TOKYO -- Hideki Matsui believes he'd stimulate Japanese baseball if he plays in the major leagues.

The 28-year-old outfielder, considered the best hitter in Japan, announced his intention Friday to leave the Yomiuri Giants and open talks with U.S. teams.

Matsui is eligible for free agency because he has nine years of service in the Japanese major leagues. The Japanese commissioner's office sent a notice to the major league commissioner's office in New York on Friday saying that talks can begin Nov. 13, Japanese time.

"I thought about this issue in my own way," he said. "It pains me to think about it. But I personally think it can't be helped. I'm proud to have played in Japanese baseball and I think it will reinvigorate Japanese baseball if I go over there and play well. I also think new stars will emerge in Japan."

The New York Yankees are expected to be one of the teams most interested in Matsui. They sent assistant general manager Jean Afterman to scout him in August.

Matsui hit a 511-foot homer into the right-field bleachers in that game.

"I think home runs are my best trait so I'd like to hit them over there, too," Matsui said.

Also Friday, Matsui was named the Central League's MVP, picking up the honor a third time.

Matsui, who was MVP also in 1996 and 2000, hit a league-high 50 homers this season along with 107 RBIs and a .334 batting average, just missing out on the triple crown.

Alex Cabrera, a former Arizona Diamondbacks player, was named the Pacific League's MVP.

Cabrera tied Japan's single-season record for home runs with 55 this season, equaling the mark set by Sadaharu Oh in 1964 and matched by Kintetsu Buffaloes outfielder Tuffy Rhodes last season.

Cabrera, playing in his second season in Japan, drove in 115 runs and batted .336. It was his first MVP award.

Matsui, a left-handed hitter, joined the Giants in 1993 and is projected as a starting corner outfielder by big league scouts. He helped the Giants win the Japan Series, which ended Wednesday.

Ever since turning down a multiyear deal with the Giants last December, there was speculation that Matsui would follow in the steps of Ichiro Suzuki and sign with a major league team.

Suzuki, a star outfielder for the Seattle Mariners, was AL MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2001.

Major league teams can negotiate directly with Matsui, although it was not immediately clear when talks are allowed to begin.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner even made Jason Giambi and Bernie Williams available for a major league All-Star tour of Japan in November, perhaps to improve relations with the Yomiuri group, sponsors of the seven-game tour.

Matsui's decision is a major blow to Japan's league and the Giants. Yomiuri owner Tsuneo Watanabe said Thursday that he hoped to talk to Matsui to persuade him to remain in Japan.