As expected the Phillies offered arbitration to Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Madson, but surprisingly they also did the same with Raul Ibanez.
Ibanez is 39 years old and was paid $12 million this season to hit just .245 with a .289 on-base percentage and .419 slugging percentage in 144 games, which along with sub par defense in left field made him one of the worst regulars in the league.
He seems highly unlikely to get a multi-year offer on the open market, in which case accepting the Phillies’ arbitration offer and locking them into a one-year deal for a significant salary would seem like a no-brainer for Ibanez.
However, it’s possible that the Type B free agent has some sort of agreement with the Phillies to decline the arbitration offer as a favor and basically give them a free draft pick (assuming he signs elsewhere). If not, then the decision by general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. just doesn’t make any sense.