Ibañez angry about PED's; Phils draft an outfielder

Raul Ibanez is upset that a blogger linked him to PED's.

RAUL RESPONDS TO ALLEGATIONS

In today’s Philadelphia Inquirer, Raul Ibañez lashes out at the report (actually, blog) that puts him in the performance-enhancing drugs mix. Ibañez is vehement about remaining clean and that his work ethic is what has given him an edge, not steroids.

"I'll come after people who defame or slander me,” Ibañez said in the article by Jim Salisbury.  I’m proud to see the new Phillies left fielder take such a hard stance on this subject.  After seeing his fellow National League outfielder Manny Ramirez get cut down by a drug test, Ibañez realizes the importance of staying clean.  

Yes, his numbers are beginning to shoot well above his career averages.  But consider this; Ibañez has never played in such a small ball park or prolific offense and most certainly never hit behind a murder’s row that includes two-MVP’s and the league’s best second baseman.  When hitting after the likes of Rollins, Utley, and Howard, you’re going to see pitches.  This has been the case with Raul this season.

The speculation is abhorrent, but it is not out of the blue.  While the blogger who posted these allegations has no evidence to say such demeaning things, look at the landscape of the game today.  Players who were thought to be clean we’re proved to have cheated, so this is not something new. Ibañez understands that part.  The fans and media have been lied to on countless occasions, so he knows that this is an era of what he calls “speculation.”  

Currently, Ibañez leads National League outfielders in voting for the 2009 All-Star game in St. Louis.  Clearly, there are people who believe in this guy as a player, and not as a juicer.  

PHILLIES DRAFT DAY

Speaking of Raul Ibañez, when the Phillies signed him this offseason, their first-round pick in yesterday’s draft, by rule, was given to the Seattle Mariners.  That meant the Phillies would not pick until number 75 rolled around.  When it did, the Phils took Kelly Dugan, an outfielder/first baseman from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Dugan’s a 6-foot-1 switch-hitting power bat that is projected to be a centerfielder.  

This year, it was hard to tell which was the Phillies were leaning because of their long wait to pick.  Last year, the Phillies had been hot on infielder Anthony Hewitt, and ended up taking him late in the first round.  

In the third round with selection 106, the Phillies grabbed high school centerfielder Kyrell Hudson from Evergreen High School in Washington. He is slated to play baseball and football at Oregon, but may be putting baseball on the backburner.