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Thursday, November 14
 
Will Yankees pursue talks with Matsui in Japan?

Associated Press

SAPPORO, Japan -- Free agent Hideki Matsui has no plans to meet with New York Yankees representatives this weekend.

Yankees team president Randy Levine and general manager Brian Cashman were scheduled to travel to Japan on Thursday, a team official said on the condition of anonymity.

The purpose of the trip, the team official said Tuesday, is to announce a working agreement between the Yankees and the Yomiuri Giants, Matsui's former team.

"I read in the paper that they are coming," Matsui said Thursday. "As of now, I have no plans to meet with them."

The 28-year-old Matsui has drawn interest from several major league teams -- most notably the Yankees. He said he mailed out letters to all major league teams five days ago informing them he is available for negotiations.

"It's important to find a team where you can be comfortable," Matsui said Wednesday. "I'll consider all the factors before deciding on the team that provides the best environment for me."

Matsui said he knows playing in New York would be a challenge.

"I know there are a lot of high expectations," he said. "I'm aware the fans in the U.S. can be less forgiving than fans here. I'll just have to do my best to please them."

Matsui is playing in a seven-game exhibition series against the major league all-stars and is 3-for-21 through four games.

"I'm just doing whatever I can to improve over the last three games," said Matsui, who has yet to hit a homer in the series.

Matsui hit .334 for the Giants this season and led the Central League with 50 homers and 107 RBI. In 10 seasons with the Giants, he hit 332 homers, winning the Central League's MVP in 1996, 2000 and this year.

Matsui, nicknamed "Godzilla," bats left-handed, and New York envisions him clearing the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium.

He does not have an agent and said he will negotiate with the help of a friend who is a lawyer.

Matsui, who has said he will not start talks until after the tour ends Sunday in Tokyo, said he had not scheduled any trips to the United States.

If he goes to the Yankees, Matsui is expected to play right field. On Thursday, manager Tatsunori Hara had Matsui play right field for the first time in the series.

"I have no problem with that," Matsui said. "The manager asked me to play there and I didn't ask why."




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