What do Hideki Irabu and Kei Igawa have in common? They have both been busts from Japan for the New York Yankees.

Way back in 1997, the San Diego Padres purchased the contract of Irabu was from his team in Japan, the Chiba Lotte Marines. Irabu declined to play for the Padres and said he only wanted to play for the Yankees. So the teams worked out a deal eventually as the Padres sent Homer Bush and the negoitating rights to Irabu in exchange for Rafael Medina, Ruben Rivera and $3 million in cash. After some negoitiations, the Yankees eventually signed Irabu to a 4 year $12.8 million dollar contract. This situation also started the posting system between Japanese teams and MLB.

Irabu started out in the Yankees minor league system and I had the occasion of watching him pitch on two occasions. I saw him pitch in Norwich for the Navigators, the Yanks Double-A affiliate at the time and also at Yale Field. All I can remember was that he was not that dominating but threw the ball hard and after each inning was chain smoking in the dugout. After only 8 starts in the minor, the Yanks summoned him up to the big club.

He ended up spending three seasons in New York and was a total waste of money. His salary at the time was one of the highest in baseball. At one point, George Steinbrenner kicked him off the team because he had put on a lot of weight. So after the 1999 season, the Yankees cut their losses and traded him to the Montreal Expos for Jake Westbrook, Ted Lilly, and Christian Parker. Irabu played two uneventual seasons in Montreal and in the 2002 season, he signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers to be their closer. After the 2002 season, he returned to Japan. He is now retired and living in the United States.

That brings us to the Yankees latest bust from Japan, Igawa. The Yankees ended up bidding $26 million for the rights to negotiate with Igawa. I am sure the Yankees bid that high because they had lost out to the Red Sox in the bidding for Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Yankees ended up signing him to a 5 year $20 million dollar deal. Something the Yankees now wish they could get back.

Igawa’s MLB debut wasn’t a pretty one. He gave up 7 earned runs in 5 innings in a no decision. His best effort so far was when he came in for an injured Jeff Karstens and shut down the Sox for 7 innings. Shortly thereafter, the Yankees $46 million investment was sent to Single-A Tampa to work on his mechanics. I guess the Yankees thought he had corrected his flaws and he was promoted to Triple-A where he was less than spectacular. Eventually with all the injuries, the Yankees had no choice to bring him back up and he has pretty much been lit up like a Christmas tree. In last night’s start, he gave up 5 runs in 5 2/3 innings and his ERA stands at robust 6.79 ERA.

I am sure you will see the Yankees do some better scouting before they decide to spend a lot of money on a player from Japan. Igawa represents the second time they have been burned. Something I am sure is burning Steinbrenner’s britches.

Update: Igawa just got demoted to Triple-A today.

[Editor's note: I wanted to put a picture of my Irabu ball that I got signed but I can't find it.]