The Nolan Ryan Of Japan Retires, Again
Via breitbart.com –
Former New York Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu has retired from professional baseball for the second time, citing wrist problems.
“I’ve decided to retire and consider what to do next in my life,” the 40-year-old wrote Monday on his official blog.
In 2009, Irabu came out of four years of retirement to pitch for the Long Beach Armada of the U.S. independent Golden Baseball League.
He moved to the Kochi Fighting Dogs of Japan’s Shikoku-Kyushu Island League later that year.
Irabu was released by Kochi in September after being diagnosed with tenosynovitis, the inflammation of a tendon sheath, in his right hand and asked the club to terminate his contract.
“I have belonged to all kinds of organizations in the major, minor and independent leagues. I appreciate those who gave me those opportunities,” he said.
Irabu has a blog? Is it FatPussyToad.com?
Now that his career is really over, is it too late for Jonathan Winters to star in the biopic of Irabu’s life?
Although, as time shows, he was the #4 starter (at least in the regular season – he had 28 starts to El Duque’s 21) for a team that went 125-50. And in his first 11 starts that year, he only gave up more than two runs once.