Irabu Apologizes, Returns to Yankees

Hideki Irabu returned to the New York Yankees on Sunday and apologized for his absence. Then, he took part in a drill covering first base--a one-man drill.

It was Irabu’s failure to cover the bag last week that prompted owner George Steinbrenner to call the Japanese pitcher a “fat. . . . toad.”

Irabu stayed behind at the team’s spring camp at Tampa, Fla., while the Yankees traveled Thursday to the West Coast for a pair of exhibition games. But with the support of Steinbrenner, Irabu rejoined the club on Sunday.

Meanwhile, General Manager Brian Cashman did his best to play down angry remarks made by acting Manager Don Zimmer toward Steinbrenner a day earlier in connection with the Irabu episode.

“This isn’t as big as it’s been made into,” Cashman said. “I believe that yesterday was yesterday. Today is a new day, today is a day we get back to business.”

Through an interpreter, Irabu read a statement to Zimmer and his teammates apologizing for staying in Tampa.

When Irabu remained in Tampa, it was expected he would not return for several days, but that changed Saturday after several meetings and a one-hour workout at the minor league facility.

At that stage, Steinbrenner said he hoped Irabu would pitch Wednesday in Oakland. But Zimmer, filling in for Manager Joe Torre, had said Friday that Ramiro Mendoza would pitch against the A’s.

Zimmer--who wondered aloud “who called him a fat pig, or a fat plum?”--said Saturday that his mind wouldn’t be changed “by anybody.” He added that he would quit if given an ultimatum that Irabu would be Wednesday’s starting pitcher.

“George Steinbrenner has been good to me, but, to me, you can’t sit back here and be a little wimp,” Zimmer said.

Meanwhile, Andy Pettitte, who has won 55 games for the Yankees the last three seasons, was put on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26 because of a sore elbow.

*

Mark Langston, 38, who announced his retirement last week after 15 seasons, signed a minor-league contract with the Cleveland Indians.