Hideki Irabu dead at age 42 from suicide

[Doc Holliday]

LOS ANGELES - Hideki Irabu, a retired Japanese star pitcher who spent six years in Major League Baseball, has been found dead in his suburban home of an apparent suicide, police said. He was 42.

Mike Arriaga, a sergeant with the Los Angeles County sheriff's department, said Thursday that Irabu was found dead on Wednesday afternoon at his home in Rancho Palos Verdes of what appeared to be suicide.

No other details were released as authorities continued to investigate the death of Irabu, who helped the New York Yankees to two World Series titles.

Irabu was a combined 34-35 with a 5.15 earned-run average in 126 games, 80 as a starter, over six MLB seasons playing for the Yankees, Montreal Expos and Texas Rangers before his retirement in 2002.

After a notable career in his homeland, Irabu inked a $12.8 million contract to make the jump to America in 1997. He joined the Yankees and helped the fabled club win World Series crowns in 1998 and 1999.

The Yankees sent Irabu to Montreal before the 2000 season. He played two years for the Canadian club and another in Texas before retiring.

Hideki Irabu commits suicide

 

[Kansas Frank]

Too bad. May he RIP. Sounds like he lived on the fast lane and may have squandered away his money and likely in heavy debt.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Too bad. May he RIP. Sounds like he lived on the fast lane and may have squandered away his money and likely in heavy debt.

He had a serious problem with alcohol. The Expos released him after finding him passed out drunk, and he also had a DWI arrest and a barroom assault in the last few years. I though the Yankees gave up on him way too soon at the time, but they knew what the extent of his off field problems were. He also made a prophet of Bobby Valentine, who predicted correctly that he would not be able to handle New York.

He had better stuff than any Japanese pitcher who ever pitched in the majors bar none, but he had zero work ethic, was an alcoholic and was never in shape his entire major league career. All of that added up to an extremely mediocre career. It's really a shame, but unfortunately not every pitcher who has great talent amounts to anything.

It's being reported that Irabu was despondent over his wife leaving him, and taking their kids:

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/sto...es-pitcher-hideki-irabu-found-dead-california

 

[Kansas Frank]

He had a serious problem with alcohol. The Expos released him after finding him passed out drunk, and he also had a DWI arrest and a barroom assault in the last few years.

A life cut short is never good but he could have killed pedestrians or other motorists had he engaged in futher DUI's. It was the lesser evil that he took his own life. Hopefully, he left some money for his family.

 

[smuler]

He was the guy Steinbrenner called a Fat Toad, after he didn't cover first base

My Mets were involved in a bidding war for the rights to this guy...

We lost out, and as the Mets usually do....

We went out and got us our first Japanese player..

Matsui !!

Of course, we got the runt Matsui..

It was Kaz

But , did you know this guy's claim to fame was homering in his first at bat @
2 opening days in a row..

Sorry to babble..

Best Regards

Frustrated Met Lifer