FORMER YANKEES PITCHER HIDEKI IRABU COMMITS SUICIDE BY HANGING HIMSELF!

Former Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu, a hard-throwing righthander touted as a superstar when he arrived in New York from Japan in May of 1997 but then elicted a famous insult from George Steinbrenner, was found dead in his Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. home Thursday.

"He was found dead by an apparent suicide," Sgt. Michael Arriaga of the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department told The Associated Press.

He was 42.

The website TMZ.com reported that Irabu had hanged himself.

Irabu had been arrested twice in the past three years, once for drunk driving in California and another time for assaulting a bartender in Japan.

After signing a four year, $12.8 million contract with the Yankees in '97, Irabu struck out nine Detroit Tigers over 6 2/3 innings in his major league debut, but his career in the United States went downhill for the most part from there.

On April Fools' Day 1999, after failing to cover first base in a spring training game on a ground ball to the right side of the infield, Steinbrenner famously called him a "fat pus-sy toad."

Irabu struggled with weight issues and inconsistencies on and off the field, along with the pressure to repeat the success he had in Japan.

Bobby Valentine, who managed Irabu in Japan, said of the pitcher at the time of his signing: "I'm glad he signed, but boy, I don't think it's gonna be good for the young lad. It's not a good situation. I just have a feeling."

Irabu began his professional baseball career in 1988 in the Nippon Baseball League in Japan. In 1997, he grabbed headlines when the Padres purchased his rights from Chiba Lotte. He refused to sign with the Padres, however, saying he would only play for the Yankees.

The Padres and Yankees eventually made a trade to grant New York rights to the pitcher, and Irabu signed his deal. He had established himself in Japan after recording the highest velocity (98 mph) on his fastball in Nippon League history.

Irabu was 34-35 with a 5.74 ERA in his major league career, which lasted from 1997-2002. He won two World Series rings with the Yankees, in 1998 and 1999, and never had a losing season with the Bombers. He was 29-20 in three seasons in New York. He also played for the Expos and Rangers.

He made only 11 starts for Montreal in 2000, going 2-5 with a 7.24 ERA, and was released after pitching three games in 2001. He finished his Major League career with the Rangers in 2002, pitching in 38 games and recording 16 saves.

He returned to Japan and pitched for the Hanshin Tigers in 2003. He pitched for the Long Beach Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League in 2009.




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