Arn Tellem, the agent for Hideki Matsui, said in an E-mail yesterday that he expected to begin talking to the Yankees about a new contract for his client this week. Matsui, who just completed a three-year, $21-million deal, will become a free agent Nov. 16. GM Brian Cashman said last week of Matsui: "He's a Yankee, as far as I'm concerned."