DALLAS -- Wanted: Starting pitchers.

Call: Steve Phillips, anytime.

"With two holes right now, if you can throw and walk, we have some interest," the Mets general manager said Friday after losing out on Mike Hampton to the Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies reached a preliminary agreement with Hampton on a $121 million, eight-year deal with the Colorado Rockies, the largest contract in baseball history.

It's the third prominent pitcher Phillips has missed out on this offseason. Mike Mussina spurned the Mets' offer and signed instead with the New York Yankees, and Denny Neagle chose Colorado over New York.

The only starter the Mets have been able to sign was Rick Reed, who agreed to a $21.75 million, three-year deal earlier this week to stay with the Mets.

Phillips still has two spots to fill in the rotation: Hampton and free agent Bobby J. Jones, who was offered salary arbitration Thursday.

"The expectation when you go into the offseason with three holes in the starting rotation is that you're going to lose some," Phillips said. "I feel fortunate that we got Rick Reed done. We'll keep after it. There's no time to lick our wounds. We have to move forward."

The most prominent pitchers left on the market are Kevin Appier, who went 15-11 with a 4.52 ERA last season for Oakland, and Darren Dreifort, who went 12-9 with a 4.16 ERA with Los Angeles.

The Mets might be interested in bringing back David Cone, who was let go by the Yankees after going 4-14 this season.

Colorado's Pedro Astacio also could be available in a trade now that the Rockies have added Hampton and Neagle.

The Mets also could make a play for a hitter, like Cleveland's Manny Ramirez, but Phillips said the focus remains on pitching.

"There are some interesting names out there on the free agent and the trade market," Phillips said.

But none fill the need of a top-flight starter like Hampton.

Last December, the Mets traded two of their top young players -- Roger Cedeno and Octavio Dotel -- and minor leaguer Kyle Kessel for Hampton and Derek Bell.

They have nothing to show for the deal anymore, declining salary arbitration to Bell and losing out on Hampton.

"Faced with the same decision that we had a year ago, I'd make the trade again," Phillips said. "It was part of what got us to the World Series. The player chose to play somewhere else."

Hampton went 15-10 in his only season with the Mets, winning the MVP of the NL championship series and helping the Mets return to the World Series for the first time since 1986.

Yet the Florida native was never comfortable in New York. That apparently played a major role in his decision. Phillips wouldn't say how much he offered, other than to say it was in excess of $100 million.

The Mets waited to make that offer until after Hampton hit the open market, letting the period of exclusive negotiating rights expire last month without a competitive offer.

But Phillips said he didn't believe that would have made a difference.

"The word was that New York was not his favorite place to play," he said. "He didn't exclude us. We were under consideration, but he didn't have the comfort level with New York that he did in other places. I hoped that going to the World Series would have changed that."

The Mets also signed outfielder Bubba Carpenter to a one-year, minor league contract and will invite him to spring training. He hit .222 with three homers in 22 at-bats for Colorado last season.