Phillieshome.com | Philadelphia Phillies News, phillies Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>In his Philadelphia introduction on Tuesday, Raul Ibanez spoke of how he watched the Phillies' World Series games at Citizens Bank Park last October with something akin to jealousy. </div>"You could feel the energy coming through the television," he told the Philadelphia media. "I can't remember the last time, as a professional, I watched something on television and got goose bumps." The Phillies' rise to the World Series title, and their likelihood of contending again, was the primary motivation for Ibanez to leave the Mariners after five seasons. That, and the fact they gave him a three-year, $31.5 million contract to replace Pat Burrell in left field, while the Mariners were reluctant to offer more than a one-year deal. "I would have liked to have been here to share the contributions he made to this organization," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said Tuesday. "In the same sense, I've been around long enough to know that when a guy has paid his dues and done what Raul has done, he gets rewarded. I tip my hat to the fact he got something he desired." Did the Mariners ever get into serious discussions with Ibanez, 36, who hit .293 last year with 23 homers, 43 doubles, and 110 runs batted in? "We had discussions," Zduriencik said. "We had talked about length of the deal, and they told me what they thought they were going to get. At that moment in time, we had a lot going on. We wanted to see how everything fell into place. It fell into place in his favor." Because the Mariners offered arbitration to Ibanez, they will receive two compensatory draft picks, including the Phillies' first-rounder (28th overall) and a sandwich pick after the first round. They also own the No. 2 overall pick as a result of producing the second-worst record in Baseball at 61-101. "Last year, it was a struggle," Ibanez said. "This year, it's not going to be so. I'm really excited to be here." In joining the Phillies, Ibanez will have several reminders of his former Seattle life (which included an earlier stint in the organization from 1992 to 2000). The links include executives Pat Gillick (now an adviser to new GM Ruben Amaro Jr.) and Benny Looper (recently hired as an assistant to Amaro after 23 years in the Mariners' organization), and new teammates Greg Dobbs and, especially, Jamie Moyer. "Watching Jamie get that world championship was phenomenal," Ibanez said. "When I was in Seattle, Jamie was one of my mentors him and Edgar [Martinez]. I watched everything they did, picked their brains." Moyer, 46, on Monday agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal to remain in Philadelphia. "We sent each other text messages here and there in the process," Ibanez said. "He sent me one: `You a Phillie yet?' I sent him one: `You a Phillie yet?' We joked back and forth during the process." The Mariners, meanwhile, are contemplating various options to replace Ibanez in left. They have two in-house candidates in Wladimir Balentien, who struggled this past season (.202 in 71 games, with 79 strikeouts in 243 at-bats), and Endy Chavez, one of seven players acquired in the J.J. Putz trade. "We're always making calls and talking," Zduriencik said. "We had some calls today and some discussions today. We're touching base on a few things." Among the free-agent outfield/DH candidates still available are Milton Bradley, Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. The Mariners have also been linked to free-agent utility man Jerry Hairston, who can play infield and outfield and hit .326 with a .384 on-base percentage last year in 80 games with the Reds. A new crop of free agents hit the market last Friday when their teams declined to tender them a contract. Among the non-tendered who might interest the Mariners is former Dodgers closer Takashi Saito, who saved 39 games in 2007, when he was a National League All-Star. But Saito is coming off elbow problems that sidelined him much of the second half in '08, and will turn 39 in February. Asked if the team was close to any acquisition, Zduriencik said, "I don't think we're real close, but you never know. Someone might call and say, `Let's get real specific.' Right now, we're sifting through and trying to get the lay of the land." The Mariners on Friday didn't tender a contract to catcher Jamie Burke, making him a free agent. Zduriencik declined to comment when asked if they had interest in re-signing Burke. Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com

In his Philadelphia introduction on Tuesday, Raul Ibanez spoke of how he watched the Phillies' World Series games at Citizens Bank Park last October with something akin to jealousy.

"You could feel the energy coming through the television," he told the Philadelphia media. "I can't remember the last time, as a professional, I watched something on television and got goose bumps."

The Phillies' rise to the World Series title, and their likelihood of contending again, was the primary motivation for Ibanez to leave the Mariners after five seasons.

That, and the fact they gave him a three-year, $31.5 million contract to replace Pat Burrell in left field, while the Mariners were reluctant to offer more than a one-year deal.

"I would have liked to have been here to share the contributions he made to this organization," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said Tuesday. "In the same sense, I've been around long enough to know that when a guy has paid his dues and done what Raul has done, he gets rewarded. I tip my hat to the fact he got something he desired."

Did the Mariners ever get into serious discussions with Ibanez, 36, who hit .293 last year with 23 homers, 43 doubles, and 110 runs batted in?

"We had discussions," Zduriencik said. "We had talked about length of the deal, and they told me what they thought they were going to get. At that moment in time, we had a lot going on. We wanted to see how everything fell into place. It fell into place in his favor."

Because the Mariners offered arbitration to Ibanez, they will receive two compensatory draft picks, including the Phillies' first-rounder (28th overall) and a sandwich pick after the first round. They also own the No. 2 overall pick as a result of producing the second-worst record in Baseball at 61-101.

"Last year, it was a struggle," Ibanez said. "This year, it's not going to be so. I'm really excited to be here."

In joining the Phillies, Ibanez will have several reminders of his former Seattle life (which included an earlier stint in the organization from 1992 to 2000).

The links include executives Pat Gillick (now an adviser to new GM Ruben Amaro Jr.) and Benny Looper (recently hired as an assistant to Amaro after 23 years in the Mariners' organization), and new teammates Greg Dobbs and, especially, Jamie Moyer.

"Watching Jamie get that world championship was phenomenal," Ibanez said. "When I was in Seattle, Jamie was one of my mentors him and Edgar [Martinez]. I watched everything they did, picked their brains."

Moyer, 46, on Monday agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal to remain in Philadelphia.

"We sent each other text messages here and there in the process," Ibanez said. "He sent me one: `You a Phillie yet?' I sent him one: `You a Phillie yet?' We joked back and forth during the process."

The Mariners, meanwhile, are contemplating various options to replace Ibanez in left. They have two in-house candidates in Wladimir Balentien, who struggled this past season (.202 in 71 games, with 79 strikeouts in 243 at-bats), and Endy Chavez, one of seven players acquired in the J.J. Putz trade.

"We're always making calls and talking," Zduriencik said. "We had some calls today and some discussions today. We're touching base on a few things."

Among the free-agent outfield/DH candidates still available are Milton Bradley, Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. The Mariners have also been linked to free-agent utility man Jerry Hairston, who can play infield and outfield and hit .326 with a .384 on-base percentage last year in 80 games with the Reds.

A new crop of free agents hit the market last Friday when their teams declined to tender them a contract. Among the non-tendered who might interest the Mariners is former Dodgers closer Takashi Saito, who saved 39 games in 2007, when he was a National League All-Star. But Saito is coming off elbow problems that sidelined him much of the second half in '08, and will turn 39 in February.

Asked if the team was close to any acquisition, Zduriencik said, "I don't think we're real close, but you never know. Someone might call and say, `Let's get real specific.' Right now, we're sifting through and trying to get the lay of the land."

The Mariners on Friday didn't tender a contract to catcher Jamie Burke, making him a free agent. Zduriencik declined to comment when asked if they had interest in re-signing Burke.

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com