Hideki Irabu’s famous teammates on the New York Yankees remembered him on Friday as a talented pitcher who was fun to be around.
The club held a moment of silence for Irabu at Yankee Stadium before Friday’s game against Baltimore, one day after news of his death spread. A picture of Irabu tipping his cap to the crowd was shown on the big video board in center field.
Los Angeles County Assistant Coroner chief Ed Winter said in an e-mail on Friday that the 42-year-old Irabu died by hanging himself. He said Irabu did not leave a note.
“It’s really devastating. I got to know him real well,” longtime Yankees star Jorge Posada said. “A guy that came out here with a lot riding on his shoulders, but he did a hell of a job for us. Tough times.”
“I was caught off guard, to say the least,” Derek Jeter said. “Irabu was fun. He didn’t speak a lot of English, but he probably knew more than he led you guys to believe.”
The hard-throwing Japanese right-hander arrived in New York amid a wave of international hype in 1997, but faltered after an impressive debut.
Still, he had his moments on the mound. Posada recalled catching a game in which Irabu outpitched Randy Johnson with a gem in Seattle.
“When he was into it, probably the nastiest pitcher in the league,” Posada said. “Ken Griffey Jr after the game talked really high about him, throwing 97, 98mph, splitter was 91, 92mph.”
New York manager Joe Girardi was Irabu’s catcher in his major league debut, when Irabu struck out nine in 6-2/3 innings to beat Detroit at Yankee Stadium.
Girardi said he was “saddened” when he heard about Irabu’s death.
Posada said Irabu always wore a smile in the clubhouse and had a penchant for making teammates laugh.
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