One Player from Each MLB Team Who Will Be Gone in 2012

As 2011 comes to a close, it appears that the MLB hot stove is reaching its boiling point.  Despite top target Albert Pujols signing a massive contract with the Los Angeles Angels, his fellow free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder is still looking for a contract, and on top of that, it appears that every single team from both leagues is looking to make some moves via free agency or trade.

One such player is Chicago Cubs starter Matt Garza, whose strong potential and ace capability is sure to fetch a high return in terms of top prospects.  According to David Kaplan of Comcast Sportsnet Chicago, talks for the hard-throwing righty are "heating up" and teams like the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees are involved.

Given how the Cubs' new front office seems determined to acquire some top prospects in its rebuilding phase, chances are that Garza will be traded at some point during the new year, most likely before the start of the season.

Here is one player from each team who will also meet that fate.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Geoff Blum

Prior to last season, utility infielder Geoff Blum signed a two-year, $2.7 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The hope was that Blum would provide solid depth around the infield and play solid defense, not to mention be a decent lefty bat to  provide some pop off the bench.

Instead, age seemed to catch up with the 38-year-old veteran as injuries limited him to just 23 games in which he hit .224 with just two home runs and 10 RBI.  With Arizona looking to get younger, don't be surprised if Blum finds himself released before or during spring training.

Atlanta Braves: Jair Jurrjens

It's no secret that the Atlanta Braves have way too many starting pitchers.  Most would consider that a blessing, but it's a curse for the braves as two of those starters are Randall Delgado and Julio Teheran, prospects who could turn the Braves' rotation into one reminiscent of that seen in the 1990s.

With Tommy Hanson seen as the ace of the staff and Tim Hudson too old to be traded for top prospects, that leaves Jair Jurrjens as the odd man out.  Despite injury concerns surrounding him, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reported that the Baltimore Orioles have some interest in the righty from Curacao.

Given how the 25-year-old has been solid despite said injury problems, he should be worth enough for the Braves to get some top prospects in return for him.  Last season, he went 13-6 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in just 23 starts.

As he posted those numbers playing against tough NL East teams, I'm shocked that a deal hasn't been made for him already.

Baltimore Orioles: Jeremy Guthrie

The Baltimore Orioles are, once again, in rebuilding mode.  New GM Dan Duquette seems to be focusing on building the team through young pitching, and that's where Jeremy Guthrie comes in.  To give you an idea of how bad the O's have been as of late, Guthrie was considered the ace of the pitching staff.

Last year, Guthrie went 9-17 with a 4.33 ERA.  His loss total was tops in the majors.  Say what you want about him not having proper run support, the man just isn't ace material.

He is in his final year of arbitration eligibility, so it's hard to believe that team management will want to pay Guthrie more than the $5.75 million he earned in 2011.  I expect him either to be traded for low-level prospects or to become a free agent after his arbitration hearings prove to be fruitless.

Boston Red Sox: Marco Scutaro

The Red Sox have already made a key move regarding a player who will be gone by 2012 as just Wednesday, they traded talented outfield prospect Josh Reddick to the Oakland A's for stud closer Andrew Bailey and outfielder Ryan Sweeney.  Now that this transaction has been made, it's tough to say which other players could be out of Boston by the start of the new year.

Yet, with prospect Jose Iglesias on the rise and newly-signed utility infielder Nick Punto more than capable of starting, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that shortstop Marco Scutaro will be traded.  The team just picked up a $6 million option on him, and given how he has proven to be a defensive liability while in Beantown, he is arguably expendable.

Luckily for the Red Sox, the Colorado Rockies have expressed interest in Scutaro, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.  Since Scutaro has enough pop left in his bat that he can use the hitter-friendly Coors Field to his advantage, it's certainly possible that a deal could be struck.

Chicago Cubs: Matt Garza

I think it's pretty safe to say that Matt Garza will be traded from the Chicago Cubs to another team at some point before the start of the 2012 season.  He is so unbelievably talented and his price tag is at an all-time high, so teams desperate for rotation help will surely present prospect packages to Cubs management in hopes of acquiring the hard-throwing righty.

Don't let Garza's 2011 numbers fool you.  He went 10-10 thanks to an anemic Cubs' offense, but his ERA was an impressive 3.32 and he struck out 197 hitters in 198 innings.  As I said before, he has ace potential and will not cost too much money for the next couple of years, as he is arbitration eligible.

He'll be traded at some point in the near future.  It's just a question of which team wants him most.

Chicago White Sox: Carlos Quentin

After an extremely disappointing 2011, White Sox GM Kenny Williams appears 100-percent committed to rebuilding the team.  He has already traded Sergio Santos, last season's closer, to the Toronto Blue Jays, and it appears that power-hittting outfielder Carlos Quentin is next.  According to Ken Rosenthal, the San Diego Padres are very interested in Quentin's services.

It may be hard to move him, as injuries have prevented him from ever playing a full season, but the fact remains that Quentin's home-run power speaks for itself.  On top of that, the White Sox appear to have their heart set on starting prospect Dayan "The Tank" Viciedo in right field.

Thus, with the GM insistent on starting from scratch, Quentin will be saying goodbye to the South Side in the new year.

Cincinnati Reds: None

The Cincinnati Reds have already made two key offseason moves in the past couple of weeks, having traded pitcher Travis Wood to the Chicago Cubs for lefty Sean Marshall and also dealing prospect Yonder Alonso and prospects to the San Diego Padres for Mat Latos.

That being said, having looked at the team's roster, there is no other player who I can safely say will be off the team in the new year by way of trade, retirement, etc...

Looks like Reds fans can look forward to the new-look team and its win-now approach in 2012.

Cleveland Indians: Grady Sizemore

Grady Sizemore has already re-upped with the Indians this offseason, signing a one-year deal worth $5 million.  In 2011, his first season back from undergoing major microfracture surgery on his knee, further injuries limited him to 71 games.  He hit just .224 with 10 home runs and 32 RBI.

That being said, I have a hard time believing that Sizemore will be back to All-Star form in 2012.  Not to sound harsh, but there is no way he is worth $5 million.  His knees are shot at the too-soon age of 29, and as someone who comes from a long line of men with bad knees, I don't think it's a stretch to say that Sizemore will retire at some point during spring training.

Colorado Rockies: Seth Smith

According to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, the Colorado Rockies are "very likely" to trade outfielder Seth Smith.  The lefty bat played in a career-high 147 games last year and hit .284 with 15 home runs and 59 RBI but has become expendable now that the team has signed Michael Cuddyer.

Many teams are in the market for an outfielder with pop in the bat, so it's only a matter of time until Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd pulls the trigger on a trade that sends Smith to another team and brings in decent prospects for the Rox.

Detroit Tigers: Brandon Inge

Forget the fact that he plays good defense.  Brandon Inge's 2011 season was a forgettable one as he hit .197 with three home runs and just 23 RBI.

The Tigers have a powerful lefty bat in Don Kelly ready to play either third base or the outfielder, not to mention that he comes at a far cheaper price than Inge.  Thus, come spring training, I anticipate that Inge's heavy contract and underwhelming offense will lead to him being released in favor of Kelly.

Houston Astros: Wandy Rodriguez

After a 2011 season that featured 106 losses, the Astros are in full-on rebuilding mode.  One of the players expected to be moved in the early stages of new GM Jeff Luhnow's tenure is southpaw starter Wandy Rodriguez, who is due $22.6 million over the next two seasons.

Rodriguez is an average pitcher who has posted a decent ERA the past few seasons, but his lack of velocity makes him prone to contact and thus his WHIP is less than average.  In seven MLB seasons, he has posted a 1.34 mark in that category.

He'll be hard to move since the team is unwilling to pay any of his remaining salary, but a team desperate enough for a left-handed starter will find a way to make a deal for Rodriguez.  On a team that scores a lot of runs, chances are he could be very successful.

Kansas City Royals: None

Rumors are swirling that the Royals are shopping closer Joakim Soria, but I'm not buying it.  The man is way too important to the team's future success, and that is closer than you may think.  Thus, to trade him for prospects after one bad season is just silly.

Team GM Dayton Moore has already made big moves this offseason in trading outfielder Melky Cabrera to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Jonathan Sanchez and bringing back Yuniesky Betancourt to shortstop, so I don't foresee any other players on the roster being cut or traded any time soon.

Los Angeles Angels: Mark Trumbo

Though I didn't think this was possible initially after Albert Pujols signed with the Angels, I have changed my tune since then.  The Angels have a great number of options at first base in Pujols, Mark Trumbo and Kendrys Morales, and Trumbo is the odd man out.  It's sad because as a rookie, he hit .254 with 29 home runs and 87 RBI.

Yet, despite the fact that Morales has missed much of the past two seasons while recovering from a broken leg, the fact remains that he is a switch-hitter who plays solid defense.  Given his injury history, he's going to be a lot tougher to trade than a young hotshot like Trumbo.

A lot of how this pans out depends on how Morales' recovery progresses, but when push comes to shove, I'm anticipating that Trumbo will be the man shipped out of SoCal in exchange for a prospect or two.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Hiroki Kuroda

Hiroki Kuroda is technically a free agent and thus belongs to no team.  Yet, since he has been associated with the Dodgers his entire MLB career and the team has no other viable candidate to be cut or traded, he is the Dodgers' representative on this list by default.

He wants to remain in Los Angeles, but the Dodgers just don't have the money to pay him as they are going through an ownership change.  He may be getting up there in years as he will turn 37 in February, but the fact remains that he posted a 3.07 ERA and went 13-16 last year on a struggling team.

He'll be playing baseball somewhere next year.  It just won't be with the Dodgers.

Miami Marlins: Javier Vazquez

Like Kuroda, Javier Vazquez is a free agent and is not committed to any one team.  Yet, with all of the moves that the Marlins have made this offseason, there really isn't any one player on the team that is extremely expendable.

Vazquez went 13-11 with a 3.69 ERA for the Fish last season and had a phenomenal second half, so he could be in high demand for a team looking for rotation help.  However, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, the veteran right-hander has decided to retire.

Thus, it's a pretty safe bet that Vazquez won't be part of the revamped Marlins team next season.

Milwaukee Brewers: Francisco Rodriguez

Earlier this offseason, Francisco Rodriguez accepted arbitration from the Milwaukee Brewers despite the general consensus that he would leave the team to go back to being a closer elsewhere.  Yet, it appears that he has chosen to remain in Milwaukee as a setup man to incumbent closer John Axford.

Sorry, folks, but I'm not buying this one bit.  My theory is that Rodriguez became discouraged with the dry market for someone of his talent and accepted arbitration in the hopes that the Brewers would find a way to trade him to another team, where he could be a closer.

He's still a valuable arm and his presence as a setup man could make the Milwaukee bullpen borderline untouchable, but he has already voiced his displeasure at being a setup man.  Thus, prior to Opening Day, I have a feeling that he'll be on another team.

Minnesota Twins: Tsuyoshi Nishioka

Last offseason, the Minnesota Twins posted a winning bid of $5 million just to negotiate with Chiba Lotte Marines infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka.  In eight professional seasons in Japan, the switch-hitter had developed a reputation as someone who could hit well for average as well as steal bases and play solid defense, not to mention pop a few home runs every now and then.  Thus, the Twins gave him a three-year deal worth $9 million, plus an option for a fourth year.

Unfortunately, Nishioka proved to be a Kaz Matsui-type player in that he was good in Japan, but just couldn't cut it in the majors.  I know that may seem premature to say since he only has one MLB season under his belt and is just 27 years old, but the stats speak for themselves.  A broken leg limited him to 68 games last year and in that time, he hit just .226 with no home runs and 19 RBI, posting an abysmal OBP of .278.

Unless he exhibits a tremendous turnaround in spring training, I'm anticipating that Nishioka will find himself on the unemployment line come the start of the 2012 season.

New York Mets: None

The New York Mets are such a financial nightmare right now that they should probably change their name to the New York Mess.  Team GM Sandy Alderson has very little money to work with and no real MLB-ready prospects to offer in exchange for top talent.  This offseason, the biggest moves he made were trading outfielder Angel Pagan to the Giants for relief pitcher Ramon Ramirez and outfielder Andres Torres while also signing relievers Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch as free agents.

That being said, this team is going to hold on to as many of its regulars as it can prior to the start of spring training.  Until that part of the preseason begins and we have a better idea of the talent at hand, both new and old, there is no way to determine which current member of the roster will be gone in 2012.

New York Yankees: Ramiro Pena

Simply put, the Yankees have too many infielders.  Eduardo Nunez established himself last season as someone who can play most infield positions (albeit with some shaky defense) as well as the outfield, and Eric Chavez proved to be a reliable lefty bat off the bench.  That leaves utility man Ramiro Pena as the odd man out, as there really isn't any place to put him.

The Yankees will keep him around for now in case Nunez suffers a major injury or if Chavez doesn't re-sign and they need another lefty bat off the bench (Pena is a switch-hitter), but even then it doesn't seem likely that Pena will remain with the team.

At some point in the near future, I'm anticipating him to be cut.

Oakland A's: Daric Barton

Just like the Yankees have too many infielders, the Oakland A's have way too many first basemen.  Though Brandon Allen is expected to be the starter in 2012, here are the players who could feasibly compete for the backup's job: Chris Carter, Kila Ka'aihue and Daric Barton.  Out of that trio, Barton has been with the team the longest, since 2007.

Looking at the stats of the three, and I hate to say this, but Barton is the odd man out.  Both Ka'aihue and Carter have the potential to hit for great power and have not really been regularly tested against major league pitching, while Barton has five MLB seasons (two full) under his belt.  He can get on base, but that's about it.

Given that the A's are looking to get back into contention, stats like Barton's .212 average in 2011 just won't cut it.  Unless he can outshine the competition in spring training, he'll be gone.

Philadelphia Phillies: Wilson Valdez

As solid as Wilson Valdez has been in the field for the Phillies the past couple of seasons, I have a feeling that his time in the City of Brotherly Love may be short.  Already this offseason, the Phils have loaded up on infielders by bringing back Jim Thome and in trading for Ty Wigginton, a man who can play three infield positions as well as some outfield.

The difference between those two men and Valdez is simple: 30 combined home runs in 2011 compared to Valdez's solo longball.  With the team looking to avenge a heartbreaking elimination in last year's NLDS, something tells me that Valdez and his light hitting may be the odd man out come 2012.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Nate McLouth

I'd be lying if I said Nate McLouth's performance the past two years was notable, because it was pretty atrocious.  In two full years with the Atlanta Braves, he was a shell of the All-Star he once was with the Pittsburgh Pirates.  From 2010-2011, injuries limited him to 166 games in which he hit just .210 with 10 home runs and 40 RBI.

Sure enough, the Braves chose not to re-sign him, and the Pirates brought him back on a one-year deal worth $1.75 million plus incentives. 

I hate to say it, but I think that McLouth may be done.  The Pirates' outfield is set with Jose Tabata, Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones, all of whom bring their own unique talents to the table.  That being said, McLouth is going to have to perform exceptionally well throughout spring training to justify getting any spot starts.

Unfortunately, I just don't think he has it in him.

San Diego Padres: Anthony Rizzo

Now that the Padres have acquired Yonder Alonso to handle the first base duties, prospect Anthony Rizzo has become expendable.  In 49 games at the major league level last season, he hit .141 with a home run and nine RBI.  However, Rizzo is anything but a bust as he is just 22 years old and hit .331 with 26 longballs and 101 RBI in 93 games at Triple-A Tuscon last year.

That being said, there are many teams with a hole to fill at first base, the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays being two such organizations.  Rizzo could be a great fit for any team looking for both a first baseman and a lefty bat with power, so there's little reason to believe that the Padres will just let him stew in the minors while Alonso keeps doing great work in the majors.

By the start of spring training, look for Rizzo to be wearing a different uniform.

San Francisco Giants: Barry Zito

I'm going out on a limb in saying this, seeing as how Zito has two years and $36 million plus an $18 million option remaining on the seven-year, $126 million contract he signed with the Giants prior to the 2007 season, but the former Cy Young Award winner will not be in a Giants uniform by the start of the 2012 season.

In five seasons with the team, Zito has gone 43-61 with a 4.55 ERA and a less-than-average 1.40 WHIP.  On top of that, he hasn't thrown 200 innings once.  The Giants have pitching prospect Eric Surkamp waiting in the wings and most likely starting the season at Triple-A, so I wouldn't be shocked if the Giants simply cut Zito loose and ate the rest of his salary if Surkamp has a good spring training.

Seattle Mariners: Chone Figgins

Before the start of the 2010 season, the Seattle Mariners signed Chone Figgins to a four-year deal worth $36 million.  The man had gained a reputation as a pesky hitter with blazing speed in eight seasons with the Angels, not to mention the fact that he seemed to be able to play multiple positions with ease.

Yet, once he got to Seattle, Figgins turned into a major bust.  He stole 42 bases in 2010 but also had his worst offensive season as he hit just .259 with one home run and 35 RBI.  Things didn't fare much better in 2011 as Figgins hit just .188 and was benched in favor of Adam Kennedy midway through the season.

The Mariners are looking to get out of the light-hitting funk that has plagued them the past few seasons and have tons of young talent to put in the lineup. I anticipate that Figgins will be cut loose during spring training and that the team will simply eat what remains of his salary.

St. Louis Cardinals: None

Here's a team that just beat tremendous odds to win the 2011 World Series and lost their best hitter shortly afterward.  I think it's pretty safe to say that nobody on the St. Louis Cardinals is going anywhere for now.

Tampa Bay Rays: Wade Davis

If there's one thing that the Tampa Bay Rays have a lot of, it's talented young pitchers.  From "Big Game" James Shields to rookie Matt Moore and ace-in-the-making Jeremy Hellickson, the team certainly has what it takes to go far should a potent offense ever manifest itself.

Unfortunately, whenever that day comes, right-hander Wade Davis won't be on the team to see it.  The man hasn't been the shutdown-type pitcher the Rays need to compete in the ultra-tough AL East, having gone 11-11 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 2011.

With guys like Alex Cobb and Moore on the rise, Davis has become the subject of trade talks, and during the winter meetings, the Texas Rangers expressed interest in him.  It'll depend on how the rest of the offseason goes, but chances are that Davis will be out of both the rotation and Tampa Bay come 2012.

Texas Rangers: Julio Borbon

It's hard to keep a spot on a roster if you're an MLB position player.  Unless you bring multiple talents to the table, chances are you won't last long.  Last season, outfielder Julio Borbon proved to be that type of player as he appeared in just 32 games for the Texas Rangers.

Going into the 2011 campaign, it was hoped that Borbon would be a decent leadoff man who hit well for average and racked up some steals, as he had done in the minors.  He hit .270 in the majors last year but drove in just 11 runs and stole only six bases.

As the Rangers have multi-talented Cuban prospect Leonys Martin just about ready to contribute in the majors, Borbon could find himself on another team in 2012.

Toronto Blue Jays: Rajai Davis

Currently, the Toronto Blue Jays are stacked with outfielders.  With power-hitting Jose "Joey Bats" Bautista manning right field and a potential tandem of Eric Thames and Travis Snider in left, center field is anyone's game.  The two names that jump out the most at this position are those of speedster Rajai Davis and lefty batter Colby Rasmus, who could find themselves competing for the starting job in spring training.

I'm going to go out on a limb and pick Rasmus to get the starting job and for Davis to get cut.  Sure, Davis had 34 steals last season, but he only played in 95 games and hit .238 with a horrific .273 OBP.  Rasmus' bat has great power potential in Toronto's offensive approach, and in a division as tough as the AL East, outscoring the opposition could be key.

Unfortunately for Davis, he doesn't have much to offer in terms of offense and will thus be cut.

Washington Nationals: Tom Gorzelanny

To be honest, I'm shocked that Tom Gorzelanny is still in the major leagues.  In a seven-season career spent with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and, most recently, the Washington Nationals, he has proven to be an overall mediocre pitcher prone to giving up too many walks and hits.

The Nats may very well make a run at the NL East this coming season, what with the return of ace Stephen Strasburg and the constant speculation surrounding prospect Bryce Harper. Gorzelanny just looks like dead weight compared to the rest of the regulars.  Sure, he's good for a spot start here and there, but is he really worth the $2.1 million?

Either way, with the team looking towards consistency, I don't anticipate him to be with Washington for very much longer.