If he has indeed passed irrevocable waivers, the Mets can now send him to the minors, release him or just have him make the team as they had originally planned.

FORT LAUDERDALE – The Hideo Nomo situation seems to be getting stickier as the hours pass. According to a source in Major League Baseball, Nomo cleared irrevocable waivers yesterday at 1 p.m., meaning the Mets now have several options concerning the Japanese righthander.

Irrevocable waivers are confidential and cannot be officially confirmed by the team or by MLB.

If he has indeed passed, the Mets can now send him to the minors, release him or just have him make the team as they had originally planned during the offseason.

Irrevocable waivers means if another team claims him off the wire, the Mets could not claim him back and would lose him to that team. If the Mets had put him on those waivers, they never would have had to notify the player of his agent, Don Nomura about it.

Nomura said yesterday he had not heard anything from the Mets yet and was waiting for further notice before taking any action.

“Whatever happens,” Nomura said, “we have to abide by the rules.”

Nomura said that if the Mets try to send Nomo to the minors, he is not sure how he and Nomo will respond. He said Nomo has the right to refuse assignment, but would give up all of his $2.925 million salary and become a free agent able to sign with any team.

If Nomo should choose to accept his demotion, which is all very speculative now, he would still get paid his full salary.

If they put him on release waivers, they would have to tell the player and he would not be allowed to work out with the team. Nomo worked out yesterday, but someone familiar with the situation said he was informed by his agent that he had cleared waivers – in other words, that no team wanted him.

Nomura acknowledged he had spoken with Nomo several times yesterday, but said he had not told him anything about waivers because he hadn’t heard anything yet.

Nomo will make his fifth start of the spring tonight vs. the Expos in Jupiter.

When Bobby Valentine was asked about it, he said, “Why wouldn’t he?”

Pitching coach Bob Apodaca was equally curious about the line of questioning.

“I expect him to,” Apodaca said. “As far as I know, Nomo is making his start.”

Meanwhile Nomo has held his tongue since news that the Mets were debating releasing him first broke on Tuesday. Yesterday he worked out with the pitchers who were not schedule to throw in last night’s game against the Orioles and spent some of that time on his cellular phone.

He walked around the clubhouse in a somber mood without talking to anyone, but went through his workouts as usual. Whatever comes of this process, it is sure to cause a rift between Nomo and the team.

Nomo’s best friend, Masato Yoshii, was the starting pitcher last night, and one can only wonder how this may affect him.

Nomo, who won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1995, has had an illustrious career in both Japanese baseball and the major leagues. But over the past couple of seasons his numbers have dropped significantly and at the end of last year he was dropped from the Met rotation.

His main problem was an inability to throw strikes, and this spring he has continued to have a tough time with that. He has given up 10 walks in 13 innings.