Raul Ibanez ‘thankful’ for Phillies fans, city’s intensity
By Matt Rappa
Facing the Yankees in the 2009 World Series
While the Phillies fell short in the 2009 Fall Classic, causing the 19-year veteran to never win a championship, Ibanez still says the series against the Yankees was “such an incredible feeling.”
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Ibanez felt the Phillies, following that year’s NLCS, were the “best team on the planet” and that there was “no way” they were going to lose. And, when the team won Game 1 behind ace southpaw starter Cliff Lee, he says he had to calm himself down and ask, “Is this really going to happen?”
Unfortunately, it did not, but Ibanez says he particularly remembers Lee’s performance, which would help set the tone for the lengthy, competitive series. Lee would allow just one run, but strike out 10 batters en route to the complete game victory.
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“I remember before Game 1 of the World Series, Cliff coming into the clubhouse and he says ‘They asked me if I’m nervous.'” Ibanez recalled. “Cliff was like, ‘It doesn’t even make any sense. Why would I be nervous for something that I’ve been preparing for my whole life? It doesn’t make sense.'”
“I remember walking out like toward the field chuckling, thinking to myself, ‘This guy’s special. This guy is great.'”
Remembering Doc’s Postseason No-Hitter
Among Ibanez’s favorite teammates in his career, which spanned parts of three decades, included Hall of Fame right-hander Roy Halladay.
Just as much as Ibanez was in awe of Lee’s performance in the first game of the 2009 World Series, he also appreciates what Halladay was able to do against the Cincinnati Reds in the first game of the 2010 NLDS.
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“It was really special. It was Doc’s first postseason start. I loved Doc,” Ibanez says. “I learned so much from him; we had these great interactions … we would have these really great deep conversations. He loved his family so much and I used to love watching him light up talking about his family.”
Ibanez says he remembers thinking to himself in the first inning “Oh my God, he’s going to do it again,” given just months prior he threw a perfect game.
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“He mowed through the first three hitters. It may have been the fifth or sixth inning,” Ibanez continued, “[when] I think he faced it might have been the Brandon Phillips at-bat, where I was like, ‘Oh my god … he made a Major League All-Star in the postseason look like a kid.'”
“With all due respect to the great player, it was not a testament to any of their players. It was a testament to how great Doc was all the time and especially that night.”
Ibanez says he just felt it. He knew it, and could “feel the intensity brew.”
“It was just special. Incredible.”