What Do You Do With Raul Ibanez?

The Mariners had three players file for free agency: Miguel Cario, Willie Bloomquist, and Raul Ibanez. I know, I know, the thought of losing both Cario and Bloomquist might be too much for Mariner Nation to handle. (Yes, Mariner Nation. If the Red Sox can call themselves a nation, then so can every other MLB team.)

Coming off a 101-loss season, with a new general manager and probable field manager, this team is in no place to even think about contention in 2009. So, what do you do with your best offensive weapon from a team who's offense stinks? He is going to want a multi-year deal, worth more than a team rebuilding should spend on a 36 year old leftfielder. Add in the fact that you don't have a major-league ready prospect waiting in the wings.

The other part to this question is whether or not Ibanez even wants to resign with Seattle. He has never played on a playoff team and the desire to win a ring and go out on a winning team has to pull him toward leaving the Mariners. Losing 23 home runs and 110 RBI off a team that was offensively anemic in 2008 is not a desirable thing for M fans, but it does then give you an opportunity to plan for the future out in left.

So, I ask you: What do you do with Raul Ibanez?