Despite two stints on the DL, Placido Polanco has been the Phillies' most consistent hitter all season. No surprise, really there. That's what Polly does. His .319 BA leads the team and is 3rd in the league. The guy now carrying the team, though, is Raul Ibanez.The last time I was at Citizens Bank Park was before the All-Star break. I said to one of the guys who sits next to me that I thought Raul was on his way back, simply because he seemed to be moving better, running better. My neighbor snorted and said, ".280. When he's hitting .280, I'll believe he's back." Well, Ibanez is now hitting .274 and his current 16-game hitting streak is much of the reason that the team is holding its own in the absence of so many key players. During this streak, he has a .407 BA, four home runs, and 16 RBI.
Ibanez says it's all about not doing too much, that in baseball less is more. He also credits his mates, whom he defines in one word: character.
