Dwight Gooden was invited by the Mets to be a spring training adviser. The Mets confirmed that they had wanted Gooden to mentor their young players on the pressures of playing in New York. Gooden said he turned down the Florida trip because his wife is nine months pregnant. Still, the Mets' offer marks a turning point in the often uneasy relationship between club and fallen phenom. "I could see something maybe working out in the near future," Gooden said, adding that he'd rather become a part-time consultant than a pitching coach. Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz called the invite "a little first step" to see if Gooden enjoys interacting with players. He also said the team wanted Gooden to know "he's got a family."