Armada Opens at Home with Jose Lima and Hideki Irabu on the Mound This Weekend

Published on June 10, 2009 under Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Long Beach Armada News Release


Long Beach, CA June 10, 2009: After opening the season with two weeks on the road, the Long Beach Armada is finally back at Blair Field for the Home Opener this weekend. It will be a treat for the fans and the media as two of the biggest names in independent professional baseball are set to take the mound for the Fleet. First up on Friday night is former major league all-star pitcher Jose Lima who has shown sparkling form in his first three starts on the road including a complete game shutout in his appearance in Yuma last week. Saturday night will be the return of Hideki Irabu, one of Japan's most revered pitchers, who will be following up on his five inning win in his first start in 4 years as he defeated the Yuma Scorpions last week in Arizona.

This will be Lima's fourth start of the season and he may not be around much longer as he excelled in his first three outings against some of the best GBL teams. In those three games, facing AAA and a number of major league experienced hitters he went 8 innings or more in each game as he pitched 25 innings, struck out 12 and walked only 2 and posted an E.R..A. of 1.44. In addition he entertained the crowds as he led the packed stadiums in singing Take Me Out To The Ballgame.

For Irabu, Saturday night will be his second start in his comeback from knee surgery. The 39-year old is considered one of the greatest pitchers of all-time in Japan and was a key part of two New York Yankee World Series champion teams in the late 1990s. He displayed in his first start last week the he is now fully re-habbed as his fastball was clocked consistently at 92 as he went five strong innings and picked up the win. A horde of Japanese media attended with over 20 media credentials supplied to the camera crews and press that chronicled his comeback start.

"Lima has been incredible and could help most major league teams right now," said Long Beach Armada Manager Garry Templeton. "Irabu was a big surprise in his first start as his velocity and control were amazing, I can't wait to see him on the mound at home in front of a large home crowd that should have lots of the local Japanese residents rooting him on."

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Golden Baseball League Stories from June 10, 2009


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