FanHouse Hideki Irabu

The improbable comeback to end all improbable comebacks took a step forward Monday when Hideki Irabu signed a contract with the Long Beach Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League. The press release from the Armada calls him the greatest power pitcher in Japanese professional history, and takes special care to note the two World Series rings he won as a member of the Yankees.

Irabu was indeed a member of the Yankees in both 1998 and 1999, but you'll be forgiven if you don't remember his contributions to that epic run. Irabu pitched in one game of the 1999 American League Championship Series, relieving Roger Clemens after the Rocket got thrashed in his postseason return to Fenway Park.

The man George Steinbrenner once called a "fat toad" is attempting a comeback. Seriously. Hideki Irabu, who turns 40 in less than a month and hasn't pitched in the majors since 2002, is trying to make a comeback to baseball, with his ultimate goal being reportedly a "high level, like MLB or NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball -- Japan's highest league)."

Apparently he's grounded enough to know that he'll have to start in a United States' independent league, but this can't be serious. The guy was a colossal disappointment in the major leagues, and that was more than six years ago. His career ERA was 5.15.

Remember Hideki Irabu? Sure you do ... he's the man that George Steinbrenner once called a "fat toad" after a disappointing career in pinstripes. Well, he's back in the news ... no, not because the Yankees have signed him to help the starting rotation, but because he's been arrested after a drinking binge which saw him down 20 mugs of brew before assaulting a bartender:

Irabu, 39, became angered after his credit card was rejected. He then allegedly pushed the bartender against the wall, pulled his hair and smashed at least nine liquor bottles at a bar in Osaka, western Japan, a police official said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

The bartender sustained no injuries. Irabu paid the bill with another credit card.

You know, bar etiquette demands that you at least attempt the second credit card before pulling the bartender's hair and smashing up the place in a fit of drunken rage. I think that's mentioned in the Zagat guide, I'm not sure.

Hey, didn't the Yankees sign Sidney Ponson after a bar incident? Hmmmmmm.

Apparently the rough translation to American baseball for Hideki Irabu and Kei Igawa hasn't soured the New York Yankees on Japanese pitchers. The agent for Kazuo Fukumori says that the Yankees have inquired about the 33-year old reliever, late of the Rakuten Golden Eagles, to help fill out their bullpen for the 2008 season. According to Newsday, the Yankees got into the bidding late, after teams like the Padres and Rays, and are now taking a look at Fukumori's medical records and DVDs of his mound work before proffering an offer.

The medical records are important, since Fukumori had elbow surgery which prematurely ended his season. The Rockies aren't pursuing Fukumori because of that but according to Alan Nero, the agent, he's been examined by several doctors and is throwing off the mound. Fukumori saved 21 games and was an All-Star in 2006 and has struck out a batter an inning over the past two seasons. He's also struggled with walks, though, and that's too reminiscent of past Yankee bullpen flops to make them feel too comfortable handing over late leads.

The Yankees balked at the contract demands of Luis Vizcaino, who declined arbitration, and are finding the other available bullpen options to be equally unpalatable. They need to acquire a reliable workhorse to set-up Mariano Rivera but Fukumori doesn't appear to be the answer.

That's what Ken Rosenthal is suggesting, and he's been all over the Padres' pitching situation. As we speculated earlier in the week, and then Rosenthal later confirmed, David Wells was cut by San Diego following a series of poor starts. Now Rosenthal says the Padres have claimed Yankee import, Kei Igawa, off waivers:

The Padres, continuing in their attempt to upgrade their starting rotation, have claimed Igawa off waivers, major league sources told FOXSports.com.

San Diego was awarded the claim on Friday, and the two teams have until the end of the weekend to work out a trade for the 28-year-old Japanese pitcher. If no deal can be worked out in that time frame, Igawa would remain in New York for at least the rest of the season.

No American League team put a claim on Igawa, nor did any National League with a worse record than San Diego.

Considering the Yanks paid a total of $46 million for Igawa (26 of which went as a negotiating fee to the Hanshin Tigers), Rosenthal believes it is unlikely the Yanks let Igawa go. That sounds reasonable, as Igawa has another four years to turn things around in New York. Similarly, the Yanks have already been burned by trading Jose Contreras, and probably wouldn't want the same thing to happen with Kei. Now, Hideki Irabu, well that's a completely different story.

(via Ballhype)

Previously at FanHouse:
David Wells Has Worn Out His Welcome
Is David Wells Done With the Padres?

Anyone else find it convenient that a report about Jason Giambi failing an amphetamines test surfaced less than a week after he criticized Major League Baseball? Anyone else find it convenient that one particular reporter has been "in the know" for most of the recent steroids issues in baseball? Anyone else find it convenient that the reporter in question is the one who broke the most recent story about Jason Giambi testing positive for amphetamines? If you don't then you need to get your head examined.

See, Jason Giambi messed with baseball by publicly lambasting them to USA Today. Major League Baseball does not like having players question their approach to handling issues. Major League Baseball especially does not like being undermined by certain players who have reportedly failed steroids tests in the past. So what do they do in response? They may or may not have someone leak a report to certain favorable go-to reporters, so that the story becomes public, even though it's meant to be private.

And now all of a sudden, the focus and attention is deflected from Major League Baseball, and it is directed solely at Jason Giambi. As a result, the Yankees DH will be questioned constantly by the media. Any positive work accomplished by his remarks last week have been undone. Giambi's credibility was already limited to begin with. Now? His words hold no more value than Hideki Irabu in pinstripes. Major League Baseball has sent a clear message: if you're going to criticize the league you play for, make sure you have a clean record before doing so.

Previously at FanHouse:
Jason Giambi Reportedly Failed an Amphetamines Test
Jason Giambi Admits He Did Stuff, Wants MLB to Apologize