Mets may trade Agbayani for Yomiuri pitcher

Associated Press

Starting their offseason with small moves, the New York Mets are close to trading outfielder Benny Agbayani to the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants and signing Japanese pitcher Satoru Komiyama.

Mets general manager Steve Phillips didn't confirm the deals, but left a strong impression both moves were imminent.

It appears the Mets and Giants have worked out details of the trade, leaving Agbayani, a former St. Louis School and Hawai'i Pacific University star, to complete a contract with the Japanese team.

"I don't think it would be appropriate to comment where we are when we are in the process," Phillips said yesterday.

Agbayani, 29, hit .277 this year with six homers and 27 RBIs in 296 at-bats. On March 30 last year, he hit a pinch-hit grand slam at the Tokyo Dome in the 11th inning to give the Mets a 5-1 win over the Chicago Cubs.

Komiyama, a 36-year-old right-hander, was 12-9 with a 3.03 ERA last season, third in the Central League. He played under Mets manager Bobby Valentine in 1995 with the Chiba Lotte Mariners of the Pacific League.