New York newspapers hailed All-Star right-hander Satoru Komiyama as the "Japanese Greg Maddux" on Wednesday, a day after he made his first appearance in a No. 17 Mets uniform before 200 local reporters at Shea Stadium.
In an article headlined "Welcoming Komiyama," Newsday likens the newly acquired 36-year-old to Maddux, the Atlanta Braves' four-time Cy Young award winner, saying he "wears eyeglasses so he at least looks the part."
According to Newsday, although Komiyama "lacks the flair of the flashy (Tsuyoshi) Shinjo," who was traded from the Mets to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, he is undoubtedly a welcome addition to the team.
Meanwhile, the New York Post reported that Mets manager Bobby Valentine was one of the main reasons behind Komiyama's decision to make the trip overseas in a story called "Japanese Maddux has Bobby's Backing."