Hideki Irabu is dead

[Jacksonian]

Suicide?

[JimR]

My cousin lives in Rancho Palos Verdes.

[Jose Cruz III]

Suicide?

It's never pleasant to hear of someone troubled to that point. RIP

[Mr. Happy]

Sad. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

[Bench]

That's awful.

When I think of Irabu I always think of the newspaper editors tearing their hair out trying to figure out the appropriate way to report Steinbrenner calling him a "fat pussy toad."  In the quote, pussy referred to the ooze that comes out of infected skin, but in print there was no way to make the pronunciation apparent.  

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

That's awful.

When I think of Irabu I always think of the newspaper editors tearing their hair out trying to figure out the appropriate way to report Steinbrenner calling him a "fat pussy toad."  In the quote, pussy referred to the ooze that comes out of infected skin, but in print there was no way to make the pronunciation apparent.  

With that extra "s" I was thinking he meant a frog with a big vagina. Anyway, sad story. Too bad he could figure another way to deal with his situation.

[Rebel Jew]

That's awful.

When I think of Irabu I always think of the newspaper editors tearing their hair out trying to figure out the appropriate way to report Steinbrenner calling him a "fat pussy toad."  In the quote, pussy referred to the ooze that comes out of infected skin, but in print there was no way to make the pronunciation apparent.  

The Yankees managed to trade him to the Expos for Jake Westbrook AND Ted Lilly

[Mr. Happy]

My burning memory of Irabu, a poor victim of unreasonably high expectations, was a bit on the Howard Stern radio show that had him appearing at his introductory press conference with the Yankees and speaking through an "interpreter." The interpreter said "I am proud and honored to be a New York Yankee. Now, where all the white women at, where they at?" It was fucking hilarious, but I guess that you had to be there. RIP

[HudsonHawk]

My burning memory of Irabu, a poor victim of unreasonably high expectations...

Perhaps the expectations wouldn't have been so high had he not been the biggest self-promoting asshole in baseball, pronouncing himself the greatest pitcher ever, too good to play for anyone other than the Yankees.  It would also have helped had he actually shown anything other than complete apathy on the field.

[Mr. Happy]

Perhaps the expectations wouldn't have been so high had he not been the biggest self-promoting asshole in baseball, pronouncing himself the greatest pitcher ever, too good to play for anyone other than the Yankees.  It would also have helped had he actually shown anything other than complete apathy on the field.

Although he clearly had some problems, which unfortunately manifested themselves in several arrests after his baseball career was over, I strongly suspect that he had some serious mental problems even as a big leaguer. Still, I feel sorry for the wife and young children who he left behind.