NEW YORK -- David Cone decided Thursday he didn't want to be the New York Yankees' fifth starter and turned down the chance to remain with the World Series champions.

	David Cone Starting pitcher Free agent
	2000 SEASON STATISTICS W-L IP H BB SO ERA 4-14 155 192 82 120 6.91

Cone, coming off a 4-14 season, could have stayed for about $500,000 guaranteed and the chance to earn more in performance bonuses. Because the free-agent pitcher wasn't offered salary arbitration, he is ineligible to re-sign with the Yankees until May 1.

"It seemed best for both sides to go their separate ways," said Cone's agent, Steve Fehr. "I know David once said he wanted to remain a Yankee for the rest of his career, but sometimes circumstances change in ways you cannot quite foresee."

Cone, who had been with the Yankees since 1995, pitched a perfect game against Montreal in 1999 but has slumped since. He had a 6.91 ERA this season and pitched twice in the postseason, making two relief appearances for a total of 1 1/3 innings.

"Maybe with what he wants to do now, he is better to go somewhere he is needed more, not a situation where he is a fifth starter, and the four ahead of him are potential All-Stars," Fehr said.

Cone would have followed Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Orlando Hernandez and newly signed Mike Mussina in the Yankees' rotation. New York now will turn either to Cuban defector Adrian Hernandez -- not related to El Duque -- or one of its young pitchers. Dwight Gooden, who agreed Thursday to a minor league contract, is an outside possibility.

Cone, who will be 38 next season, has a 184-116 career record with a 3.40 ERA, also pitching for the New York Mets, Kansas City and Toronto. He won the AL Cy Young Award with the Royals in 1994 and has been a part of five World Series championship teams: Toronto in 1992 and the Yankees in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

The Mets, possibly seeking replacements for Mike Hampton and Bobby J. Jones in their rotation, could have interest in him.

"We really have not had much contact with other clubs, really by design," Fehr said. "I think he want to wait and figure out if it made sense to remain a Yankee."