Don Nomura, the agent for star Japanese...

Don Nomura, the agent for star Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu, sent a memorandum to the 28 major league teams Tuesday in which he said that if the San Diego Padres do not trade Irabu’s signing rights to the New York Yankees in the next seven days, Irabu will sit out the 1997 season and become a free agent next year. Irabu’s Japanese rights would still belong to the Chiba Lotte Marines and he would be two years shy of the 10 required to be a free agent in that country.

Only two teams--the Yankees and Cleveland Indians--were believed to have viable trade packages under consideration by the Padres, but Nomura continues to insist Irabu will sign only with the Yankees. Sources said the Yankees are willing to trade top pitching prospect Rafael Medina in a package that would include $4 million, but are hesitant to meet the Padres’ demands that top outfield prospect Ricky Ledee also be included.

In addition to Nomura’s memorandum, Donald Fehr, executive director of the players union, said Tuesday that if Irabu is not traded to the Yankees within the next few days, the union will begin legal procedures designed to make Irabu a free agent immediately or by January of next year.