Cone Stays With Yankees; O’S Grab Roberto Alomar

David Cone decided to stay with the New York Yankees on Thursday and got the highest average salary ever for a pitcher.

But the Baltimore Orioles didn’t do too badly, getting Roberto Alomar to anchor their infield and solidify their batting order.

Boston, meanwhile, improved by signing pitcher Tom Gordon. And the San Diego Padres acquired first baseman Wally Joyner from the payroll-dumping Royals for infielder Bip Roberts.

There were 48 new free agents on the market when the day began after teams failed to offer 1996 contracts, but nine of them immediately resigned once the rule limiting paycuts to 20 percent no longer applied.

Cone, who had spent nearly a week debating his decision, agreed to a $19.5 million, three-year contract. The $6.5 million average annual value tops the previous high of $6 million, set by Cone with the $18 million, three-year deal he agreed to with Kansas City in December 1992.

“I think he just decided he wanted to be in New York,” said Cone’s agent, Steve Fehr. “He clearly went back and forth the last few weeks between Baltimore and the Yankees. There were a number of clubs that appealed to him, but most of the time the Yankees and Orioles seemed to fall into place at the top of the list.”

Cone, the 1994 A.L. Cy Young Award winner, was 18-8 with a 3.57 ERA last season, including 9-2 with a 3.82 ERA with the Yankees. He gets a $2 million signing bonus, a $4 million salary in 1996 and $6 million salaries in each of the 1997 and 1998 seasons. The Yankees have $5.5 million options for 1999 and 2000 with $1.5 million buyouts.

Baltimore’s offer was for $17.75 million over three years: a $500,000 signing bonus and annual salaries of $5.75 million. The Orioles wanted to defer $1.5 million a year of Cone’s salaries.

“We were obviously very interested in having David join the Orioles,” Baltimore owner Peter Angelos said. “He has decided he wants to remain with the Yankees, and we respect that decision and wish him well - except when he pitches against the Orioles.”

Angelos did snag Alomar for $18 million over three years. The six-time All-Star second baseman is the fifth new player to join the Orioles since Pat Gillick took over as general manager late last month.”It’s going to be great playing alongside one of the legends of baseball,” Alomar said. “It’s like a dream come true.”

Alomar gets a $2 million signing bonus, $4 million in 1996 and $6 million in each of the following two seasons. The Orioles will defer $1.7 million in each of the first two years and $1.6 million in 1998. The deferred money will be paid in 1999, 2000 and 2001 without interest.

The Yankees also agreed to a $2.1 million, two-year deal with second baseman Pat Kelly.

Among the players who were let go and re-signed were four Phillies: Curt Schilling got $600,000, down from $2.3 million; Tommy Greene got $525,000, down from $2 million; David West got $350,000, down from $950,000; and Mark Whiten got $800,000, down from $1,738,350.

Houston right-hander Darryl Kile got $750,000, down from $1,272,500. San Diego shortstop Andujar Cedeno got $500,000, down from $1.15 million.