"Speaking of Raul Ibanez, how has that whole left-handed-hitting thing worked out for the Cubs since they rearranged a division-champion roster to fit Milton Bradley in?

Four months and $30 million later, well ...

''Look, we still need a left-hand bat that can hit in our lineup and drive in runs,'' manager Lou Piniella said Tuesday.

It seems $30 million doesn't go as far as it used to -- unless you're the Philadelphia Phillies, who gave the same three-year total to Ibanez that the Cubs gave to Bradley, becoming more aggressive when the Cubs expressed some interest in Ibanez early in free agency.

By Monday night, the switch-hitting Bradley was hitting a tense .201 against right-handers and was in the midst of a three-game break to work with Piniella on his mechanics and stress level at the plate. (He came in as a pinch hitter in the 11th inning Tuesday, grounding out.)

Meanwhile, Ibanez rubbed a little more All-Star production into the Cubs' sore spot when he started the Phillies on their Monday night rout with a three-run homer in his first at-bat of the season against the Cubs.

Ibanez was on the Cubs' radar last winter. Piniella, who managed him in Seattle, liked him then -- and now.

''He can hit. He's a very professional, productive hitter,'' Piniella said. ''And he's doing it. This is a nice ballpark for him, but you've still got to hit, and he's hit. He's having an MVP-type season for the Phillies right now.''"