AL Central News & Rumors: Royals moves, Porcello rumors, Thome, Hafner, Delmon

We'll start with the Royals, which had expressed interest in Shaun Marcum at one point but settled for selling off their future, not realizing they could have had Marcum for a mere $8 million:

• Royals claim George Kottaras; designate Tony Abreu - MLB Daily Dish
  The Kansas City Royals have claimed catcher George Kottaras off waivers from the Oakland Athletics.

• Nine Trade Offers the Royals Should Have Accepted - Royals Review
  With the power of hindsight and stark judgment, we go back in time and look at nine trades the Royals should have executed when given the chance.

• 1977: Despicable thievery of Royals' uniforms leads to Brewer-on-Brewer carnage - #crackerjacks
  Here's a great example of the atrocities a quality team like the late 70s Kansas City Royals were forced to endure because 1) they were so awesome and popular and 2) somebody stole their uniforms.

• Rick Porcello rumors: Tigers, Diamondbacks trade doubtful - MLB Daily Dish
  Arizona GM Kevin Towers doesn't think the club will add another starter this winter.

• Tigers rumors: Rick Porcello, Brennan Boesch - MLB Daily Dish
  Tigers don't feel pressure to trade Rick Porcello, but are shopping Brennan Boesch.

• The Delmon Young Era: An Epitaph (or, Hooray for Victor Martinez) - Bless You Boys
  Paraphrasing Dickens, it was the worst of times, it was the worst of times. Now clear the decks and make way for Victor Martinez, hereafter known as "Mr. Upgrade."

• Indians rumors: Jim Thome, Travis Hafner - MLB Daily Dish
  Cleveland is mulling over the idea of bringing back one of their old sluggers to DH for 2013.

• Indians Come to Fork In Road, Take It - Let's Go Tribe
  Marc Normandin assesses the Indians' offseason and finds that although the team hasn't made a decisive choice between win-now and rebuilding strategies, that decision might work out for the best.

• Indians sign Ben Francisco to minor-league deal - MLB Daily Dish
  Cleveland has signed their former 5th-round draft pick to a minor-league deal and given him an invite to big-league camp.

• Chicago White Sox claim Zach Stewart - MLB Daily Dish
  The Chicago White Sox have claimed right-hander Zach Stewart off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• Chicago White Sox Pitchers are Very, Very Left-Handed: Does it Matter? - MLB Daily Dish
  The White Sox are set to have a highly imbalanced pitching staff, perhaps one of the most heavily left-handed of the last 40 years. Is that a competitive advantage or disadvantage?

• Can Chris Sale top Justin Verlander? - South Side Sox
  The AL Central is home to a pair of the American League's bona fide aces. But can the young gun outpitch the veteran?