Peoria Free Press, May 2009

After a disappointing start to the 2009 season, the Cardinals are starting to show signs of life, led by their top draft pick Raul Ibanez.











Raul Ibanez - "Who's Laughing Now?"
By: Rey Bringo

It was EHCC Draft Day 2009, and to nobody's surprise youngsters were flying off the board in the first round. The Peoria Cardinals, lacking a first round pick in the draft, had set their sites on improving the ball club immediately. With a very young nucleus to the EHCC squad, GM Dave Grubb felt as though 2009 was the year that the Cards would finally break into postseason baseball.

The Cardinals, the only team not represented at this years Draft Headquarters, were forced to draft from the war room within their park, the Keystone Bird Cage. All along, the team had Raul Ibanez at the top of their wishlist going into the draft. When the 17th pick finally came around, and it was time for Peoria to make their first selection, the Cardinals wasted no time relaying their pick and wildly celebrating throughout the room that their guy had lasted through the first 16 picks. While Peoria was elated with their pick, it was later leaked that their confidence in Ibanez was not echoed throughout the league.

According to media sources at the draft, "all the other owners had a good laugh when Peoria chose Ibanez as their top choice in the 09 draft." Word of this disrespect wasted no time getting back to the Peoria front office and Raul Ibanez. "That's fine", said the slugger. "To be quite honest with you, I feel like Peoria is the perfect fit for me. There was absolutely no way I would have moved to Mexico, wanted to start fresh with the team in Carolina, or played for a team whose owner is more or less non-existent like the team in Arlington. The Cardinals have improved tremendously over the last few years and I am the missing link to get us over the hump", said Ibanez.

So far, so good for the left handed cleanup hitter. To date, Ibanez leads in 2 out of 3 triple crown categories. He is first in HR (17), average (.352), and only trails by one in RBI (43). Not too bad for somebody skipped by 16 other picks and then mocked for his selection. Not only is Ibanez a sure All-Star starter thus far, but he also has to be the top choice for MVP so far this season.

While the 2009 campaign has been a disappointment for the Cardinals as a whole, Ibanez has added a spark in the lineup and a veteran presence in the clubhouse to keep the young Cardinal players hungry and ready to play everyday. After a disastrous start to the season, it seems as though this years Peoria squad is starting to turn it on and look poised to making a run for the playoffs throughout the summer.