Nomo Says He’s Much Happier With the Mets

Former Dodger Hideo Nomo, who will make his first start for the New York Mets tonight, was in a Met uniform at Shea Stadium for the first time on Monday as New York opened a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Mets introduced Nomo to a packed news conference about an hour before Monday’s game.

Nomo, 29, has been rejoined in New York with his Dodger batterymate, Mike Piazza, who was traded May 22 to the Mets by Florida, which had acquired him from the Dodgers a week earlier.

Nomo will wear No. 16--the first Met given that jersey since Dwight Gooden--and said he already feels at home with the Mets.

”. . . compared to the Dodgers, the Mets coaching staff, manager, players. . . . I think I can communicate very well with them,” he said. “It’s a very open clubhouse and so it’s nice to be able to speak freely and get along with everyone.”

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The Cleveland Indians announced plans to retire Hall of Famer Bob Lemon’s No. 21 on June 20 during ceremonies to honor their 1948 World Series championship team.

That’s the number worn by the current manager, Mike Hargrove, who has led the team to two AL pennant in three years. The Indians said Hargrove can keep wearing it until he’s finished managing the team, and then no Cleveland player will wear it again.

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Kansas City’s Felix Martinez, who was suspended five games for his part in last week’s brawl between the Angels and the Royals, was in New York on Monday being evaluated.

The troubled rookie shortstop, who was involved in several altercations in the minor leagues, sucker-punched Anaheim’s Frank Bolick during the ninth-inning brawl.

“There was a cooperative effort between the players union, the Player Relations Committee, the Royals and Felix to try to assist Felix in his personal and baseball development,” Royal General Manager Herk Robinson said.

Robinson declined to say what recommendations were made or who did the evaluating.

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The sale of the Florida Marlins by Wayne Huizenga to a group led by team president Don Smiley won’t be on the agenda when major league owners open their quarterly meeting Wednesday at Seattle.

“Don Smiley continues to work diligently to complete the transfer and I expect he will be prepared to bring it to the clubs for a vote in the near future,” interim commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement.