While David Cone waited, Gary Gaetti decided.
The 37-year-old third baseman agreed Monday to a $2 million, one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, the team he rooted for when he was growing up.Three other free agents switched teams Monday: Bob Tewksbury was guaranteed $1,625,000 for 1996 by the San Diego Padres; Roger McDowell agreed to a $750,000, one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles; and catcher Jeff Reed agreed to a $425,000, one-year contract with the Colorado Rockies.
Rick Honeycutt, in effect, re-signed with the New York Yankees by accepting their salary arbitration offer one day before tonight's midnight EST deadline. But New York is expected to deal Honeycutt to the Cardinals.
Cone, meanwhile, talked again with both the New York Yankees and the Orioles.
"I think David wants to resolve it this week," said Cone's agent, Steve Fehr.
Two days before the deadline for teams to offer 1996 contracts to their unsigned players, four players eligible for salary arbitration agreed to deals.
Pittsburgh outfielder Orlando Merced got a $5.4 million, two-year contract, Boston pitcher Butch Henry got a $400,000, one-year contract, San Francisco starter Rich DeLucia got a $1.05 million, two-year deal and Giants reliever Sergio Valdez got a $200,000, one-year contract.
Milwaukee chose to get rid of pitcher Bob Scanlan, placing him on the waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release.
Gaetti, 37, hit .261 with a career-high 35 home runs and had 96 RBIs last year for the Kansas City Royals. He needs eight home runs to reach 300.
"We needed to add some offensive pop to our infield," Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said. "Gary gives us a proven long-ball threat."
Scott Cooper, the Cardinals' third baseman last season, had three home runs and 40 RBIs and batted .230.
"Last night, when I was doing some Christmas shopping, I stopped by a sporting goods store to see what I looked like in a Cardinals cap, and it just looked right," said Gaetti, who grew up in Centralia, Ill.
Tewksbury gets $1.5 million next season, and the Padres have a $1.75 million option for 1997 with a $125,000 buyout. He was 8-7 with a 4.58 ERA with Texas in 1995.