Hideki Matsui's first official workout for the New York Yankees looked more like a postseason game than a preseason practice.

More than 1,000 fans in the stands at Legends Field on Tuesday, cheering each move. Scores of media members on the field, documenting every nuance.

More than anything, the Yankees are concerned about cultural differences. Baseball in Japan is more highly structured than in the major leagues, with shifts in the batting order scrutinized for intent and implication. When Matsui walked into Joe Torre's office for the first time, the manager wanted to make sure there was no misunderstanding.

For instance, Torre doesn't want Matsui to think if he's left behind for a road spring training game, it's punishment. Actually, it's usually a reward given to veterans, so they don't have a lot of long bus rides.

"The big thing I addressed with him, because I've been asked this question several times over the past few days, is the batting order," Torre said. "And I told him that especially in spring training, that I like to change it a lot just to see how many options I do have during the season.

"Obviously, he's capable of hitting everywhere in the batting order, probably except leadoff. Say, for instance, he'll hit fourth one day and sixth the next day, doesn't mean that I wasn't happy with the way he hit fourth."

The 28-year-old outfielder listened attentively as his translator relayed questions from American reporters, biting his lower lip.

"Basically, I'm here for the team," Matsui said. "Whatever the team needs is what I will do."

Mondesi could come back for more: New York Yankees outfielder Raul Mondesi has not ruled out playing after the 2003 season.

The 32-year-old Mondesi had indicated during the offseason that the upcoming season would be his last. He is in the final year of his contract.

"We'll see what happens. See what's going on,'' Mondesi said Tuesday before the Yankees' first full workout.

Mondesi struggled after being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays last July 1. He hit .241 with 11 homers and 43 RBI in 71 games with New York and was mentioned in trade talks over the winter.

"I want to prove myself,'' Mondesi said. "Everybody wants to play for the Yankees, especially when you have a great chance to win. When you play for the Yankees, you have to do good.''

Mondesi reported at 227 pounds, about 13 pounds below his previous playing weight. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner wanted a lighter Mondesi, who is looking to shed another five pounds this spring.

"He made an effort, no question,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "He's excited to be here. He's taking it as a challenge.''

Mondesi had the back of his left hand bandaged, the result of an artificial turf burn during the winter league championship series. He added that shoulder and knee problems from last season are completely healed.

"All ready to go,'' Mondesi said. "I feel great.''

Arizona Diamondbacks: For the first time since his early days with the San Francisco Giants 14 years ago, Matt Williams arrived at spring training having to fight for the starting job at third base.

	Williams

It is an uphill battle for the 37-year-old former all-star.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly already has said he plans to make Craig Counsell the everyday player at third. Williams is out to prove he still deserves the job.

"Ultimately it's not my decision anyway,'' Williams said, "but I hope to impress them that, for lack of a better term, I've still got it.''

The full Diamondbacks roster worked out for the first time on Tuesday, and Williams belted a couple of batting practice pitches over the fence.

"Whoo, that one hit the restaurant,'' teammate Mark Grace shouted after the longest blast, a reference to Friday's Front Row cafe deep in the left field seats at Bank One Ballpark.

Williams has hit many such towering homers in his 15 big-league seasons. He has a career .269 average with 374 home runs and 1,202 RBI. But he has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons.

Last year, he broke his ankle fielding ground balls in spring training, a freak injury that sidelined him for 87 games.

While Williams was gone, Counsell excelled at third base and at the plate.

The Diamondbacks tried to trade Williams and two other players to the Colorado Rockies for Larry Walker in the offseason, but both Williams and Walker rejected the deal. Williams did so because he has custody of his three children and didn't want to uproot them.

He said he harbors no ill feelings toward the Diamondbacks.

"It would do the team and me no good to be bitter,'' Williams said. "I understand the business of baseball.''

Knowing that he had a fight on his hands, Williams arrived in Tucson ready to immediately show what he can still do, just as a rookie trying to make the big club might do. He worked all winter with former Cincinnati Reds batting coach Jim Lefebvre, and believes he has simplified his swing.

Will he get a fair shot from the Diamondbacks?

"That's not for me to answer,'' Williams said. "I hope so.''

He will accept whatever role he gets, even if it's playing backup at first base, as Brenly has suggested.

"I don't have a first baseman's glove,'' Williams joked. "Nobody's asked me to get one. If they ask me, I'll go get one.''

Cincinnati Reds: Scott Sullivan wants to get back to where he was in 2001, as one of the Reds' most dependable relief pitchers.

The right-hander's 2002 season went downhill after he was struck on the elbow May 13 by a ball off the bat of Milwaukee's Richie Sexson. Sullivan was 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA at the time, then went 3-5 with a 7.98 ERA.

	Sullivan

Sullivan believes he can again be a premier setup man. He led the majors in relief innings pitched for four consecutive years, from 1998 through 2001. He averaged 106 1/3 innings pitched each year during that time.

He lives in Auburn, Ala., and has been working with athletic trainers at Auburn University, his alma mater. He also hired a personal trainer for the first time.

The Reds are watching his progress closely this spring. Reds manager Bob Boone, a former catcher, wants to see whether Sullivan has regained the rhythm that enabled him to become a day-to-day workhorse.

Reds pitching coach Don Gullett has been working with Sullivan and Jimmy Anderson, a former Pittsburgh Pirates starter in Cincinnati's camp this spring. Gullett is instructing the left-hander on how to streamline his pitching motion, in an attempt to eliminate a hitch in the delivery.

Anderson said he is making progress but knows that the true test will come when the exhibition games begin. The Reds' exhibition season begins with a Feb. 27 game against the New York Yankees in Tampa.

Houston Astros: As the remaining Houston Astros reported to training camp Tuesday, it appeared the battleground for roster spots will be between pitchers and outfielders.

General manager Gerry Hunsicker said a main focus will be the number of pitchers and outfielders to carry on the roster.

"The one big question that will have to be answered is whether we start the year with 12 pitchers or six outfielders,'' he said. "We used 12 pitchers most of last year, which is uncharacteristic for us. If we use 12 pitchers again, we'll have to eliminate a position player somewhere.''

Pitchers and catchers started workouts Sunday. Full team workouts begin Wednesday.

The infield appears set: Jeff Bagwell at first, Jeff Kent at second, Julio Lugo at short and third baseman Geoff Blum, who said the club will benefit from its stability around the bases.

"It's a matter of being consistent and making the routine plays,'' Blum said.

A host of possibilities are available to fill out a 12-man staff, though four of the starting rotation slots, set-up man Octavio Dotel and closer Billy Wagner are set.

In the outfield, manager Jimy Williams can pencil in Lance Berkman in left field, Craig Biggio in center and Richard Hidalgo in right. Assuming the team keeps Rule 5 draftee Victor Hall all season, a five-man outfield would leave Brian L. Hunter and Jason Lane to fight for one remaining spot.

Orlando Merced, a backup first baseman, also plays the outfield.

Blum said the Astros, alongside players throughout professional baseball, were aware of Monday's death of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler. Bechler, 23, died after working out in Fort Lauderdale.

"Everybody's an individual and everybody understands their bodies and how they work. Some circumstances effect people differently. It's an unfortunate situation that happened to that young man,'' he said.

New York Mets: Mo Vaughn and Tsuyoshi Shinjo showed up at New York Mets camp in style Tuesday in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Making a spring-training entrance befitting a rock star, Shinjo stepped out of a stretch limousine Tuesday dressed in denim jeans and a denim jacket with the collar turned up. In his right hand, he carried a bat bag that some observers likened to a guitar case.

"I feel really good to be back because this is the first place I came when I started playing major league baseball,'' Shinjo said through an interpreter. "I was really shocked when I got traded from the Mets because I loved the Mets, so I'm really glad to be back.''

About an hour after the Mets locked up the main entrance to their clubhouse, Vaughn arrived in a black stretch limo.

Vaughn looked slimmer than last year, when he weighed about 275 pounds, and was in a playful mood, even when the questions concerned his weight.

Asked whether he'd been counting calories, he kidded: "I don't like to talk about numbers.''

Vaughn is looking to improve his numbers on the field. In his first season with the Mets, he hit only .259 with 26 home runs and 72 RBI. He also committed a whopping 18 errors at first base.

The 35-year-old Vaughn flew in from Columbus, Ohio, where he had a personal trainer and chef at his house.

"I want to play at a high level again and I knew I needed to do the right things to do that again,'' he said.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Kevin Brown plans to start the season in the majors after missing much of the past two years with injuries.

"I feel fine,'' the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher said after reporting to spring training in Vero Beach, Fla., on Tuesday. "We're going to find out in five weeks just how good it is, but at this point, I'm happy with where things are.''

Brown, one of baseball's best pitchers when healthy, has won just 13 games in the last two years while dealing with elbow and back problems. The Dodgers' chances of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1996 could depend on whether Brown can pitch a full season.

"If we just get some of what this man has done in the past, we quite possibly could have won the division a year ago,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said.

Brown, who turns 38 on March 14, went 3-4 with a 4.81 ERA in just 17 games last year. He owns a 44-23 record and 2.97 ERA since signing a seven-year, $105 million contract with the Dodgers before the 1998 season.