NEW YORK (AP) – Kazuo Matsui, already a star in New York, didn’t have to go to Nobu. The food from the world famous sushi chef was brought to him.

Matsui was the toast of the town Wednesday after finalizing his $20.1 million, three-year contract with the New York Mets.

Handed his new jersey by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Matsui flashed a borrowed Mets 1986 World Series ring and proclaimed in English: “Hello everybody. My name is Kazuo Matsui. I love New York.”

A night earlier, Mets owner Fred Wilpon took him to dinner at the Tribeca Grill – the food, however was brought over from the restaurant of Nobu Matsuhisa, whose tables are among the most coveted in the city.

And while the Mets usually introduce players at Shea Stadium, they used a Manhattan hotel to show off Matsui on Wednesday.

Bloomberg, who also introduced Hideki Matsui in January after the outfielder signed with the Yankees, told New York’s newest Matsui that Mets pitcher Al Leiter could show him the famous sites around town.

“We do have another shortstop in this town who can probably show you what to do at night,” Bloomberg said, referring to the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, criticized by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner a year ago for going out too much.

Matsui, the MVP of Japan’s Pacific League in 1998, wore the World Series ring of Mets president Saul Katz on his right hand. Matsui said that without the “t’ the letters on the ring spelled “Kaz,” his nickname.

“I will do my best to bring another one to the city for the New York Mets,” he said through a translator. “I would like to say to New York Mets fans I will do my best to fulfill the hopes you have for me. I’m going to work real hard.”

Wearing a dark suit with chalk stripes, Matsui smiled and put a black Mets jersey over the business attire.

“On behalf of 8 million New Yorkers, particularly Mets fans, it’s a pleasure to welcome you to New York City,” said Bloomberg, a former fan of the Boston Red Sox.

Matsui’s deal calls for a $100,000 signing bonus and annual salaries of $5 million, $7 million and $8 million. He can earn $100,000 bonus each year for making 500, 550 and 600 plate appearances.

“This is an exciting day,” new Mets general manager Jim Duquette said. “Our plan for next year is to get younger and more athletic and improve our pitching and defense, especially our defense up the middle. The signing of Kaz Matsui fits perfectly with that plan.”

Matsui will wear No. 25 with the Mets, choosing to give up No. 7, his number with the Seibu Lions in Japan. Jose Reyes, moving from shortstop to second base to make way for Matsui, will keep the “7” jersey. Matsui choose the new number because the digits add to seven.

Kaz Matsui said he had not yet spoken about his decision with Hideki Matsui, who is not related.

“I wasn’t compared to him in Japan,” Kaz said. “He’s a home-run hitter. He played in a different league. He’s my sempai, my senior.”

There is one situation, though, in which he’d want to be compared with the Yankees left fielder.

“If there is a Subway Series, I would love to be a part of that,” Kaz said.

He brought his wife, Mio, and 3-year-old daughter, Haruna, and plans to get a house in the suburbs because of his family, rather than living in Manhattan.

Before he returns to Japan next week, he’d like to see the Statue of Liberty and ground zero at the World Trade Center site.

Matsui impressed Mets manager Art Howe a year ago when he played on a Japanese All-Star team against a touring major league team.

“He definitely stood out,” Howe said.

Matsui hit .305 with 33 homers and 84 RBIs last season for Seibu, but the switch-hitting seven-time All-Star struck out 124 times in 587 at-bats. He won his fourth Gold Glove on Wednesday, and should combine with Reyes to give the Mets one of the top infield defenses in the major leagues.

“He plays the position with the flair of a Latin player,” Duquette said, comparing Matsui to former-Met Rey Ordonez.

But Matsui solves just one of the problems on a team that went 66-95 and finished last in the NL East for the second straight year. New York is looking for a center fielder, a closer a starter and possibly a right fielder.

“This,” Duquette said, “was an important first step as to what we’re trying to do.”

Notes: The Mets will leave most ticket prices unchanged, senior vice president David Howard said, and will lower prices for upper reserved seats. The team will continue dividing games into four levels of prices, a practice that started last year, but will have fewer “gold” games, which will lower the price of season tickets. Howard said an announcement is likely later this week.

AP-ES-12-10-03 2202EST