Major League Baseball is hiring former outfielder Raul Ibanez, who had a stint with the New York Yankees, to advise the league regarding several topics.
Ibanez hit 19 home runs in 130 games in the 2012 season. He was working with the Los Angeles Dodgers when the league contacted him about the role he will now fulfil.
The ex outfielder had his best season in 2009 with the Philadelphia Phillies, a campaign that culminated with a defeat to the Yankees in the World Series.
What will the ex Yankees’ slugger do?
MLB Communications detailed Ibanez’s new job, per NJ Advance Media:
“Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. announced today that Major League Baseball has named longtime baseball operations executive Michael Hill and former All-Star Raul Ibañez as Senior Vice Presidents of On-Field Operations. Hill and Ibañez, who will report to Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Morgan Sword, will serve in key roles overseeing umpiring, discipline and other on-field issues. In addition, MLB has hired former Major League manager Bo Porter and former Major League players Joe Martinez and Rajai Davis to roles in its Baseball Operations Department.”
Hill was one of the candidates to fill the general manager position of the Yankees’ crosstown rivals, the New York Mets, but he lost to Jared Porter.
The league stated that Hill “will oversee MLB’s umpiring and on-field discipline at both the Major and Minor league levels. Hill’s 27-year front office career includes 18 years with the Miami Marlins franchise, with seven seasons (2014-2020) as President of Baseball Operations and the previous six as General Manager (2008-2013).”
Ibanez, who Yankees’ fans remember fondly after he had a pinch-hit, game-tying homer in the ninth inning and a game-winning dinger in the 12th inning of Game Three of the 2012 Division Series vs. the Baltimore Orioles, will “work on issues related to rules, equipment and on-field technology. He will also contribute to MLB’s initiatives in scouting and amateur baseball.”