IN THE NEWS: The Red Sox trade 3B Carney Lansford, OF Garry Hancock, and minor leaguer Jerry King to Oakland for OF Tony Armas and C Jeff Newman. Lansford, who led the AL in hitting in '81, is expendable with the emergence of Wade Boggs at 3B.
Kenneth Moffett, who helped mediate the 1981 baseball strike settlement, is named to succeed Marvin Miller as executive director of the ML Baseball Players' Association.
In what will turn out to be a pair of unwise deals, the Yankees sign free-agent OF Steve Kemp to a 5-year contract, and trade OF Dave Collins, pitcher Mike Morgan, and minor leaguer Fred McGriff to the Blue Jays for P Dale Murray and minor leaguer Tom Dodd.
IN THE NEWS: Free-agent P Floyd Bannister, who led the AL with 209 strikeouts at Seattle last season, signs a 5-year contract with the White Sox for a reported $4.5 million. As compensation, the M's will pick minor leaguer Danny Tartabull from the player pool on January 20.
IN THE NEWS: The Giants trade veteran 2B Joe Morgan and reliever Al Holland to the Phillies for pitchers Mike Krukow and Mark Davis and minor leaguer Charles Penigar.
The Cardinals swap blue ribbon prospects Bobby Meacham and Stan Javier to the Yankees for three minor leaguers. Some observers think this is a lagniappe to New York for sending Willie McGee to the Cardinals last year in exchange for P Bob Sykes.
IN THE NEWS: Tom Seaver agrees to a new contract with the Mets, completing a trade that sends him back to New York from Cincinnati. The Reds receive pitcher Charlie Puleo and minor leaguers Lloyd McClendon and Jason Felice for the 3-time Cy Young Award winner, who was 5-13 with a 5.50 ERA in 1982. Seaver will surprise the Reds by winning 47 more games before hanging it up in 1986.
IN THE NEWS: Versatile Lee Mazzilli is traded for the 3rd time this year. The Yankees send him to the Pirates for four minor leaguers, including pitcher Tim Burke.