Running 2012-2013 Hot Stove League Thread, aka Ervin's a Royal

Astros' new uniforms for the AL. I actually kinda like 'em:

 

Deal never got done. Haren's option was declined and now he's a free agent.

I like the new system. The market should move sooner and quicker this offseason without having to wait until December to see if clubs offer arbitration to potential free agents. The guys who got qualifying offers yesterday have another week to inform clubs whether they'll accept the $13.3 million, one-year deals. After that, the free agent landscape is clear and clubs have all the info they need to go to work.

 

The caps look like a throwback to the 60s and 70s, between the Colt 45 and test pattern eras.

 

A's sign Colon to a 1-year, $3 million deal.

 

I'm not crazy about the orange ones, but the others look good.

At least they'll look good for 120 games or so while finishing in last in the AL West.

 

California's public schools are funded on a per-student, per-day basis. When thousands of students -- including 23 percent of the city's high schoolers -- skipped school to attend the Giants' victory parade, the schools lost $158,000.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Giants-fever-keeps-kids-out-of-school-4008034.php

 

I like 'em.

 

A nice, clean look.

 

I agree. Sometimes there's something to be said for simplicity.

 

Front-runner for dumb injury of the year ... Lucas Duda broke his wrist while moving furniture at his home:

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8600762/lucas-duda-new-york-mets-fractures-wrist-moving-furniture-undergoes-surgery

 

Speaking of the Mets, they've bought out Jason Bay's contract, according to Danny Knobler on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/DKnobler/status/266250953739603970