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Hideki Irabu Found Dead of Apparent Suicide

The 42-year-old Ex-MLB pitcher and New York Yankee found dead in Los Angeles

By: Athlon Sports | 7/28/11, 3:26 PM EDT

The 42-year-old Ex-MLB pitcher and New York Yankee found dead in Los Angeles

Hideki Irabu, the ex MLB pitcher for the New York Yankees, Montreal Expos and Texas Rangers was found dead in his home near Los Angeles, California. He was 42 years old.

According to reports from asahi.com, the apparent cause of death is suicide.

The report is still murky but according to the Japanese translation, it appears he hung himself.

Irabu was a highly touted prospect from the Japanese league who never quite lived up to the hype. A star in the Japanese Lotte league, he couldn't translate his success in Japan to America. Over the course of his six year career in the United States, he started 80 games, won 34 of them, sturck out 405 batters and finished with a 5.15 earned run average (ERA).

Nicknamed the "Fat Toad" by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, he was traded from the Yankees to the Expos for both Jake Westbrook and Ted Lilly--A very lopsided trade in favor of the Yankees.

After his career was over, Irabu enjoyed a little fame from this Seinfeld clip:

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