Irabu Says He Regrets Scuffle With Cameraman

A day after stomping on the foot of a Japanese cameraman and destroying videotape, New York Yankee pitcher Hideki Irabu acknowledged his conduct was wrong.

“I realize what happened yesterday has a lot of ramifications,” Irabu said through an interpreter. “I don’t want the situation to happen again.”

Irabu met Sunday with General Manager Brian Cashman for 75 minutes. Cashman said the team was reviewing the situation and will decide within a few days whether to discipline the pitcher. Yankee owner George Steinbrenner declined comment.

“The situation bothers me, but I’ve got to collect all the information before I make a decision,” Cashman said. “He said, ‘I’m sorry.’ We don’t want any player or employee taking things into his own hands.”

While conducting what he called an “off-the-record” session at Tampa, Fla., Irabu said cameramen and still photographers continued taking shots. Irabu demanded Keiichiro Hoashi’s videotape, wrestled for the camera and stepped on the freelance cameraman’s foot before being given the tape.

After asking and receiving film from several still photographers, Irabu threw the videotape onto the ground and stomped on it.

“When I went to ask him for the tape, I accidentally stepped on his foot,” Irabu said. “I think I acted badly. I know I was wrong, but I think he had a part in it as well.”

The strained relations predate Irabu signing with the Yankees last year.

“They’ve been following me around and chasing me a lot,” Irabu said. “The responses I give them they don’t write accurately. Basically they write what they want.”

Irabu holds separate news conferences with English and Japanese-speaking reporters after his appearances.

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Infielder Andy Fox was traded from the New York Yankees to the Arizona Diamondbacks for pitchers Marty Janzen and Todd Erdos.

Fox, who is out of options, wasn’t expected to make the 25-man opening roster. He will rejoin former Yankee manager Buck Showalter.

Fox split 1997 between New York and triple-A Columbus. He hit .226 in 31 at-bats with the Yankees and .274 with six homers and 33 runs batted in in 318 at-bats with the Clippers.

Janzen, was one of three New York prospects traded to Toronto for David Cone in 1995, pitched for both Toronto and triple-A Syracuse last season. He was 2-1 with a 3.60 earned-run average in 12 games with the Blue Jays and 0-5 with a 7.20 ERA in 22 games with Syracuse.

Erdos spent time with double-A Mobile and San Diego, going 2-0 with a 5.27 ERA in 11 appearances with the Padres and 1-4 with a 3.36 ERA in 55 games at Mobile.

Both Janzen and Erdos were taken by the Diamondbacks in the expansion draft.