A U.S. Lesson for Irabu: the Brawl

Hideki Irabu, the Japanese pitcher who signed a $12.8-million contract with the New York Yankees, was involved in his first baseball brawl during his second start for Class-A Tampa.

With Yankee owner George Steinbrenner watching, the brawl began during Tampa’s 10-run fourth inning. After St. Petersburg’s Denis Pujal hit Cody Samuel with a pitch for the second time, Samuel charged the mound and players from both sides--including Irabu--followed.

Baseball brawls are rare in Japan, but Irabu has learned to protect his teammates.

Said Steinbrenner: “I said, ‘I hope he’s a coward.’ But he’s not. He was the first guy out there. My throat was in the bottom of my stomach.”

Irabu threw 60 pitches, 40 for strikes, and gave up three hits and no walks before leaving in the fifth inning with an 11-0 lead. He struck out six.

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New York Yankee coach Don Zimmer became livid about a comment made by National League umpire Greg Bonin and was ejected during Sunday’s doubleheader against Florida.

Zimmer, 66, went onto the field after the fourth inning of the first game to argue about a strike called by Bonin.

“I wasn’t hot when I went out,” Zimmer said. “When I said the ball was a foot outside, the man says to me, ‘You’re on drugs.’ ”

The umpiring crew declined to comment.

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The Chicago White Sox put Frank Thomas on the 15-day disabled list because of pulled abdominal muscles.