AUTO RACING
NASCAR—Placed Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne on probation through the end of the 2004 season and fined them each $10,000 for deliberately crashing into each other after a Nov. 7 race. Fined Tony Eury, crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr., $2,500 for having a windshield that was not an approved part and did not meet the minimum required thickness of a quarter inch.
BASEBALL
American League
BOSTON RED SOX—Claimed LHP Billy Traber off waivers from Cleveland.
NEW YORK YANKEES—Named Joe Girardi bench coach and catching instructor.
National League
CINCINNATI REDS—Signed 1B A.J. Zapp to a minor league contract.
BASKETBALL
National Basketball Association
LOS ANGELES LAKERS—Placed F Jumaine Jones on the injured list. Activated F-C Slava Medvedenko from the injured list.
American Basketball Association
LONG BEACH JAM—Signed G-F Felipe Lopez.
ORANGE COUNTY CRUSH—Signed F Dennis Rodman.
FOOTBALL
National Football League
DENVER BRONCOS—Fired David Gibbs, defensive backs coach. Named Jimmy Spencer defensive backs coach.
MIAMI DOLPHINS—Terminated the contract of S Antuan Edwards. Reached an injury settlement with K Matt Bryant and waived him.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS—Signed K Jose Cortez. Placed K Aaron Elling on injured reserve. Signed OL Shannon Snell to the practice squad.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS—Signed OT Lance Nimmo to the practice squad.
NEW YORK GIANTS—Signed DE Chuck Wiley.
NEW YORK JETS—Signed QB Ricky Ray from the practice squad. Signed S Jarrell Weaver to the practice squad.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS—Released DL Otis Leverette. Signed DL Chris Cooper.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS—Placed C John Wade on injured reserve. Signed DT Chidi Ahanotu. Signed K Jay Taylor to the practice squad.
Canadian Football League
EDMONTON ESKIMOS—Announced the resignation of Tom Higgins, coach.
HOCKEY
American Hockey League
CHICAGO WOLVES—Recalled D Lane Manson from Gwinnett of the ECHL.
HARTFORD WOLF PACK—Recalled RW Juris Stals from Charlotte of the ECHL.
MANCHESTER MONARCHS—Returned C Eric Fortier on loan to Reading of the ECHL.
ECHL
DAYTON BOMBERS—Announced RW Ben Knopp was recalled by Syracuse of the AHL.
VICTORIA SALMON KINGS—Signed D Trent Brandvold.
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
LOS ANGELES GALAXY—Announced the retirement of MF Andreas Herzog.
COLLEGE
MICHIGAN STATE—Announced G Maurice Joseph and G Travis Walton signed letters of intent to play for the men's basketball team.
RUTGERS—Announced G Anthony Farmer, F Jaron Griffin, F Gerald Inman and F-C Zack Gibson signed letters of intent to play for the men's basketball team.