BASEBALL Yankees sign 'Godzilla' to $21 million deal

Catcher Ivan Rodriguez is resigned to playing in Japan next season.
NEW YORK (AP) -- On a day of crossroads, Hideki Matsui decided to leave Japan for the major leagues and Ivan Rodriguez's agent said the 10-time All-Star catcher might be headed for Asia.
Greg Maddux, meanwhile, decided to stay in Atlanta, accepting the Braves' offer of salary arbitration.
Matsui agreed Thursday to a $21 million, three-year contract with the New York Yankees. Nicknamed Godzilla, he was intent on wearing the famous Yankees' pinstripes and became the biggest Japanese baseball star yet to join the major leagues.
"I was nervous for a while because it hadn't been decided what team I would play for," Matsui said today at a news conference in Tokyo. "Now, I'm relieved and ready to give my best."
A three-time Most Valuable Player of Japan's Central League, the 28-year-old power-hitting outfielder seemed set on joining the Yankees since August, when New York sent its assistant general manager to Tokyo to scout him.
Turned down offer to stay
The Yomiuri Giants, who drafted Matsui in 1993, were said to have offered a $33 million, four-year deal to keep him.
Matsui had a .304 career average in Japan with 332 homers and 889 RBIs in 1,268 games, and led the Central League last season with 50 homers and 107 RBIs. He had the league's second-highest average at .334.
"The power of home run hitters in the majors is different from those here," Matsui said. "It's probably difficult for me to match that power right now. It remains to be seen how I'll do over there. I'll have to wait until I get there."
Right-hander Terry Adams joined Maddux as the only free agents to accept arbitration, deciding to return to Philadelphia. Among the other 22 offered arbitration on Dec. 7, 15 remain unsigned and can negotiate with the former teams through Jan. 8, a group that includes Roger Clemens (Yankees), Cliff Floyd (Boston), Chuck Finley (St. Louis) and Mark Grace (Arizona).
Atlanta, Baltimore, Los Angeles and the New York Mets are the teams most likely to sign Floyd, and a deal is possible as early as today.
"I'm disappointed that Cliff won't be back with the Red Sox in 2003," Boston GM Theo Esptein said. "At the same time, I'm excited about the flexibility we have now with our payroll and with a draft pick."
Pudge won't budge
Rodriguez, a 10-time Gold Glove winner and former AL MVP, is exploring a move to Japan after failing to get offers he liked from the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles.
"I think at this point our focus is slowly but surely turning to Japan," Rodriguez's agent, Jeff Moorad, said Thursday.
Texas did not offer Rodriguez salary arbitration earlier this month, making him ineligible to re-sign with the Rangers until at least May 1. Rodriguez just finished a $50 million, five-year contract with the Rangers and Moorad is believed to be seeking a multiyear deal averaging at least $10 million annually.
Maddux, a four-time Cy Young Award winner, decided not to follow Tom Glavine out of Atlanta. Glavine left the Braves to sign with the New York Mets.
"My Christmas wish list included having both Maddux and Glavine," closer John Smoltz said. "I guess one out of two isn't bad, although I don't think we're done making moves."
Maddux, a 36-year-old right-hander, was 16-6 last season, winning at least 15 games for the 15th straight year to tie the record set by Cy Young.
Catcher Bill Haselman agreed to a minor league contract with Detroit. Pitcher Shawn Estes and the Cubs were close to a deal.
Also, several players agreed to deals ahead of tonight's deadline to offer 2003 contracts to unsigned players on 40-man rosters: Cubs reliever Antonio Alfonseca ($4 million), Philadelphia outfielder Ricky Ledee ($850,000), Pittsburgh right-hander Brian Meadows ($600,000), St. Louis outfielder Eduardo Perez ($500,000) and Anaheim infielder Benji Gil.