Deals That Teams Will Regret Not Completing at the MLB Winter Meetings

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With the MLB winter meetings behind us, some teams have taken on a very new look, while others are still left with many pieces left to move around before heading into spring training.

Seeing players like Zack Greinke and Josh Hamilton still on the market isn't always the most common occurrence, as the biggest dominoes are oftentimes the first to fall, but in any case, it's only a matter of time before they find new homes.

For every move that was made, however, you have to believe that there were a handful of deals that were just a John Hancock away from completion before inevitably falling through.

Here are some teams and players that didn't ultimately make their moves, but could very well end up wishing they had.

Brandon McCarthy and the Twins

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It may be hard to say the Minnesota Twins have had a positive offseason thus far, as they've already shipped out two starting outfielders to the NL East in sending Denard Span to Washington and Ben Revere to Philadelphia.

They did bring back some solid pitching prospects that should eventually solidify their biggest weakness, but in the interim, the problems in the rotation remain.

Making moves like the Twins are making really shows that they're rebuilding, but after seeing Brandon McCarthy go to the Arizona Diamondbacks for two years at $16 million, GM Terry Ryan has to wonder if he let immediate help on the mound slip away.

Zack Greinke to the Dodgers

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After a massive overhaul late last summer swung the balance of power in Los Angeles toward the Dodgers, the questions about what they could possibly do to improve this offseason peaked at the winter meetings.

There was talk that the Dodgers had a strong interest in signing Zack Greinke from their inner-city rival, though it's looking more and more like that won't end up happening as the team pursues other options. 

As the top pitcher on the open market, Los Angeles could have solidified their stake as a possible favorite in the NL West as the San Francisco Giants make all the moves necessary to field another contending team in 2013.

Rafael Soriano and His Opt-Out

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With Mariano Rivera lost early in the season, the New York Yankees had a big hole to fill as they looked to piece together the back end of their bullpen.

Rafael Soriano stepped up in a big way in 2012, posting a 2.26 ERA in 69 appearances while saving 42 games—three short of his career high.

In opting out of the final year of his contract with New York, Soriano thought he'd be able to secure significant interest this offseason and potentially cash in on a big deal, though it's looking like that interest may not be there.

R.A. Dickey to a Serious Suitor

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Anytime you're talking about dealing the reigning Cy Young award winner, expectations have to be at an extremely high level.

The New York Mets appear to be very willing to make a trade, and while a deal wasn't made during the winter meetings, it wouldn't surprise anyone to see something happen before the end of the year.

We are, however, seeing pitchers start to find their way off the market as signings continue to take place, something that could lower the demand of a pitcher like Dickey.

Zack Greinke and the Angels

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The Los Angeles Angels look like a team that can contend in 2013, and though they haven't made a big splash yet this offseason, they have made some moves that they hope can shore up their starting rotation.

Signing Joe Blanton will no doubt fill a body, but in the end, adding players not named Zack Greinke will price them out of the market for the top player on the open market, something they could regret down the road.