The Associated Press

NEW YORK - David Cone decided to give it one more try. Out of baseball last year, the 40-year-old right-hander will attempt a comeback with the New York Mets, signing a minor-league deal Thursday.

Cone last pitched in 2001, going 9-7 with a 4.31 ERA in 25 starts for the Boston Red Sox. He worked as an analyst for the New York Yankees' YES network last season.

"My gut feeling is that I'll probably retire at this point," Cone said in late January while visiting the Yankees' minor-league complex in Tampa, Fla.

But after a lot of lobbying from Mets left-hander Al Leiter - and the possibility of winning a spot as the No. 5 starter - Cone chose to give it a shot. He would get a $550,000, one-year contract if he makes the team and the chance to earn $200,000 more in performance bonuses.

Cone, who rose to prominence with the Mets in the late 1980s, was expected to join pitchers and catchers today at spring training in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

"When you talk to a guy who's pitched as long as David and talk about getting hitters out, competing and working on a major league mound, you certainly saw his enthusiasm for wanting to give it another shot," Leiter said.

Leiter, Tom Glavine, Pedro Astacio and Steve Trachsel hold the first four spots in the Mets' rotation. Cone will compete with Mike Bacsik, Jason Middlebrook and Aaron Heilman for the fifth slot.

"It's hard to know what David has left," Mets general manager Steve Phillips said. "There's no risk. It gives us a free look."

But Phillips added: "We're not looking at David exclusively as a starting pitcher."

Cone is 193-123 lifetime with a 3.44 ERA. A five-time All-Star, Cone ranks 17th in major league history with 2,655 strikeouts.

Cone pitched for the Mets from 1987-92, going a career-best 20-3 in 1988.

MARLINS: Outfielder Al Martin signed a minor-league contract, adding some more left-handed power to Florida's revamped lineup.

Last season, Martin spent spring training with the St. Louis Cardinals but sat out the year after having surgery to repair a torn muscle in his left elbow. In his last full season, Martin hit .240 with seven home runs and 42 RBI with the Seattle Mariners in 2001.

PHILLIES: Catcher Todd Pratt was added to Philadelphia's 40-man roster before spring training.

Pratt, 36, hit .311 with three home runs and 16 RBI as the Phillies' backup catcher last season. He signed a minor-league contract with Philadelphia in the offseason.

To make room for Pratt, the Phillies put right-hander Elio Serrano on waivers. Serrano was promptly claimed by the Colorado Rockies.

RED SOX: Former All-Star catcher Dave Nilsson ended his career with Boston before it started, saying he was retiring because he's lost the will to play.

Nilsson, the first Australian to play in the majors, left the Milwaukee Brewers for the 2000 Australian Olympic team. He sat out the 2001 and 2002 seasons.

Nilsson played eight seasons with the Brewers. He hit .284 lifetime with 104 home runs and 470 RBI.

ROCKIES: Right-handed closer Jose Jimenez agreed to a $3.6 million, one-year deal with Colorado.

Jimenez leads the Rockies with 82 career saves, setting a team record with 41 last season, when he was 2-10 with a 3.56 ERA. He is 13-13 with a 3.57 ERA in 199 innings with Colorado.

The 29-year-old right-hander, who made $1,937,500 last year, asked for $3.9 million in arbitration and was offered $3.2 million. A hearing had been scheduled for next week in St. Petersburg, Fla.

ROYALS: Raul Ibanez settled his arbitration case by agreeing to a $3 million, one-year contract, while fellow Kansas City outfielder Carlos Beltran went to a hearing.

Beltran asked a panel of three arbitrators for a raise from $3.5 million to $6.95 million, which would be the third-highest award behind the Atlanta Braves' Andruw Jones, who received $8.2 million in 2001, and the New York Yankees' Mariano Rivera, who got $7.25 million in 2000. The Royals offered $6 million.

Beltran, 25, hit .273 last season and led Kansas City with 29 homers, 105 RBI and 35 steals. The Royals had tried to sign him to a three-year contract, but the sides couldn't agree.

Players and owners have split the four arbitration cases already decided.