Nomo Set to Start at the Top : Baseball: He overwhelms Yankees and all but assures himself a spot in the rotation.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — There was never a doubt in Hideo Nomo’s mind, but Monday he made sure that he and the Dodgers are thinking alike, winning a job in the starting rotation.

Nomo held the New York Yankees to one hit in four innings as the Dodgers scored a 7-2 exhibition victory. He is all but assured of becoming the first Japanese player to reach the major leagues since Masanori Murakami pitched for the San Francisco Giants 30 years ago.

“I had confidence in the first place before (Monday) I would make the rotation,” Nomo said through his interpreter. “But now I know that I can pitch in the big leagues. Whether I get a spot in the rotation is Tommy (Lasorda’s) decision.”

Lasorda said he probably will wait another week before announcing his starting rotation, but several club sources said Nomo, signed in the offseason after a successful career in Japan, definitely will be a part of it. He will be either the fourth or fifth starter, depending on whether the Dodgers decide to leave Ismael Valdes in the rotation or move him to the bullpen. If Valdes is moved into the bullpen, Korean pitcher Chan Ho Park would be a candidate for the rotation along with Omar Daal.

“The only American we’re going to have in our rotation is (Tom) Candiotti,” Lasorda said, “and he’s Italian.”

Nomo’s biggest concern in camp was whether his right shoulder would be strong enough after he had been sidelined for two months last season because of tendinitis. But he cemented his status with a stunning performance.

The Yankees played their entire star-studded everyday lineup--featuring All-Stars Wade Boggs, Tony Fernandez, Paul O’Neill, Danny Tartabull and Don Mattingly at the top of their lineup--and all they could muster off Nomo was a bloop single by Mattingly. Remarkably, it was the only ball hit out of the infield during Nomo’s four-inning stint.

“When you come here and face that lineup and do what he did, gosh almighty,” Dodger pitching coach Dave Wallace said. “Granted, they’re not in midseason form yet, but neither is the pitcher.”

Yankee left fielder Luis Polonia said: “I don’t want to see that guy again in my life. He got me all confused. I only saw him one time, and I don’t like him. Thank God he’s in the National League so I don’t have to worry about it.”

Nomo, throwing a fastball that consistently was clocked at 88-90 m.p.h. and a split-fingered fastball, kept the Yankees off balance the entire outing. Throwing 54 pitches, he induced eight ground balls and one infield pop-up, struck out one batter and walked three.

“He has that good delay at the top, and then he twists,” Mattingly said, “which makes it hard to time. He’s very effective. Obviously, he knows how to pitch.”

Would it be easier, as some have suggested, facing Nomo a second time?

“I don’t know, maybe he’s like a knuckleballer,” Mattingly said, “and you never adjust. You have an idea what he’s going to throw, but you can’t adjust. It’s hard to feel comfortable up there.”

Right fielder Paul O’Neill said: “I’m surprised, as wild as his windup was, he had such good control.”

Nomo left the Dodger coaching staff exhilarated by his ability to keep the ball down in the strike zone consistently.

“This has been my dream, that one day I’ll be able to face American teams,” said Nomo, who signed autographs afterward, including one on a Japanese passport. “I always wanted to face the best. Now I am.”

Now, if the Dodgers can only correct that one little flaw. . . .

In the second inning, Mike Stanley hit an infield pop-up toward the left side of the pitcher’s mound. Instead of yelling out who would catch the ball, Nomo retreated out of the way. The ball finally was caught by third baseman Ron Coomer, but not without a bit of suspense.

“I guess we’ve got to teach him how to say everyone’s names,” Wallace said. “In Japan, they’re taught to just get out of the way.

“But hey, with the way he’s pitching, we’ve got plenty of time to work on that.”