TMZ is reporting that the death certificate of former New York Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu has just been filed and the listed cause of death is self-inflicted hanging. Irabu was found dead in his home in California in late July. The former Yankees pitcher had a lifetime MLB ERA of 5.15 over six seasons. After distinguishing himself early in his career in Japan with his fastball and penchant for strikeouts, the flame-throwing Irabu came to New York amid much fanfare. Current ESPN baseball analyst Bobby Valentine, who managed against Irabu in Japan, once compared him to Nolan Ryan. For all his talent, though, Irabu never made good on his promise or his paycheck. Shortly after Irabu’s death, longtime Yankees stars Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada remembered him as a fun teammate. Despite such pleasant reminiscences, Irabu had been struggling for some time prior to his death. He made headlines in 2008 after he was arrested for assaulting a bartender in Osaka, Japan. In May 2010, he was arrested for drunk driving in the suburbs of Los Angeles.
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on August 19, 2011. Filed under News.
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Posted by
on August 19, 2011. Filed under