Irabu’s agent to meet with committee Thursday

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

SAN DIEGO -- The agent for Hideki Irabu is scheduled to appear before baseball officials in New York Thursday to argue that the star Japanese pitcher should be declared a free agent able to negotiate with any team.

Don Nomura will meet with a four-man committee that's been appointed by the commissioner's office to settle issues relating to Japanese players.

Nomura wasn't in his Los Angeles office on Tuesday. An accountant who answered the phone, Erica Kaneko, said she didn't know if Irabu would accompany Nomura to New York.

The San Diego Padres claim they acquired exclusive negotiating rights to the 27-year-old power pitcher when they struck a working agreement with his club, the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan's Pacific League.

However, Irabu has said he wants to play for the New York Yankees. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who's already met with the committee, contends that Irabu should be declared a free agent.

The Padres have made little progress in negotiating with Nomura. Padres president Larry Lucchino said he doubts there will be any movement in talks with Nomura until the committee makes a recommendation to the ruling executive council.

On Monday, Nomura issued a statement by Irabu in which the pitcher insisted that he wants to play for the Yankees instead of the San Diego Padres, and said "extortion, coercion and collusion won't change my mind."

Irabu led his league in ERA for two straight seasons. The 6-foot-5 Irabu was 12-6 with a 2.40 ERA last season, and has averaged a strikeout per inning in his eight-year career.