Hideki Irabu was found dead, an apparent suicide in a home in Rancho Palos Verdes, a wealthy Los Angeles suburb. It is being reported that he hung himself.
If you can remember Hideki Irabu was basically the Yankees Dice-K (even called the Japanese Nolan Ryan). It was a huge deal when he came over, and he ended up being the worst pitcher ever (34-35 with a 5.15 ERA). Then it took a hysterical turn as not only was he bad, but George Steinbrenner used to refer to him as a fat toad.
He was a member of two Yankees teams that won the World Series, but his only postseason action was a single relief appearance in the 1999 AL Championship Series when Boston tagged him for 13 hits.
After he fell out of the majors Irabu's life feel apart. In August 2008, he was arrested in Japan for allegedly assaulting a bartender after drinking 20 mugs of beer. Police said he became angered after his credit card was rejected. In May 2010, Irabu was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol in Gardena, another Los Angeles suburb. Police said he was stopped after his car drifted outside of traffic lanes and he nearly collided with a parked car.
So, it's pretty obvious he had some kind of drinking problem, and it finally came to an end. I wish I could say there are some good memories of him, but the only good thing I can say is it was always entertaining to watch him as a Red Sox fan.
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