An endorsement

The Philadelphia Daily News went to Greg Dobbs ('02) for a few words about ex-Appleton Fox Raul Ibanez since Ibanez is going to be a teammate soon.

If the Phillies had decided to go in a different direction, which was a possibility since Ibanez is yet another lefthanded bat to add to a lineup that already has Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, one scenario had Greb Dobbs platooning in left.

But Dobbs, a former Mariners teammate, couldn't be happier.

"Once I found out that we were interested in him, I thought he'd be perfect for our ballpark and our division," Dobbs said by phone yesterday. "He has great power to all fields, he hits for average and he drives in runs.

"He's a great guy, very professional. This will probably take playing time away from me, at least in the outfield. That's OK.

"I was sorry to see Pat [Burrell] go, as a teammate and a friend. He meant a lot to this team. But, by the same token, there comes a time when you have to turn the page. And by bringing in Raul, I definitely think we've filled that void. He's just a great guy to have in the clubhouse."

Also available...The song Ibanez uses for his cellphone ringtone.