MLB Free Agency 2013: Washed-Up Players Who Will Be Overpaid This Offseason

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With this offseason's free-agency market ramping up in advance of the upcoming winter meetings, fanbases all over the country are speculating on which top players might make their way into their team's lineup.

A number of top players are set to ink huge deals and will no doubt instantly change the face of any franchise they sign with.

Once those players are gone, however, there will inevitably be holes in lineups that need to be filled with the secondary market.

This is where some of the aging stars of the game come in, as they're not yet ready to call it quits, but can't deny the fact that their best days are behind them.

In some instances, GMs are able to find diamonds in the rough that turn out a solid return on their investments, but oftentimes the moves fail to pan out, and even relatively minimal contracts can look like significant losses if the results don't match the expectations.

Grady Sizemore

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At one time, Grady Sizemore was a player who appeared to represent the future of the Cleveland Indians. From 2006 to 2008, he played in nearly every game and averaged 28 home runs per season.

Since then, he's struggled mightily to stay healthy, and after singing a one-year deal for 2012, he didn't play at all this season, likely signaling the end of his time in Cleveland.

Sizemore is still only 30 years old and could very well earn his way back into the league, but if he struggles to get healthy as his track record recently suggests, any amount will be overpaying.

Matt Capps

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After a relatively successful post-trade 2010 performance, Matt Capps was brought back to the Twins' bullpen in 2011 to close games alongside Joe Nathan.

Capps' 2011 didn't go according to plan at all, as he struck out about half as many batters while giving up more home runs.

This year didn't go much better, as injuries hampered his efforts on a one-year deal. With Glen Perkins currently closing games, Capps is out in Minnesota.

Joe Blanton

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Heading into 2013, the Los Angeles Dodgers certainly have the look of a team that's doing everything in its power to contend as their midseason acquisitions will reshape the landscape of the NL West.

Acquiring players like Hanley Ramirez and Shane Victorino will certainly help in the long run, and though Joe Blanton didn't yield much for results after he came over from Philadelphia, that still won't stop some team from bringing him on board in 2013.

With just two 10-win seasons since 2007 and an ERA hovering around 5.00 since then, he's not the pitcher he was early in his career, though at just 31 years old there will no doubt be a team that gives him a shot at returning to his old self.

Andruw Jones

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As one of the most dominating outfielders during his best days, Andruw Jones was always a threat in the batter's box and became an invaluable asset on a number of contending teams.

He's had his share of struggles since then, and while he did serve a purpose as a bench bat for the Yankees over the past couple of seasons, it seems unlikely he'll be back in 2013.

A team looking for some offensive pop might seek out Jones, but if too much is expected of the rapidly aging slugger, a franchise could be setting themselves up for disappointment.

Travis Hafner

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On the topic of aging assets, the Cleveland Indians had an interesting situation on their hands regarding Travis Hafner this season.

During Hafner's best days, he was one of the most dangerous hitters in the AL Central and was consistently in AL MVP consideration.

He's run into issues staying on the field since then, but if healthy, he can still be a home run threat. A team will need to determine if he is worth the risk. 

Jonathan Sanchez

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After appearing to get the short end of the stick in the Melky Cabrera trade, the Kansas City Royals finally parted ways with shaky starter Jonathan Sanchez, who would ultimately end up in Colorado.

He went 0-3 in three starts with the Rockies after being moved, and with an ERA hovering at nearly 10.00, the team's confidence in him can't be high enough that he'll be back in 2013.

With that said, Sanchez has shown that he can be dominant when he's at his best (13-9; 3.07 ERA in 2010), so there could very well be a team in a pinch for rotation help that gives him a shot.

Carl Pavano

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After winning 17 games in 2010, the Twins signed Carl Pavano to a two-year contract worth nearly $18 million in hopes that he'd be a veteran presence in a young, starting rotation.

The 2011 season didn't end well for Pavano, as he won just nine games, and he had all of two wins in 2012 before being injured and sidelined for the remainder of the year.

His current age and performance last year won't bode well for any long-term deal, but as starting pitchers are plucked off the market, Pavano could find himself earning well beyond what he should in 2013.