Can We Call Him Gamera?

The Mets will announce that they have signed Japanese fre-agent third baseman Norihiro Nakamura on Friday according to New York Newsday. It's reportedly a two year deal for $7 M plus a $6M option for a third.

These two power-hitting players (i.e., with Matsui) will be very interesting test cases for Japanese ballplayers in the US. Should they succeed, the Japanese leagues may soon (10 years or so) start to close up shop a la the old Negro Leagues after Jackie Robinson et al's signing by the major leagues. Perhaps they will become another overblown lesser minor league like the Mexican League.

It may also create a new viable source for new players as well as a market to sell their product to for MLB.

Or they could both suck. We'll have to see, but it couldn't come at a better time for MLB.