The Major League Baseball and put on sackcloth world to know the death of former Japanese star pitcher Hideki Irabu, who was found dead in a suburban residence of Rancho Palos Verdes, a suburb of Los Angeles (California).
Irabu, 42, was found dead by a friend who called the police to take over the body, so far without known causes of death, but the case has been opened as an apparent suicide .
According to information provided by the police, it appears that the former pitcher for the Yankees pulled off the same life.
Irabu lived in Rancho Palos Verdes, a luxury residential suburb, located 35 miles outside of Los Angeles, but has not disclosed whether the body was found in his house, nor were details of the tragic event revealed.
It is hoped that the coroner's office in Los Angeles announced in the coming days the circumstances in which the death occurred after this weekend conducting the autopsy, but the police investigation is already working on the hypothesis of an apparent suicide.
Former Major League driver, Bobby Valentine, currently working as a commentator for ESPN television and gave Irabu in Japan in 1995, said he heard the news with great sadness because he knew the former pitcher and was a great person.
Irabu was considered the Japanese Nolan Ryan in 1997, when he came to America. But after a great debut with the Yankees in the summer of that year, never came close to meeting such expectations.
When his arm was in full power was unique and could not make contact with the ball.
However, Irabu was left with a mark of 34-35 and 5.15 ERA after pitching three seasons with the Yankees, then played two years with the Montreal Expos and missing more as a reliever with the Texas Rangers in 2002.
Irabu played with two teams the Yankees were crowned World Series, but his only action in the postseason was in relief in the NLCS in 1999, when Boston Red Sox hit him 13 hits.
The arrival of Irabu and Hideo Nomo to the majors was very important for other Japanese players follow his example and established themselves as star players.
As has happened with Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners and Hideki Matsui, who currently plays with the Oakland Athletics.
Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 12x8, thanks to Kevin Youkilis homer and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield starting pitcher, who reached 2,000 career strikeouts.
Youkilis homered punished with starter Michael Pineda Dominican (8-7) finally defeated.
Meanwhile, knuckleballer Wakefield (6-3), 44, became the second player to exceed 2,000 strikeouts with the uniform, "footed" after Roger Clemens.
The 2,000 th Wakefield fanned Mike Carp was in the sixth, whose ball was given to the pitcher by his fellow catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
Clemens ended his stay in Boston 2590 "chocolates." Carp punch was 2110 in Wakefield's career in the majors as it has 110 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Mariners took the ball park and shortstop Miguel Olivo and Brendan Ryan, both against Wakefield.
Labels: red sox, wakefield, youkilis
Orlando Hudson, the San Diego Padres, is helped off the field after losing consciousness while trying to catch a ball and crashed into a wall in the game against the Florida Marlins on Thursday, July 21, 2011
Hudson was taken out on a stretcher on board of a vehicle and placed a collar around his neck. But shortly after his team beat Florida 5-3, the player walked into the locker room and sent text messages from your phone.
The second baseman was taken to hospital and x-rays came back negative.
A team spokesman said that although Hudson did not address the team's private plane and joined the Padres in Philadelphia and his health status is considered day to day.
"It was a frightening time," said manager Bud Black. "When a player is unconscious, you worry. Any collision with a wall or a partner causes an uncomfortable feeling in the stomach, and I think we all feel that."
After Hudson leaned forward to catch a ball in foul territory, his momentum carried him to the padded wall. He turned just before it impacted and because of that his neck and right shoulder were the worst impact.
Hudson fell on his back with the ball in his glove. The umpire Tim Timmons called out the batter and immediately called for help.
It was a long and scoreless game last night but very beautiful as the pitchers did they best they could to get players out. After 5 hours and 44 minutes, Dustin Pedroia managed to hit a RBI single into the right that led Reddick to score.
Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz has been suspended four games and fined an undiclosed amount for his altercation with Orioles reliever Kevin Gregg on Friday night at Fenway Park.
Gregg received the same four-game suspension.
Orioles pitcher Mike Gonzalez, who threw behind Ortiz on Sunday, received a three-game suspension and a fine as well. As a result, manager Buck Showalter will serve a one-game suspension on Thursday night.
Ortiz will begin serving his suspension Friday night in Tampa, unless he decides to appeal his suspension. Ortiz appealed a suspension in 2004, getting a five-game punishment reduced to three games.
Throughout his six appearances that fateful season, Cano gathered a lifetime of memories that he would eventually bestow upon his young son, Robinson. Now, 22 years later, Robinson was offered a chance to repay his father on the grandest stage with one final memory that would top them all.
As the All-Star Yankee second basemen rallied past Boston's Adrian Gonzalez with a record-setting final round to claim the 2011 Home Run Derby title, there Jose was, pitching in a big league ballpark like it was 1989. As Robinson's final titanic blast sailed over the right-center field stands, the two met in the middle of the infield, embracing in a bear hug that meant more than anyone on that field could understand.
"The best thing is not my swing, it's the gentleman that was throwing B.P., my dad," Robinson said, as Jose stood by his side reveling in the post-event glory. "I want to tell him he's one of the best fathers, thank him for the support and making me who I am today."
Sports are inherently about incredible stories. That's what keeps us watching year after year, disappointment after disappointment. Who would have thought that here, at an exhibition event that doesn't really mean much in the grand scheme of things, we would have the pleasure of witnessing such a perfect example of the power that sports can provide.
With a record tying final round in the books, Adrian Gonzalez was assured that the title of 2011 Homerun Derby Champion was all his. Little could he have expected, the freight train that was Robinson Cano would put on a historic performance that would instantly demote the incredible day of work the Boston All-Star had.
Leading into the Homerun Derby, Vegas pegged Gonzalez as an 11/2 underdog despite the fact that the former San Diego Padre knew the ins-and-outs of Chase Field like the back of his hand, having played within its confines a countless number of times. That knowledge paid off immediately, as Gonzalez crushed nine and eleven homeruns in the first two rounds. By the time eliminations rolled by, the Red Sox first basemen sat tied at the top of the leaderboard with an incredible 20 homeruns, most of them towering, highlight-reel shots that stunned the Arizona crowd.
That momentum continued once the final round commenced, as Gonzalez rolled to a record tying 11 dingers. Throughout the performance his blasts scattered across the park in spectacular fashion. Left field, center field, right field; it didn't matter, he touched them all. In the end, no one could have anticipated the force of nature that Cano would become, but that shouldn't marginalize the amazing show the newest Red Sox All-Star put on.
Not Babe Ruth. Not Lou Gehrig. Not Joe DiMaggio.
And right there Jeter had to understand the legacy he could own on a franchise loaded with legends, several of whom were considered better players than he. The Yankees might have a garden of monuments dedicated to home run champions and triple crown winners, but none had 3,000 Yankee hits. That distinction alone would belong to Jeter as long as he stayed healthy.