BASEBALL NOTEBOOK: NO HIKE IN DODGER TICKETS.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

Going against a major-league trend, the Dodgers have announced they will not raise ticket prices for the 2001 season.

Team president Bob Graziano said ``we have made the commitment to keep Dodger baseball as one of the most affordable family tickets in Southern California.''

``We have always said that Dodger fans are the best in all of baseball,'' said Graziano. ``We are committed to reinvesting in the tradition of the Dodgers and we realize that a major part of the tradition is the fans. We wanted to recognize the loyalty of our fans and the contributions that they have made in hopes that they will reinvest with us in that tradition.''

This will be the 28th season that ticket prices have remained unchanged. Pavilion and top-deck seats have remained at $6 since 1992, said Graziano.

Single-game tickets are $17 (outfield), $15 (inner reserved), $13 (outer loge) and outer reserved ($10).

Season-ticket sales for 2001 begin Nov. 27. Individual game-ticket sales start March 3.

--Yankees sign O'Neill: Paul O'Neill believes the Yankees can win at least one more World Series and he wants to stay in New York for it.

After contemplating retirement late this season, O'Neill instead will play one final year, signing a $6.5 million contract with the Yankees.

--Kendall to sign today? The Pittsburgh Pirates will sign three-time All-Star catcher Jason Kendall today to a multiyear contract expected to be worth about $60 million, according to a news report.

Kendall and his brother, Mike, a Pirates scout, booked flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon. The Pirates will hold a 2 p.m. news conference at Three Rivers Stadium.

--Indians get Taubensee: Sandy Alomar, a six-time All-Star during 11 seasons in Cleveland, has apparently played his last game for the Cleveland Indians, who have acquired backup catcher Eddie Taubensee in a trade from Cincinnati.

Unable to re-sign Alomar, the Indians traded pitchers Jim Brower and Roberto Pugmire to the Reds for Taubensee, who began his career in Cleveland.

``It's very difficult to see it end this way,'' said Alomar, who joined the Indians in 1989 in a trade with San Diego. ``It's very disappointing, but you have to move on. That's life.''

In other moves, the Reds traded infielder Chris Stynes to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Michael Coleman and infielder Donnie Sadler and hired Tim Foli as a coach.

--Strawberry testifies: Former Yankees slugger Darryl Strawberry was back in court, but this time as a witness in an attempted-murder trial.

Strawberry testified he urged Joe Earl Harrison, a friend, to turn himself in after Harrison confided during a group-support meeting that he had shot someone.

The embattled outfielder drove Harrison to the Hillsborough County Jail to surrender, Strawberry told Circuit Judge J. Rogers Padgett. Harrison is accused of shooting at Elisha Scarborough five times, hitting him once in the head.

--Cubs get Tavarez: Free-agent right-handed pitcher Julian Tavarez signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Cubs reportedly worth a guaranteed $5 million. With incentives, the 27-year-old could make more than $7 million.

Tavarez was 11-5 with a 4.43 ERA in 51 games for Colorado, and set a Rockies record by winning nine straight decisions from May 16 to Sept. 5.