Ageless veteran first baseman Julio Franco continues to find work in the major leagues. On Friday, the oldest player in the league signed a two-year contract with the New York Mets. Franco, 47, will be entering his 29th professional season in 2006. He ranks 78th on the all-time hit list with 2,521, which is also the fourth-best total among active players, and his next homer will make him the oldest player to ever do so in a major league game. The native of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic broke into the majors in 1982. He spent the last five years in Atlanta, playing no fewer than 103 games in each of the past four seasons. Since 2001, he has a .292 average with 29 homers and 171 RBI in 466 games. Last year, he hit .275 with nine homers, 42 RBI and 30 runs scored in 108 contests. He also led the club with 14 pinch-hits. With the Mets he is expected to serve primarily as the backup to first baseman Carlos Delgado and be used in pinch-hitting duties. "I have admired Julio Franco for years," Mets general manager Omar Minaya. "Julio can help us off the bench as a pinch-hitter and in the field at first base. He brings a legendary workout routine and a positive energy to the clubhouse." Franco, a three-time All-Star, is a career .299 hitter with 170 home runs and 1,152 RBI in 2,377 games with Philadelphia, Cleveland, Texas, the Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee, Tampa Bay and Atlanta. He has more than 3,800 hits as a professional, playing in the majors, minors, Japan, Korea and Mexico.