TOKYO -- Free agent third baseman Norihiro Nakamura returned to Japan on Thursday, saying he was impressed with the New York Mets during his visit to Shea Stadium.

"They have great facilities," Nakamura said. "They have a medical clinic in the stadium, and you can really see the difference between major league ballparks and Japanese ones."

Nakamura met Tuesday with Mets general manager Steve Phillips, seeking a replacement for Edgardo Alfonzo.

Nakamura hit .294 with 42 homers and 115 RBI last season for Kintetsu of the Pacific League. In Japan, he has been courted by the Buffaloes, Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers but said Thursday he will narrow his list to one Japanese team.

"I think it's better to limit talks to just one team in Japan and see if I get an offer from the major leagues," Nakamura said.

New York severed ties with Alfonzo on Saturday when the Mets didn't offer salary arbitration. Alfonzo cannot re-sign with the Mets until May 1.

"We had a good meeting. We got to know each other," Phillips said after the session at Shea Stadium. "I told him we'd be back to him in a couple of days. He's got to assess what he wants to do. He has decisions to make."

Makamura visited Los Angeles and New York during his trip to the United States. He brought along Masami Shigeta, his Japanese agent.

Greg McAleenan, Nakamura's American agent, also was at Tuesday's meeting, as was Mets senior assistant general manager Jim Duquette.

"It was a good exchange of information," McAleenan said. "We were quite pleased with the homework the Mets' organization had done on him."

McAleenan will get in touch with the Mets and other teams at the winter meetings, which start Friday in Nashville, Tenn.

"I think the timing certainly is becoming an issue," McAleenan said. "What we talked about today was putting Mr. Nakamura in a position in the very near future to decide his options."