The Dodgers traded Piazza to the Florida Marlins on May 15, and a week later the Mets acquired him for three minor leaguers.

If the Mets initiate talks to trade Piazza, the process promises to be complicated.

The only way the Mets could probably trade Piazza is if they absorbed a large chunk of his salary.

With Guillen off the market, it will be more difficult for the Mets to trade Piazza, and more expensive for them to acquire two new starting outfielders.

Last week, he said that they would not contend before 2006 and that they should consider trading Piazza if he refused to shift to first base by spring training.

Seven months after trading Piazza, they signed Brown to a seven-year, $105 million contract.

Rather than have him become a free agent and gain nothing for him, the Dodgers decided to trade Piazza, and he wound up in New York by way of Florida.

Phillips, however, indicated that it was unlikely that the Mets would trade Piazza, even though Phillips has yet to begin serious negotiations with the All-Star catcher.

They hope to add to that collection in eventually trading Piazza and Zeile.

Piazza's service time has given him the right to veto any trade, and a team official said last week that the Mets had no plans to trade Piazza, who has two years remaining on his contract.