"Phillies leftfielder Raul Ibanez might need off-season surgery on a small muscle tear near his abdomen.

"I don't know, we'll see what happens," Ibanez said reluctantly yesterday when questioned about an article in Sports Illustrated that reported that Ibanez put off surgery in late June.

Ibanez would not say that the lingering injury has affected his play.

"No, I'm fine," Ibanez said. "I'm doing fine. That's all stuff that's in the past. I spoke to that [reporter] but that's stuff in the past. I don't even think about it. I'm fine right now."

The SI report said Ibanez was given the choice to have surgery in June or go on the disabled list to rest and play through the injury for the remainder of the season.

Ibanez reportedly visited a neuromuscular specialist in Toronto and a surgeon in Philadelphia before making the decision to go on the 15-day disabled list. At the time, Ibanez was also battling a sore left groin.

Ibanez was asked many times this summer about the nature of his injury and he repeatedly declined to describe it."