For days, reports all over the world had Norihiro Nakamura coming to the Mets. Last night, the Japanese third baseman spurned them, perhaps because of news leaks about his decision.
Nakamura had a news conference scheduled for around midnight EST yesterday at which he was planning to announce his decision. Although numerous television and newspaper reports in the United States and Japan declared Nakamura had agreed to a two-year contract worth $7 million with the Mets, sources said a last-minute meeting with a Japanese manager and word of the news leak caused Nakamura to change his mind. He then re-signed with the Kintetsu Buffaloes.
The Mets released a statement late last night. It said: “We had an agreement in principle with the player. He changed his mind after successfully completing the physical with us. We respect his decision to change his mind and wish him best of luck in the future.”
John Thomson will not be a Met next year, either. As expected, the team non-tendered the righty, who is now a free agent. They also non-tendered Doug Nickle, an offseason waiver pickup. The Mets did offer Scott Strickland a contract.