NEW YORK – Steve Phillips knows he has to sign some pitchers.

"Right now, we have holes to fill," the Mets general manager said Thursday, "because right now Al Leiter and Glendon Rusch are on pace for 400 innings each, which could tax the bullpen a bit."

After watching Mike Mussina sign with the Yankees, the Mets pondered their next move. Mike Hampton, Bobby J. Jones and Rick Reed -- 60 percent of their starting rotation -- became free agents after the World Series.

"This is still very early in the process," Phillips said.

The Mets offered Mussina $87.5 million for six years, $1 million less than he agreed to with the Yankees. Mussina said he felt wanted by the Yankees and was impressed that manager Joe Torre called him right after they beat the Mets in the World Series.

Phillips said the Mets also went all out to court Mussina and that co-owners Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday called the 31-year-old right-hander along with Leiter, Mike Piazza, Todd Zeile, Robin Ventura, John Franco and Tom Seaver.

"I'm not sure that his decision hung on the date he got the first call," Phillips said.

Phillips also said he didn't think it would have made a difference if the Mets had increased their offer.

"They weren't looking to set records. In the end, money was not going to be the driving force," he said. "From what I understand, we were the second choice in his decision-making process. His comfort level of staying in the American League was part of the decision."

It didn't bother the Mets that Mussina signed with their cross-town rival, a team that beat them 4-1 in the first Subway Series since 1956.

"I don't react or overreact to what the Yankees do or anyone else," Phillips said, "We have to do what's right for us and trust in our evaluation and our plan."

The Mets still are in the hunt to re-sign Hampton, who will start narrowing his field this week. New York decided not to raise its offer to him after the World Series loss to the Yankees.

"Why make proposals that you know are going to be rejected because the expectation is they think the market is going to go higher?" Phillips said.

He's not particularly in a hurry to conclude deals for starters. The Mets also are trying to re-sign reliever Turk Wendell, who doesn't know if he wants to return.

"Sometimes in waiting, you give yourself options and choices and flexibility," he said, "but it may cost you more money because of what happens in the market, and it may force you to seek alternative players."