Former Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu was found dead at his California home yesterday.

Hideki Matsui

Former Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu was found dead at his California home yesterday.  The initial reports came from the Japanese paper, Asahi Shimbum, and his death has since been confirmed by the New York Yankees. Suicide by hanging is suspected.

Irabu has had a troubled post-baseball career. He was arrested in Gardena, California last year for drunk driving.  Back in 2008 he was arrested for assaulting a bar manager in Japan after allegedly consuming 20 glasses of beer.

After achieving stardom in Japan, Irabu’s contract was purchased by the San Diego Padres in early 1997.  Irabu wanted no part of San Diego, however, and a trade to the Yankees was arranged.  Irabu earned World Series rings with the Yankees in both 1998 and 1999, but he fell far short of expectations and drew the ire of George Steinbrenner who famously dubbed him the “fat toad.”  The Yankees shipped him off to Montreal for Jake Westrbook following the 1999 season. He lasted two seasons with the Expos and one season with the Rangers before retiring after the 2002 season.  Matthew Pouliot has a more thorough analysis of Irabu’s career here.

We’ll update with more information when it becomes available.  For now, however, it appears to be a sad end to a troubled life.

Matsui: "We're Progressing Forward"

Hideki Matsui

Via Yahoo! Sports:

Left fielder-designated hitter Hideki Matsui took a step forward in his rehab program for a sore left knee, reporting no problems on Friday, one day after starting a running program.

“The knee was fine, so I’m happy about that,” Matsui said through a translator.

Matsui decided not to undergo surgery last month in hopes of playing again this season.

“The fact that the activities I had yesterday and the way the knee responded today, honestly I do feel positive in the sense that we’re progressing forward,” Matsui said.

Matsui was unable to work out on the field Friday due to rain. He did ride a stationary bike and took 54 swings during a hitting session in an indoor cage.

Girardi/Cano Get Animated...Yanks Win

Hideki Matsui

Anthony Dicomo/MLB.com:

From the comforts of his manager's office, with its wide desk and leather couch, Joe Girardi sat on Thursday night and watched about five minutes of baseball. Perhaps still simmering a bit from his ejection only moments earlier, Girardi watched as Robinson Cano laced a walk-off single through the left side of the infield, and as Hideki Matsui motored around from second base to score the winning run.

Then Girardi leapt out of his chair and hurled his pen across the room.

"I'm not so sure I am decompressed yet," he said just after the game.

That might take some time, considering the magnitude of his argument, and the depth of the slump that had been vexing his Yankees. But now with a well-pitched and downright emotional 2-1 win over the Orioles in tow, perhaps Girardi can finally relax.

Because goodness knows he didn't on Thursday night.

Stuck in a 1-1 game in the bottom of the ninth inning, Girardi lost his cool -- and his seat in the dugout -- when Jason Giambi struck out with one down and Matsui standing on first base. Orioles reliever Jim Johnson had delivered a pitch high and inside to Giambi, who, with two strikes, couldn't yank his bat entirely out of the way. Home-plate umpire Chris Guccione didn't think so, at least, ruling that the ball skimmed the knob of Giambi's bat and deflected into catcher Ramon Hernandez's glove, good for a strikeout.

That's when Girardi stormed onto the field and engaged Guccione in a lengthy argument. Within moments, he was ejected, throwing his hat on the ground and kicking it toward the dugout. Then he picked it up, kicked some dirt, and began arguing all over again.

"Maybe that was the little spark that we need to get us going," Giambi said. "We've been playing good baseball, but not great baseball."

What followed, coincidence or not, was great baseball.

Bobby Abreu, batting with two outs, took a five-pitch walk to advance Matsui to second base, and then Cano drilled an inside fastball into left field to win the game.

"This means a lot," Cano said. "Every time I get a hit to help the team win, it means a lot to me. Because it's not about just the numbers. It's about winning."

Abreu, Matsui Providing Clutch Power

Hideki Matsui

Playing seven games each to start out the 2008 season, Bobby Abreu and Hideki Matsui are together providing the offensive spark that the early lagging Yankee offense is in need of.

Abreu is batting .400 with a homerun, 10 hits, 6 runs, and 4 RBI's. In addition to this Bobby was just one double away from batting for a cycle Monday night. Nice work, Bobbbby!!!

Matsui is batting .375 with 2 homeruns, 9 hits, 2 runs, and 6 RBI's. Godzilla has proven to be one of the most clutch hitters at the plate this year with runners in scoring position (a category the rest of the team is seriously lacking in). It is crazy to think that just a few months ago I didn't think Hideki Matsui would even be suiting up for the Yankees in 2008. Now where would they be with out him?

If these two can keep it up and jumpstart this offense, the New York Yankees are well on their way to winning many more ballgames in 2008.

Hideki Expected To Return Next Week

Hideki Matsui

Yankees left fielder Hideki Matsui has been slowed by neck stiffness and hopes to resume taking batting practice Wednesday.

Matsui hasn’t hit since experiencing tightness in his neck while hitting on Sunday.

“It’s much better now,” Matsui said through a translator Tuesday.

Matsui, recovering from right knee surgery in November, could make his spring training debut next week.

“The faster the better with the knee,” Matsui said. “Probably another week or 10 days.”

Matsui fully expects to ready for opening day.

“It’s still not a setback,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I still expect him to play next week.”

Where Matsui will even fit in has yet to be decided. (That is so weird to say)

Spring Training Update

Hideki Matsui

SHATTERED: Jorge Posada suffered a small cut on his right calf yesterday when his bat shattered during batting practice and the barrel hit him. He was unhurt and continued to hit and do other drills. "Just a little blood," Posada said.

ACHY HIDEKI: Hideki Matsui might not be at full strength when the Yankee position players begin spring workouts Feb. 21 because of lingering soreness in his right knee, the outfielder told Japanese reporters in New York Monday. Matsui, who is slated to fly to Tampa today to talk to team doctors and trainers, was examined by a doctor in New York. Matsui said he hopes to be healthy enough that he does not have to begin spring training under a different program than his teammates.

IF AT FIRST: Jeter and Posada took batting practice with Shelley Duncan and newly signed infielder Chris Woodward. Duncan was out early to take grounders at first base under the tutelage of Tino Martinez and stayed to take throws when Jeter and Woodward took the field. Posada did multiple drills with an eight-pound medicine ball, tossing it high in the air from a variety of angles. He said it's for "core and overall strength." Though he has been working with medicine balls for about 10 years, Posada quipped, "After a while, an eight-pound ball weighs a lot." ... Several of the Yanks' young pitchers already are working out at the minor-league complex, including Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. ... Rehabbing righty Carl Pavano played catch for the second time.

VIA Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News

Since Cairo is no longer Available....

Hideki Matsui

And the Yankees clearly need a no-hit first baseman;

...the Yankees have interest in adding free agent Jason Lane, according to a source.
Lane, 31, was not tendered a contract by the Padres after hitting .178 with eight homers and 27 RBIs last season. He began last year with Houston and went to San Diego in a September trade.
Though Lane is a career outfielder, the Yankees believe he would be a quick study at first base, where he has appeared in four games during his six-year major league career. "

Ok, so we have a bad hitter who has never played first base before, sounds like a solid plan. I have always thought defense at first base is a little overrated(sorry Donnie ballgame) and it drives me insane to see the Doug M, Cario, Andy Phillips and now possibly Jason Lane's of the world getting significant time at first base for the Yankees. If Duncan and his blood clot are an issue why not take your chances on some time for Matsui at first or even Juan Miranda?

Also interesting read a common side effect of steroids is blood clots....

Matsui to Giants?

Hideki Matsui

Apparently the Yankees are talking about trading Matusi to the Giants, maybe for Noel Lowry. Can anyone think of any reason the Yankees would want to unload some salary and pick up another young pitcher? This Johan Santana thing just won't die....