I like this signing financially. The draft pick..? Well, we would have to give it up if we signed Lowe. I’d rather give our first round pick to Seattle, and if we sign Lowe, give that second round pick to L.A.

I’ve watched Ibanez play over the years. This is a good pick-up for us. He’s a good player. I wouldn’t worry about the overabundance of lefties in the lineup. When Marson breaks in, he’ll be a good RHB- and one of the benefits of Jimmy Rollins is that he can bat pretty much anywhere in the order. I think we might see Shane at leadoff, and Utley in the two-spot a little more often. I also think that Werth will jump around in the order a lot.

As for Lowe, I’d still like to see him come here. We all keep seeing various reports that the Phillies ARE or AREN’T interested. Derek Lowe wants to play for a contender, and we’re the champions. He’d be our #2. In NY, he’d be a #4 or #5. I can’t see the Phillies singing a starting pitcher other than Moyer or Lowe right now. Saying that signing Ibanez and Lowe makes/would make our team significantly older is clearly unfair as well. We had Jamie and Adam Eaton pitching last year, how does that make us an older team than last year? Also this is also a go-for-the-gold decision, a here and now direction for the team. I dig it, it’s what they need to do the season after winning it all.

Please Pat– don’t sign with the Mets.

LH

Victorino
Donald
Rollins
Howard
Ibanez
Werth
Feliz
Ruiz

I like it.

Victorino has just HAS to bunt some more.

I forgot about Utley’s imjury already.. but the Opening Day lineup depends on the Braves pitchers.. if they get Burnett, I’d imagine he’s the ACE.. Whats up with Smoltz? Hudson is still pretty good, but the Phillies hit him well.. Jurgens is going to give us fits as he gets better

If its Burnett:

Rollins-Victorino-Ibanez-Howard-Werth-Dobbs(Feliz)-Ruiz-Hamels …they need to start the season with a WIN this year

I think the Nationals were trying to get Willy Taveras, but that was last week

KM, very unconventional lineup. Two mini-lineups with two leadoff men? Very interesting. I’d invert Rollins and Howard to make our lineups 1-2-3 then 1-2-3 again. But still, pretty interesting.

Opening day lineup:
1. Rollins 2. Victorino 3. Werth 4. Howard 5. Ibanez 6. Feliz 7. Bruntlett/Donald 8. Ruiz 9. Hamels

Lineup with Utley healthy:
1. Rollins 2. Victorino 3. Utley 4. Howard 5. Werth 6. Ibanez 7. Feliz 8. Ruiz 9. Pitcher

Lineup I’d like to see:
1. Victorino 2. Utley 3. Rollins 4. Howard 5. Werth 6. Ibanez 7. Feliz 8. Ruiz 9. Pitcher

I think the lineup concerns are legit, but I’d wait to see if it becomes something other teams really take advantage of before I put Werth 3rd or 5th. This is only about forcing teams to use multiple relievers to get through the 6-7-8th in tight games. It’s not the most critical thing in the world. How many really good lefty relievers are there in the division?

And, just b/c they signed Ibanez doesn’t mean there not going to get Lowe. Bringing moyer back is not the way to go, unless they sign moyer as a 4/5 and bring in someone as a 2, like lowe. That’s not going to happen though. One of the “kids”, according to Amaro, will fight for the 5th spot. I still strongly believe we get Lowe.