{"id":9787,"date":"2011-07-27T20:07:42","date_gmt":"2011-07-27T20:07:42","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2011-07-27T20:07:42","modified_gmt":"2011-07-27T20:07:42","slug":"Former-Yankees-pitcher-Hideki-Irabu-found-dead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiancemagazine.com\/?p=9787","title":{"rendered":"Former Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu found dead"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former New York Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu, 42, was found dead in his Los Angeles-area home<\/strong>, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to USA TODAY.<\/p>\n

The Yankees also said the incident is being investigated as a suicide. <\/strong>The body of Irabu was found at 7:25 p.m. ET yesterday. He was found dead by an apparent suicide,” Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Arriaga told AP. <\/p>\n

Irabu spent six seasons in the majors from 1997 to 2002 with a career record of 34-35 record and 5.15 ERA.<\/strong> He won two World Series titles with the Yankees (1998 and 1999) but never appeared in a Series game.<\/p>\n

As a star Japanese pitcher, Irabu’s contract was purchased in 1997 by the San Diego Padres from the Lotte Orions (now Chiba Lotte Marines).<\/strong> However, Irabu said he would only play for New York and forced a trade.<\/p>\n

The Padres sent Irabu, then 28, to the Yankees, where he signed a four-year, $12.8 million deal and spent three seasons.<\/p>\n

On July 10, 1997, Irabu made his major league debut against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium and earned his first victory.<\/strong><\/p>\n

His best season came in 1998, when he posted a 13-9 record with a 4.06 ERA in 173 innings. He followed that up with an 11-7 record, 4.84 ERA.<\/p>\n

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner often expressed his displeasure with Irabu, calling him a “fat … toad” because of his weight.<\/p>\n

After the 1999 season, he was traded to the Montreal Expos, where he appeared in just 14 games. In the two seasons with the Expos, he was 2-7 with a 6.69 ERA over 71 1\/3 innings.<\/p>\n

Irabu had intentions of returning to the Japanese professional league.<\/strong> He later ran into trouble with the law, getting arrested for DUI in 2010.<\/p>\n

RIP<\/strong><\/p>\n

USAToday<\/a>
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