The next big thing from Japan has been "posted" and could be headed to a rotation in the U.S. major leagues in time for spring training.

Left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii of the Yakult Swallows, 28, was "posted," the term used when a player in the Japanese leagues wants to switch to the majors, with the commissioner's office on Wednesdsay.

Teams interested in acquiring Ishii have until the end of business on Monday to make a blind bid, which would go to the Yakult club. The Japanese team has four days to decide whether or not the bid is acceptable, and if it accepts, the winning team has 30 days to work out a contract.

Ishii was 12-6 with a 3.39 ERA for Yakult this season, and for his career is 79-46 with 1,277 strikeouts in 1,184 innings.

"He was originally going to post after the season ended," says agent Joe Urban of Octagon. "But after Sept. 11, his family was wary of traveling to the United States. But this was always his dream, and now he's trying to pursue it."

It is expected that the Dodgers, Mariners, Mets, Indians ands Rangers will be among the teams making bids to negotiate with Ishii.

Urbon said his client would prefer to pitch for a California team or Seattle.

"Being on the West Coast is his first choice," Urbon said.

Dodgers pitching coach Jim Colborn was the pitching coach of the Oryx Blue Wave, and before going to L.A. was the Mariners' Director Of International Scouting -- and was the key conduit in getting American League MVP Ichiro Suzuki away from Oryx.

Seattle has been looking for a starting pitcher since losing out on free agent Jason Schmidt and not re-signing free agent Aaron Sele, while the Mets have been looking at (in order of priority) Rick Helling, Pedro Astracio (whom they will watch this week in the Dominican Republic) and James Baldwin. The Mets have four potential left-handed starters, but have been talking to the Padres about a deal that would send Bruce Chen for Bubba Trammell.

The Dallas Morning News also reported Ishii's posting on Thursday and said the Rangers were interested.

"If Texas puts in the winning bid, we'd be happy to negotiate a deal with Texas," Urbon said.

Texas needs another starting pitcher for a projected rotation that would include right-handers Chan Ho Park and Dave Burba, and left-handers Kenny Rogers and Doug Davis.

After the 2000 season, Seattle paid $13,125,000 to the Orix Blue Wave of Japan's Central League for the rights to Suzuki, who then agreed to a three-year contract worth $14,088,000.

The outfielder had 242 hits, the most in the major leagues since Bill Terry's 254 in 1930, hit .350 and stole 56 bases, a performance that earned him the American League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards.

Suzuki and outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo were the first non-pitchers to switch from the Japanese leagues to the major leagues. Shinjo hit .267 with 10 homers and 56 RBI, then was traded to San Francisco along with infielder Desi Relaford for left-hander Shawn Estes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.