NEW YORK — Hideki Irabu's famous teammates on the New York Yankees remembered him Friday as a talented pitcher who was fun to be around.
The club held a moment of silence for Irabu at Yankee Stadium before Friday night's game against Baltimore, one day after news of his death spread. A picture of Irabu tipping his cap to the crowd was shown on the big video board in center field.
Los Angeles County Assistant Coroner Chief Ed Winter told The Associated Press in an email Friday that the 42-year-old Irabu died by hanging himself, and the mode was suicide. He said Irabu did not leave a note.
"It's really devastating. I got to know him real well," longtime Yankees star Jorge Posada said. "A guy that came out here with a lot riding on his shoulders, but he did a hell of a job for us. Tough times."
Winter said a friend found Irabu dead in his home in the wealthy Los Angeles suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes on Wednesday afternoon.
Winter said an autopsy was performed Friday, but it will take six to eight weeks for the results of toxicology tests, which could shed further light on the circumstances of Irabu's death.
"I was caught off guard, to say the least," Derek Jeter said. "Irabu was fun. He didn't speak a lot of English, but he probably knew more than he led you guys to believe."
The hard-throwing Japanese right-hander arrived in New York amid a wave of international hype in 1997, but faltered after an impressive debut.
Still, he had his moments on the mound. Posada recalled catching a game in which Irabu outpitched Randy Johnson with a gem in Seattle.
The club held a moment of silence for Irabu at Yankee Stadium before Friday night's game against Baltimore, one day after news of his death spread. A picture of Irabu tipping his cap to the crowd was shown on the big video board in center field.
Los Angeles County Assistant Coroner Chief Ed Winter told The Associated Press in an email Friday that the 42-year-old Irabu died by hanging himself, and the mode was suicide. He said Irabu did not leave a note.
"It's really devastating. I got to know him real well," longtime Yankees star Jorge Posada said. "A guy that came out here with a lot riding on his shoulders, but he did a hell of a job for us. Tough times."
Winter said a friend found Irabu dead in his home in the wealthy Los Angeles suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes on Wednesday afternoon.
Winter said an autopsy was performed Friday, but it will take six to eight weeks for the results of toxicology tests, which could shed further light on the circumstances of Irabu's death.
"I was caught off guard, to say the least," Derek Jeter said. "Irabu was fun. He didn't speak a lot of English, but he probably knew more than he led you guys to believe."
The hard-throwing Japanese right-hander arrived in New York amid a wave of international hype in 1997, but faltered after an impressive debut.
Still, he had his moments on the mound. Posada recalled catching a game in which Irabu outpitched Randy Johnson with a gem in Seattle.
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