Raul Ibanez's RBI double in the 12th inning provided the winning run for the Yankees in their 5-4 win over the Orioles on Tuesday. Ibanez finished the day 2-for-3 with an RBI and has already driven in six runs this season. He's providing decent punch from the left side of the plate in a platoon role with Andruw Jones. Ibanez is still an extreme liability defensively, but he's filling a quality role on this Yankees team.

Raul Ibanez drove in four of the Yankees' six runs with a three-run homer and a groundout on Friday. The homer off James Shields was a no-doubter. Ibanez's swing looked hideous at the beginning of the spring, but he's had it working for the last 10 days or so now. He's well worth playing in AL-only leagues at the moment.

Raul Ibanez drove in four runs with a homer and a single Saturday as the Yankees topped the Astros 11-9. The ugly start to Ibanez's spring is just a memory now: he has three homers in five games and lost a fourth when Jason Heyward robbed him of one Wednesday.

Raul Ibanez hit a two-run homer off Max Scherzer as part of the Yankees' 4-2 win over the Tigers on Saturday. It was Ibanez's first hit in two weeks. He's still just 3-for-40 for the spring, but it's a start. The Yankees aren't at all likely to give up on him before the season begins.

Raul Ibanez went 0-for-3 in Tuesday's loss to the Red Sox. Ibanez is 2-for-21 (.095) with four strikeouts over his first seven Grapefruit League games. The short porch at Yankee Stadium provides some reason for hope, but he turns 40 years in June and his skills are clearly on the decline. It's unlikely he'll carve out enough at-bats to be all that useful in mixed leagues, especially splitting at-bats out of the DH spot with Andruw Jones and assorted veterans.

Yankees signed OF Raul Ibanez to a one-year, $1.1 million contract. Ibanez passed his physical on Tuesday in New York and will travel to the Yankees' spring complex in Tampa, Florida on Thursday to begin workouts. The deal also comes with around $2.9 million worth of performance-based incentives. Ibanez, 39, will function as a part-time designated hitter and backup outfielder in 2012.

According to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, Raul Ibanez will report to the Yankees on Thursday. The two sides have agreed to terms on a one-year, $1.1 million contract that carries another $2.9 million worth of performance-based incentives. It will be finalized once Ibanez reports to camp and passes a physical. He will function as a part-time DH and backup corner outfielder this year in New York, and may carry a small amount of value in AL-only fantasy leagues.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the framework for a deal with Raul Ibanez, worth $1 million plus incentives over one year, is in place. Ibanez likely followed the A.J. Burnett trade saga as closely as anyone over the past few weeks, as his signing with New York predicated not only on their ability to dump a portion of the money owed to Burnett, but also the assurance that the club didn't pick up a designated hitter in the trade, such as Garrett Jones, Travis Hafner or Bobby Abreu. All three had been bandied about in trade talks for Burnett but those possibilities ceased on Sunday, when Burnett was finally dumped on Pittsburgh for a pair of prospects. Ibanez should justify his salary as a part-time DH and backup corner outfielder. He's worth a look in AL-only leagues.

The Yankees are expected to sign both Eric Chavez and Raul Ibanez once A.J. Burnett's trade to the Pirates becomes official, according to CBS' Jon Heyman. Before that happens, Burnett must pass a physical and Bud Selig must approve the trade, as it involves significant money being sent to Pittsburgh. Heyman believes both Ibanez and Chavez will receive one-year deals worth around $1 million. Ibanez, 39, batted .245/.289/.419 with 20 home runs and 84 RBI in 144 games last season for the Phillies. The 34-year-old Chavez was limited to just 58 games with New York last season due to a fractured foot, batting .263/.320/.356 across 175 plate appearances. Ibanez should log enough plate appearances between DH and fill-in outfield duties to be well worth an AL-only roster spot.

According to Newsday's Ken Davidoff, the Yankees have been negotiating extensively with representatives for Raul Ibanez and an agreement seems ''very likely,'' after the A.J. Burnett trade gets done. There have been conflicting reports on whether the Yankees can afford both Eric Chavez and Ibanez, but Ibanez's production against left-handed pitching may ultimately be the determining factor. An earlier report indicated the Burnett trade will be completed on Tuesday pending the approval of Commissioner Bud Selig. Ibanez is reportedly seeking a one-year, $1 million contract.