New York ? Hideki Matsui is coming from Japan, Ivan Rodriguez may be going there and Greg Maddux is staying at home in Atlanta.

Matsui, the biggest star in Japanese baseball, agreed Thursday to a $21 million, three-year contract with the New York Yankees.

Rodriguez, unable to get an offer he likes from the Baltimore Orioles or Chicago Cubs, will explore joining a Japanese team for next season, according to his agent.

Maddux, after a tentative 11/2 months on the free-agent market, accepted the Braves’ offer of salary arbitration, which makes him a signed player for the 2003 season.

Pitcher Terry Adams, like Maddux facing a midnight deadline, accepted Philadelphia’s offer of arbitration.

Right-hander Jason Bere agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract with Cleveland and catcher Bill Haselman agreed to a minor-league contract with Detroit.

Also, several players agreed to deals ahead of Friday’s deadline to offer 2003 contracts to unsigned players on 40-man rosters: Pittsburgh right-hander Brian Meadows ($600,000), St. Louis outfielder Eduardo Perez ($500,000) and Anaheim infielder Benji Gil.

Matsui is nicknamed Godzilla.

“He really wants to show he’s one of the world’s great players,” said Matsui’s agent, Arn Tellem.

The Yomiuri Giants, who drafted Matsui, 28, in 1993, offered a $33 million, four-year deal. Matsui had a .304 career average in Japan with 332 homers and 889 RBIs in 1,268 games, and led the Central League last season with 50 homers and 107 RBIs. He had the league’s second-highest average at .334.

Rodriguez, a 10-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove catcher and former American League MVP, is exploring a move to Japan after failing to get offers he liked from the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles.