any evidence is, no doubt, extremely annoying. Still, as I said earlier, the original post at MSF never comes out and says he's on steroids. In fact, the majority of the post is an attempt to disprove the theory, but in the end it just concludes that there are reasons to be suspicious.
"Unfortunately, I understand the environment we're in and the events that have led us to this era of speculation. At the same time, you can't just walk down the street and accuse somebody of being a thief because they didn't have a nice car yesterday and they do today. You can't say that guy is a thief.
"You can have my urine, my hair, my blood, my stool - anything you can test. I'll give you back every dime I've ever made" if the test is positive.
"I'll put that up against the jobs of anyone who writes this stuff. Make them accountable. There should be more credibility than some 42-year-old blogger typing in his mother's basement. It demeans everything you've done with one stroke of the pen.
"Nobody is above the testing policy. We've seen that."
If anything, in my opinion, the Philadelphia Inquirer was making a mountain out of a mole hill with this story. So maybe instead of going after the 42-year-old blogger in his mom's basement, Ibanez should look at the guy who has actually left his mom's house and came to visit the clubhouse.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-10-2009 @ 4:56PM
craig stewart said...
The recent comments and accusations that Raul Ibanez may be using steroids are unwarranted and ridiculous. It seems that anytime a player is able to put up good numbers and have a career season they are automatically thrown into the steroid debate. It is as though we are back in the days of witch hunts and McCarthyism where people point fingers and everyone begins to speculate no matter how absurd and unsubstantiated the case. Ibanez is not one of the steriod era players that went from small and scrawny in the beginning of his career to a muscle bound behemoth over night. He has been a consistent hitter throughout his career who happens to be having great year in a hitters ballpark. Every good player has one year where they have a breakout season and now it seems that when this happens they are automatically thrown on the chopping block. Granted it is hard to overlook players putting up big numbers with all the findings in the past years but is it fair to throw someone under the bus when they perform well without any evidence? With all the test and regulations now in force I feel we should leave it up to facts and failed test to determine who is cheating the game, not bloggers and upcoming reporters trying to make a name for themselves. Until I hear a serious, fair, noteable, established sports reporter, such as Ken Rosenthal, who doesnt make bogus claims say that this is someone we need to investigate, I do not feel we should drag a players name through the mud after years of commitment and dedication to the sport. Steroids have tainted the game but it is time to try and move forward rather than allow any joe schmoe to put a player having a good year in a negative spotlight.
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6-16-2009 @ 10:42PM
engineherder said...
I agree. We would go to Safeco and Raul would be the only player out there stretching and working out. He is not bulky and he is very athletic and flexible and he has gotten better every year. Steroids would not improve his fielding which has also gotten better. He is just a hard working quality class act sort of guy. He was walking down the street in Seattle and saw me wearing his tshirt and came over to thank me. He is a nice guy and the staff at safeco told me he is nice to eveyone
6-10-2009 @ 5:17PM
Michael said...
I hear the sound of Rick Reilly grabbing a specimen cup off his pile...Ibanez, be prepared to be chased around the clubhouse until you submit. Call Sammy for details.
"Has to be considered as a possibility" is classic sports "reporter" thinking. The only reason it "has" to be considered is that it makes a few more people read your column.
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6-10-2009 @ 7:24PM
billyp01 said...
hes racist!
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6-10-2009 @ 10:54PM
mdkin01 said...
Nobody in 40 years hit 60 home runs in a season, then all of a sudden 3 guys do it. Now everybody knows they were all on steroids. Nobody has hit 60 since the crackdown. If Ibanez hits 60 home runs this season, he is on steroids CASE CLOSED!!!! The only chance any new player will have to hit this many is if they play in a small hitter friendly ballpark and they were already hitting 40 to 50 to begin with playing for a team in a bigger ballpark, otherwise they are on steroids. All you Phillies fans out there need to get a dose of reality to the situation. If he finishes with 40, he probably is clean. If he finishes with 60, he is dirty.
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6-11-2009 @ 12:42PM
noel7359 said...
Read his words carefully, he never denies using steroids (or HGH). He says "...If I test positive...". Why isn't anyone asking him about HGH? The drug testing in pro sports is a joke. Only the careless get caught. Character does matter. Most of these guys are a fraud.
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6-11-2009 @ 2:45PM
hdouglaswn said...
With all the new drugs out there in the market place that can be masked and not come up on a drug test,we have no idea at this point in time who is on or not on drugs. Until MLB has the drug testing done by International Olympic Committee or some honest drug testing lab we will never know for sure. And even then the IOC drug testing program is not foolproof either.
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6-11-2009 @ 10:05PM
ben said...
IBANEZ is on steroids...absolutely with out a doubt... he is aging and all of a sudden starts busting put home runs every day..something is going on here. THe philies are probably involved and Ibanez should be tested and when he tests positive for steroids he should be banned form the Major League
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6-14-2009 @ 3:10PM
mhammer622 said...
I have no doubt Ibanez is a phony! At age 37, he is having a way better season then he ever had, which he was just a little above average at best. To me, he is still just above average, and definitely doesn't deserve to be an All-Star. The Phillies sure did great without him last year, didn't they?
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6-17-2009 @ 12:14AM
claytor said...
Lets see...you take a guy who on average hits around .300, rips a bunch of doubles, to go with an average of 25 hrs a year in a pitchers park, namely the cavernous forum known as Safeco... and then put him in a ballpark with an insanely short left field perch.
Why are some shocked?
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