Cardinals Trade For Stottlemyre

Todd Stottlemyre, second in the American League in strikeouts last season, has reportedly been traded from the Oakland Athletics to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Oakland acquired reserve outfielder Allen Battle and two minor league pitchers for Stottlemyre.

California Angels reliever Lee Smith underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in late November and is doubtful for the start of the 1996 season.

The Angels signed left-handed pitcher Jim Abbott to a three-year, $7.8 million contract.

Outfielder Dwight Smith and the Atlanta Braves agreed to a $350,000, one-year contract.

Free-agent pitcher Bob Milacki, who spent 1995 in the Seattle and Kansas City farm systems, signed a minor league contract with the Mariners.

Shortstop Shawon Dunston and San Francisco agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.

At New York, the scheduled meeting between union head Donald Fehr and management negotiator Randy Levine was called off due to heavy snow.