Cubs Sign Hideo Nomo

April 1, 1999 / 6:17 PM EST / CBS/AP

Hideo Nomo, who went from NL Rookie of the Year in 1995 to the waiver wire this spring, signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs today

Nomo, 30, will start the season with the Cubs' Triple A team in Iowa.

The right-hander starred in Japan before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995. He won 45 games in Los Angeles, but struggled last season and was traded to the New York Mets in June. He went 4-5 with a 4.82 ERA in 17 games with New York and was ineffective this spring, going 0-2 with a 7.62 ERA in four appearances.

The Mets gave up on Nomo on March 24, sending him outright to Triple-A Norfolk and then putting him on unconditional release waivers two days later. He became a free agent Tuesday.

"Nomo mania!" assistant coach Billy Williams yelled when he heard the Cubs had signed Nomo.

"I'm kind of excited about it," Mark Grace said. "If he's healthy, the guy is a dominant pitcher. Having faced him, I know how dominating a pitcher he can be."

Nomo is 49-41 with a 3.66 ERA in four seasons with Los Angeles and the New York Mets.

Nomo made his much-publicized debut in May 1995 and immediately proved he could pitch well in any country. He won the NL rookie of the year award, led the league with 236 strikeouts and limited opposing batters to a .182 batting average.

In 1996 Nomo pitched a no-hitter Sept. 17 against Colorado and went 16-11 with a 3.19 ERA. He finished second in the league by holding the opposition to a .216 batting average.

It was more of the same in 1997, when he recorded 233 strikeouts. But he appeared to lose his touch last season, going 2-7 with the Dodgers before being dealt to New York in a four-player deal.