TAMPA – In 22 months as a Yankee, Hideki Irabu has built up no good-will surplus with the organization. So when he performs as pathetically as he did Saturday, the righty receives slaps rather than slack.
Of course, it is an outing like Saturday’s that explains why Irabu has no collateral. It is not just that he pitched poorly. But he again pitched as if he did not care. As if 22 months in baseball’s most professional atmosphere has had as much impact on him as charm school for Albert Belle.
“And I thought he was turning a corner,” David Cone said.
Instead, Irabu suddenly is in a corner again. There were whispers Irabu’s latest walk on the child side could get him optioned to Columbus to see if his attention could be gained full time. One club official even raised the specter Irabu could be traded, saying, “He’s gone, he’s gotta be.”
Yankee GM Brian Cashman said that “at this time” there are no plans to demote or deal Irabu. But times change quickly on the Yankee clock. Remember, this organization traded David Wells after a brilliant season, largely because the Yanks wanted Rogers Clemens, but in part because they disliked Wells’ work habits and attitude.
And Irabu has none of Wells’ body of work – specifically strong postseasons. He mostly just has a Wells-like soft body and a similar penchant to disappear mentally and spiritually. With Wells gone, Irabu is the highest maintenance player on an otherwise highly professional team.
“I’m not happy, but that is up to the GM and manager to straighten out,” George Steinbrenner said. “If [Don] Zimmer and the GM don’t get it across, you can guarantee I will.”
That is why Irabu’s final spring start Thursday against Cleveland has real importance. If Irabu wants to stay in the Yankee rotation, he had better pitch with not only more skill, but will.
For the Yanks have Ramiro Mendoza as a fifth starter option. They also have a minor-league option on Irabu. And they have a trade option. Due to a large signing bonus, Irabu is owed just $3 million for 1999-2000. That makes him very movable. By using Irabu, the Yanks could try to land a lefty such as Seattle’s Jeff Fassero, Milwaukee’s Scott Karl or Kansas City’s Jose Rosado to gain balance in the rotation.
“Hopefully, we will see a big turnaround,” pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said. “Another outing like (against Philadelphia) would create a lot of doubt. Not just for me, but for the team. I hope he understands that.”
What Irabu comprehends is not easily decipherable. There is a barrier of both language and privacy that separates him not just from the media, but his teammates. But body language is universal. And no one on the Yankees liked what Irabu’s said all weekend.
Saturday, he surrendered 13 hits, six runs and just plain surrendered with the way he carried himself. Twice he did not cover first on right-side grounders. Twice he nearly walked to first after hitting grounders. He executed pickoff plays at lob speed and was listless holding runners. Overall, his body had all the life of Stonehenge.
Both Cone and Orlando Hernandez pitched poorly against Tampa yesterday. But afterward Zimmer said, “I’m not going to worry about them.”
That is because Cone and Hernandez have built collateral with their seriousness of purpose. But following Saturday’s game, Cashman said Irabu “has to show more effort.”
Yesterday, in an attempt to pound the point, Stottlemyre gathered 14 pitchers on a back field in a semi-circle to lecture about the need for consistency, concentration and hustle. Then he put the pitchers through unscheduled drills that centered on covering first and backing up bases. The close was 20 minutes of baserunning. Remember, these are AL pitches who will need to run bases infrequently.
Irabu sulked through the drills in a half-hearted, jogging fashion. While saying this exercise “wasn’t all directed at (Irabu),” Stottlemyre nevertheless admitted the effort given bothered him “a little bit. I’m trying to get him to shift gears. Perhaps, I wanted a little more enthusiasm.”
In addition, many others participating in the drills felt they were sweating for Irabu’s sins. This put a man already on an island a little further out. Cone, in particular, has tried to reach out to Irabu. But Irabu conceded there is no one on this club he could talk to about personal issues. Cashman and Zimmer met with George Rose, Irabu’s translator, to see if the pitcher were having problems away from the field. Irabu said, “no, nothing.”
Actually, before Saturday, the Yanks had been crowing about the 10 pounds Irabu had lost this camp and the extra work he had undertaken with Clemens. But without any collateral, one bad day put into doubt nearly five good weeks.
“It is bad timing,” Cone noted. “We’re getting ready to break for the regular season and people are asking questions.”
Will Hideki Irabu ever have suitable answers?
