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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya left the winter meetings Thursday still looking for a starting pitcher, and he had no immediate plans to bring Barry Zito to the Big Apple for a recruiting visit.

But the meetings did bring an attractive arm for the bullpen. New York traded young starter Brian Bannister to the Royals for hard-throwing reliever Ambiorix Burgos on Wednesday.

And late Thursday, the Mets agreed to a $5 million, two-year contract with reliever Guillermo Mota, who was acquired from Cleveland in August. Mota tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance and will miss the first 50 games of next season.

"Guillermo took responsibility for his actions and expressed extreme remorse for his mistake," Minaya said. "He handled himself in a stand-up manner."

Mota will make $2 million in 2007, but will lose about a third of it while serving a 50-game suspension for a drug violation. He'll get $3 million in 2008.

Now, the Mets could look to trade for a starter instead of chasing Zito.

"There's always pitching out there, you've just got to look for it," Minaya said. "I enjoy operating in names that nobody knows. It's more fun. When I say a name that nobody knows -- guys that are not proven."

While several top starters switched teams during baseball's annual bazaar, the Mets missed out.

Jason Schmidt was closing in on a deal with the Dodgers, and Ted Lilly picked the Chicago Cubs. Freddy Garcia was traded from the White Sox to Philadelphia, and Gil Meche signed with Kansas City.

The NL East champions never sounded all that enamored with any of those pitchers, instead focusing on Zito. But he figures to have plenty of suitors and it was hard to determine whether the Mets really made much progress with the left-hander's agent, Scott Boras.

"When we got here we were able to flush out some things, get a better idea where we are as far as the starting pitching," Minaya said. "There's only so many things we can do. We're pretty much set. We filled a lot of our needs early."

Zito already visited the Texas Rangers, who are expected to offer him big money. If the Mets are serious, they might want to bring the former Oakland ace to Broadway and show him the sights.

"There's nothing planned right now. Whenever these negotiations are -- if we get to the point that we continue to have dialogue, there's a possibility that can happen. But nothing has been set up," Minaya said. "Whether it's him or somebody else, I always try at some point in time, try to look at them in the eye. Where that is, it doesn't matter to me."

"There's always pitching out there, you've just got to look for it," Minaya said. "I enjoy operating in names that nobody knows. It's more fun. When I say a name that nobody knows -- guys that are not proven."

Next, Minaya was headed out on a scouting trip to the Dominican Republic to take a look at some of the team's younger prospects.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press