BY SCOTT LAUBERFollowing today's All-Star announcement, perhaps the biggest question is this: Will Raul Ibanez, on the disabled list with a strained left groin since June 18, be able to play in his first All-Star Game?
The answer: He'll try.
Ibanez will play about five innings in left field tomorrow night for Class AA Reading. Beyond that, the Phillies don't have a schedule for Ibanez. But both Charlie Manuel and Ruben Amaro Jr. said last week that Ibanez needs to get 10-12 at-bats in the minors before he's ready to be activated. That's about three games. So, if Ibanez plays tomorrow night, feels good, and plays two more games, that would put him in line to be activated Thursday or Friday.
"I think we kind of knew that [the rehab assignment] was going to be early this week last week," Ibanez said. "The only time you feel nothing in this sport is the first day of spring training. It's a 162-game season. You're always feeling something. You just try to grind through it, and you know the difference between something that's not good and something you can fight through."
So, how will Ibanez know if he's healthy enough to play in the All-Star Game?
"Getting ready for the All-Star Game has zero influence [on when he'll be ready to play]," Ibanez said. "These guys are not going to let me go out there and play for the Phillies if I can't do it. So, if I can't do it here, I'm not going to go out and do it there. The only way they're going to turn me loose is if I can play, period."
More from Ibanez and other Phillies players later at Philled In and tomorrow in The News Journal.
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