Yankees Option Irabu Out Of Town

The Yankees couldn’t wait for Hideki Irabu to get to New York. Now they want him to get out of town for a while, anyway.

With expectations falling short every time the Japanese pitcher takes the mound, the Yankees optioned Irabu to the minor leagues on Monday in hopes he can regain his confidence.

“This is just trying to get him fixed so he can help us,” New York manager Joe Torre said.

Irabu, hit hard in his last three games, will join Triple-A Columbus this week after stopping off for a few days to work out at the Yankees’ training complex in Tampa, Fla.

In his last start Saturday against Seattle, Irabu, whom the Yankees signed to a $12.8 million contract after lengthy negotiations, gave up six runs and four hits in two innings of a 9-7 loss to the Mariners.

By the time the Mariners had finished with him, the 28-year-old’s ERA had reached 7.97.

Appier agreeable to trade

Kevin Appier, pitching for last-place Kansas City and winless in his last five starts, has told Royals general manager Herk Robinson he will waive his no-trade clause

Robinson said it was “highly unlikely” that Appier - the opening-day starter for six straight seasons - would be traded. But Robinson said he had received inquiries from Cleveland and Anaheim.

Appier (6-9) ranks seventh in the league with a 3.15 earned run average and fifth in strikeouts with 132.

Chisox to honor Fisk

The Chicago White Sox will retire Carlton Fisk’s uniform No. 72.

Fisk, 49, caught a record 2,226 games in a 24-year career, including 1,239 with Chicago. He holds the record for home runs hit by a catcher with 328, and is one of three catchers, along with Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra, to collect 300 home runs, 1,000 RBIs and 1,000 runs.