If outfielder Raul Ibanez's bad back and hamstring troubles are behind him -- as he claims -- then why do the Mariners continue to give him rest by playing him at designated hitter?
An uncharacteristic .270 batting average and mere half dozen homers in more than 350 at-bats suggest the 34-year-old veteran is considerably less than his usual self.
Doctor X -- the 'Baseball Medic' -- is an anonymous U.S. government trauma specialist with a Duke University sports medicine background and more than 20 years experience in emergency medicine. From time to time he considers MLB rumors, events and news reports as they pertain to baseball players' injuries, illnesses and various other disabilities, both on the field and off.
MLB Rumors editor Greg Fieg is a former sports news editor and award-winning writer whose bylines have appeared on the wires of the Associated Press and in numerous publications, including San Antonio Express-News, San Antonio Light, Houston Chronicle and Philadelphia Bulletin. He formerly was posted in various positions on the U.S.-Mexican border with Freedom Newspapers, and was a regular, independent contributor to United Press International.