Raul Ibanez

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Raul Ibanez Rating: -36 from 186 votes Views: 1,011

Submitted By: Daven on 9/21/2006. (

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Link: http://www.seattlemariners.com
Raúl Javier Ibáñez [e-BAH-nyes] (born June 2, 1972 in New York, NY) is a designated hitter/outfielder in Major League Baseball who plays with the Seattle Mariners. He bats left handed and throws right handed.

From 1996 through 2004, Ibánez has posted a .283 average with 85 home runs and 367 RBI in 752 games.

Ibáñez attended Miami-Dade Community College and was an all-conference selection. He was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 36th round of the 1992 Free Agent Draft. Ibáñez played as a catcher and outfielder at three levels in the Mariners organization, including his major league first game in 1996. Selected an All-Star in 1994-1995|95, he was honored by Baseball America as its Class-A All-Star catcher for 1995.

A very talented, but injury-prone player, Ibáñez was used primarily by the Mariners as a pinch-hitter and reserve catcher-outfielder. He was signed by the Kansas City Royals as a free agent before the 2001 season.

Ibáñez finished his first year for the Royals with a .280 average and 54 RBI. He teamed with Mike Sweeney and Carlos Beltrán to become just the second trio in major league history to homer in the same three consecutive games. The only other teammates to accomplish the same feat were Dante Bichette, Vinny Castilla and Larry Walker with Colorado in 1995.

Ibáñez enjoyed his most productive season in 2002, when he collected career-highs in home runs (24), RBI (103), doubles (37) and triples (6), and hit .294 with 70 runs. In 2003 he batted 18 homers with 90 RBI and hit .294 for the second straight season (179-for-608); led the team with 33 doubles, and was second with 157 games played, 95 runs and 90 RBI. He also posted career-highs in games, at-bats (608), runs, hits, walks (49) and stolen bases (10).

After three seasons with the Royals, Ibánez returned to Seattle in 2004 and hit a career-high .304 average. He also collected a 24-game go-ahead RBI string, matched a club record by reaching base 11 consecutive times, set a career-high and a club record and matched the American League record with six hits, and joined Ichiro Suzuki as only Mariners ever with two five-hit games in one season.

With Edgar Martinez retired, Ibáñez moved to the DH spot before the 2005 season. In 2005 Ibánez hit .280 with 20 home runs and 89 RBI.

Since the Mariners acquired switch designated hitter Carl Everett from Chicago White Sox during the 2005 off season, Ibánez has been moved back to where he played before, namely the left field for 2006 season from the beginning.

At the first half of the season, Ibanez led his team in both home runs and RBIs and is currently doing so at the end of the season with a two weeks to go.
Tags: baseball mariners raul ibanez seattle mariners

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