Raul Ibanez drawing interest from teams as a possible manager or coach

Raul Ibañez has not officially declared his retirement, but multiple teams have reached out to him to gauge his interest in working as a coach or manager in 2015. Tampa Bay listed Ibañez as a candidate for their managerial interest. The Yankees contacted Ibañez about becoming their hitting coach.

Ibañez, 42, served as a mentor and guide for the Royals during his brief time with the club this past season. General manager Dayton Moore indicated he had spoken with Ibañez about sticking around in a non-playing role in the future.

“We would love have him be a part of what we’re doing in Kansas City,” Moore said here at the Arizona Biltmore, the site of the GM Meetings.

Moore declined to discuss the specifics of the offer, out of respect for Ibañez, who is said to be weighing several options for his future.

The Royals signed Ibañez on June 30 following his release by the Angels. After a brief on-field spell, Ibañez contributed less and less on the field. He hit a mere .188 with two home runs.

But the front office valued Ibañez’s experience in a clubhouse devoid of that quality. It was Ibañez who suggested the famed team meeting in July, which players and coaches cited as a turning point in the season.

Ventura takes sixth

Yordano Ventura finished sixth in the voting for the American League Rookie of the Year Award. White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu was the unanimous winner.

Ventura received one second-place vote. He made 30 starts for the Royals and posted a 14-10 record with a 3.20 ERA in 183 innings. He received fewer votes than Angels starter Matt Shoemaker (16-4, 3.04 ERA in 136 innings), Astros starter Collin McHugh (11-9, 2.73 ERA in 154 2/3 innings) and Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka (13-5, 2.77 ERA in 136 1/3 innings).

This story was originally published November 10, 2014 at 8:25 PM with the headline "Raul Ibanez drawing interest from teams as a possible manager or coach."