ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 23, 1997 TAG: 9704230061
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu gets his wish: a chance to pitch for the New
York Yankees.
Next stop for the Hideki Irabu saga - the Bronx.
The San Diego Padres ended their festering, three-month association with the star Japanese right-hander on Tuesday by selling his negotiating rights to the New York Yankees for $3 million. Irabu, 27, whose fastball has been clocked at 100 mph, is expected to command a multimillion-dollar signing bonus.
Irabu has said it was his boyhood dream to pitch for the Yankees. If and when he makes it to the majors, Irabu would become the third Japanese pitcher on an active roster, joining Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Shigetoshi Hasegawa of the Anaheim Angels.
As part of the deal, which is subject to approval from the ruling executive council, the Yankees will send injured outfielder Ruben Rivera and minor-league pitcher Rafael Medina to San Diego in return for three minor-leaguers: second baseman Homer Bush and outfielders Gordon Amerson and Vernon Maxwell.
The Yankees and Irabu still have to work out a contract. The Padres and Irabu's former team in Japan, the Chiba Lotte Marines, have informally accused New York of tampering and discussing parameters of a contract with Irabu before the trade.
However, Chiba Lotte general manager Mitsumasa Mitsuno told Kyodo News the Marines would approve negotiations between the Yankees and Irabu. He said the Marines have yet to be informed about the deal.
Why all the fuss over Irabu?
He was 12-6 with a 2.40 ERA last year, leading the Pacific League in ERA for the second straight season. He has been compared with Nolan Ryan because of his 1,111 strikeouts in 1,101 2/3 innings in nearly nine full seasons. He had 645 during the last three seasons.
LENGTH: Short : 49 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS. Hideki Irabu, armed with a 100 mphby CNBfastball, has been compared with future Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan
Ryan. color. KEYWORDS: BASEBALL