TAMPA, Fla. -- David Cone remains determined to turn his season around.

"I'm not giving up," said the New York Yankees pitcher before his workout Sunday at the team's player development center in Tampa Fla. "I'm going to find a way to pitch better and go out on my own terms."

	Cone

Cone was sent to work with longtime pitching coach Billy Connors by owner George Steinbrenner after the right-hander dropped a career-worst eighth straight decision in a 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins Thursday.

Cone threw batting practice in Tampa on Monday.

"I'm open to any suggestions," Cone said. "I welcome the chance to work with Billy and do anything I can to get something going here."

Cone worked extensively on his mechanics during a 15-minute bullpen session Saturday, an outing both team officials and the pitcher called encouraging.

"Billy has some great ideas," Cone said. "It's just kind of back to basics. Sometimes you get lost in what you're trying to do with your mechanics. It's nice to get a fresh perspective."

Yankees manager Joe Torre has not announced his long-term pitching plans, but the possibility exists Cone could make his next start during an upcoming weekend series against the Seattle Mariners.

"That's all I'm thinking about ... short term right now," Cone said. "I'm going to be ready to pitch if they want to give me the ball."

Cone, 1-10 with a 6.88 ERA, is winless in 14 starts since a victory April 28 over the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees have lost each of his last 12 starts.

"It's disappointing, because I found myself in a position where I'm hurting the team ... really holding the team back when everybody else is playing well," Cone said. "My day comes to pitch and we lose again."

"That's the worst part of all. We don't win on days I pitch."

Two other Yankees pitchers on injury rehab assignment showed progress.

Left-handed reliever Allen Watson threw two hitless innings in his first rehab start Monday.

Watson, placed on the 15-day DL in late June with a dislocated right shoulder, struck out one and walked one for Class-A Tampa in a Florida State League game against the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Orlando Hernandez, sidelined since July 14 by right elbow discomfort and mild back spasms, is expected to throw three innings Tuesday night for Class-A Tampa.

And infielder D'Angelo Jimenez, who was expected to miss the entire 2000 season after a breaking a bone in his neck during a January car accident, joined Class-A Tampa on Monday after playing four games in the rookie Gulf Coast League last week.