Godzilla Heads West

Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui wants to play in the major leagues.

The 28-year-old outfielder, considered the best hitter in Japan, announced Friday his intention to leave the Yomiuri Giants.

Matsui is eligible for free agency because he has nine years of service in the Japanese major leagues.

"It was painful to tell my coaches, but my personal desire to go over there and play didn't go away," Matsui said at a morning news conference.

The New York Yankees are expected to be one of the teams most interested in Matsui. They sent assistant general manager Jean Afterman to scout him in August.

Matsui hit a 511-foot homer into the right-field bleachers in that game.

"I think home runs are my best trait so I'd like to hit them over there, too," Matsui said.

Matsui led the Central League in homers (50) and RBIs (107), and hit .334, second to Kosuke Fukudome of the Chunichi Dragons, who batted .343.

A left-handed hitter, Matsui joined the Giants in 1993 and is projected as a starting corner outfielder by big league scouts. He helped the Giants win the Japan Series, which ended Wednesday.

Ever since turning down a multiyear deal with the Giants last December, there was speculation that Matsui would follow in the steps of Ichiro Suzuki and sign with a major league team.

Suzuki, a star outfielder for the Seattle Mariners, was AL MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2001.

Major league teams can negotiate directly with Matsui, although it was not immediately clear when talks are allowed to begin.

"I thought about this issue in my own way," he said. "It pains me to think about it. But I personally think it can't be helped. I'm proud to have played in Japanese baseball and I think it will reinvigorate Japanese baseball if I go over there and play well. I also think new stars will emerge in Japan."

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner even made Jason Giambi and Bernie Williams available for a major league All-Star tour of Japan in November, perhaps to improve relations with the Yomiuri group, sponsors of the seven-game tour.

In previous years, Steinbrenner refused to let his players travel to Japan.

Matsui's decision is a major blow to Japan's professional league and the Giants. Yomiuri owner Tsuneo Watanabe said Thursday that he hoped to talk to Matsui to persuade his star outfielder to remain in Japan.

Even Japan's politicians weighed in on the issue.

"It's a bit disappointing that he will be gone from Japan's ballparks," said chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda. "On the other hand, there are increasingly more global major stages for Japanese players, so I feel proud in that regard. I have mixed feelings."

By Jim Armstrong