Rauuul

Raul Ibanez is being forced to answer questions about PEDs.

I think Citzens Bank Park is the PED in question here. From 2004-08, Ibanez averaged .291/.354/.477 for Seattle. His AB/HR was 26.93. Those are pretty decent numbers, particularly because Seattle is not considered a hitters' park.

Now, let's look at Pat Burrell, the man Ibanez replaced. When Burrell played in Veterans Stadium, his numbers were .253/.348/.473. His AB/HR was 19.95. Those figures are not far off from Ibanez's.

When the Phils moved into the Zen, Burrell's numbers became .261/.382/.495. His AB/HR was 16.76. Only once in the Vet did Burrell slug for better than .500, but he did it his final four seasons in the Zen.

This is not a perfect comparison, for one thing Burrell was righthanded and Ibanez is lefthanded, but it's probably not bad. Certainly, it was reasonable to expect Ibanez's numbers to improve with the Phillies. Not only is the ballpark a factor, but Ibanez is in a more productive lineup with the Phillies. Last year, Philly scored 799 runs; Seattle scored 671.

It would seem unlikely Ibanez can continue his torrid pace. Maybe he's just enjoying a hot streak, energized by his new surroundings. But it seems there are plenty of valid reasons for his numbers other than medicine.