Hideki Irabu Is Making A Comeback

From the Kyodo News via Tim Dierkes:

Former New York Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu has come out of retirement and made a contract with Long Beach Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League, his management revealed on April 27. Released by the Hanshin Tigers in the 2004 offseason, the 39-year-old Irabu started training at the start of the year with an eye on making his comeback and is set to return to the mound in May for his first competitive game in five years.

Irabu last played professional baseball in the United States with the Texas Rangers in 2002. He went 3-8 with a 5.75 ERA, and picked up 17 saves.

I'll never forget going to games in 9'7, '98 and '99. For some damn reason every time I went to The Stadium Irabu would be starting and the Yanks would be behind by at least two runs early. Luckily for me, those Yankees teams were great and usually came back and won those games. The most memorable was the 7/2/98 game against the Phillies. Irabu lasted three innings, and allowed five runs on five hits and three walks. The Yanks trailed 5-0, but eventually the Yankees came back to win, thanks to a two-out, three-run homer by Tino in the bottom of the ninth. It was one of the best regular season games I've ever seen.