Should the Phillies release Raul Ibanez?

That’s what Corey Seidman at Phillies Nation thinks:

From a baseball standpoint - and from a logical standpoint - there is no reason Raul Ibanez deserves to play everyday on a contending team. He has been awful at the plate and terrible in the field. Yet he continues to bat sixth everyday while the Phillies top prospect, who also happens to be a corner outfielder, is putting on a clinic in the pitcher-friendly Eastern League.

That prospect is Domonic Brown, the fellow who I said had his nose pressed up against the glass a couple of posts ago. He’s raking in AA: 313/.382/.587 with 10 homers and 33 RBI. Meanwhile Ibanez cruises on the strength of his April and May of 2009. As Seidman demonstrates, he’s done nothing since. Certainly nothing to justify his job.

Which was easy to hide when Chase Utley and Jayson Werth were hitting and Jimmy Rollins was healthy and productive at shortstop. With those things not happening, Ibanez has been exposed as the weak link on the defending NL champs.

As of tomorrow evening, the Braves, Mets, Marlins and Nationals will all have called up and played their phenoms. Perhaps its time for the Phillies to do the same.