2012 MLB Free Agency: Every Team's Worst Swing-and-Miss This Offseason

Despite their best efforts during the offseason, teams often make mistakes or miss out on players that they are interested in. They miss out on free agents, they sign players to bad deals or they are unable to make a big trade that they are looking to pull off.

These moves not only have an impact on what the team will look like the next season, but they also impact the way that the fanbase feels about the team.

Most teams make at least one of these mistakes during the offseason and there have been a number of them made so far this winter.

Arizona Diamondbacks

With an outfield of Chris Young, Justin Upton and Gerado Parra, it did not seem as if the Arizona Diamondbacks would go after a starting outfielder this winter.

The team went out and signed Jason Kubel to a two-year deal. This move likely sends Parra, a Gold Glove winner in 2011, to the bench. This is certainly an odd decision for the Diamondbacks to make.

Atlanta Braves

Adam Jones would be a great piece for the Atlanta Braves outfield. The problem is that the Baltimore Orioles have a very high asking price according to Jerry Crasnick.

The Braves need to continue to work on a deal with the Orioles. Adding Jones would mean that they created space in their rotation for one of their young starters while simultaneously improving their lineup.

Baltimore Orioles

Adding a leadoff hitter was one of the Baltimore Orioles' priorities this winter. One of the players that they identified as a fit for the team was Coco Crisp.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has reported that Crisp will return to the Athletics, which means the Orioles missed out on their man. 

Boston Red Sox

It is certainly surprising to hear that the Boston Red Sox are spending on a budget this winter. The team is still looking to improve its starting rotation.

This makes it interesting to see that the Red Sox are interested in going after Hiroki Kuroda. He will be an expensive signing and thus he doesn't fit in with Boston's plans.

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs may be open to trading Matt Garza this winter, but that does not mean that they will actually get a deal done.

According to Wallace Matthews, the price for Garza is incredibly high and this has turned teams away from him. If the Cubs are committed to rebuilding, they should move Garza.

Chicago White Sox

After trying to deal Carlos Quentin for a while, the Chicago White Sox were finally able to find a taker. They dealt him to the San Diego Padres.

In return the White Sox got Simon Castro and Pedro Hernandez. Buster Olney reported that scouts are not a big fan of the two players that the White Sox received.

Cincinnati Reds

Good closers are hard to find and the Cincinnati Reds let one go this winter when they declined to pick up Francisco Cordero's $12 million option.

Cordero had 37 saves for the Reds in 2011 and the cost of his option was fairly reasonable given what other closers with similar numbers get on the open market.

Cleveland Indians

A $7 million deal is a lot of money to pay a pitcher coming off a season where he had a 5.25 ERA.

Fausto Carmona's career has consisted of flashes of brilliance that have come in between periods of misery. The Indians decided that it was worth a $7 million risk to see if Carmona can have a good year in 2012.

Colorado Rockies

There are few teams in the MLB that have more outfield depth than the Colorado Rockies. It does not make sense for them to pursue an outfielder.

According to reports from Buster Olney, the team was going after Cody Ross. This move is certainly a confusing one.

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers had an interest in Gio Gonzalez, but they missed out on him this winter.

With the news that the Tigers are willing to deal Jacob Turner, this does not make much sense. They could have greatly improved their rotation by acquiring Gonzalez.

Houston Astros

Andrew Friedman is a Houston native and the Houston Astros thought that they would be able to use that fact to get him to become the team's new GM.

Unfortunately for the Astros, Friedman turned down the offer that the Astros made and he returned to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals have not really made any moves that they will regret during he 2012 offseason.

They are a team that knows the direction that they are headed in and they have a plan. The only move that could draw some ire is their trade of Melky Cabrera for Jonathan Sanchez. They dealt Cabrera when his value was the highest.

Los Angeles Angels

Any possible mistake that the Los Angeles Angels could possible make this offseason will be overridden by the signings that the already made.

Bringing in Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson made the Angels a significantly better team. The biggest mistake that the Angels made was backloading Pujols' deal so that he will make $30 million when he is at the end of his career.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Prior to this offseason, it seemed that if Hiroki Kuroda was going to continue pitching in the United States that it would be with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Now, it appears as if that is not the case. Losing Kuroda creates a hole in the Dodgers starting rotation.

Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins surprised a number of people with their pursuit of Albert Pujols this winter. The team went all in and they ended up with nothing.

Miami actually offered Pujols $275 million according to Bob Nightengale and he turned down the team's offer even though they were willing to give him the most money.

Milwaukee Brewers

Ryan Braun's positive PED test shocked the whole baseball world. Braun appealed the test results.

According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, Braun's appeal is going to be denied. This will put a big damper on the start of the season for the Brewers.

Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins had two outfielders become free agents this winter. Minnesota went out and signed Josh Willingham to fill one spot in their outfield.

To fill the other spot, the Twins were interested in bringing back Jason Kubel. They were not able to do it, however, and need another outfielder.

New York Mets

Jose Reyes was one of the faces of the New York Mets. The team's financial problems severely limited them this offseason and it was seen with the team's "pursuit" of Reyes.

The term "pursuit" is used lightly as the Mets never really made a legitimate offer to Reyes. They could have traded him this past summer but instead held onto him. Many members of the Mets fanbase are not happy with the team's approach to Reyes.

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees were interested in trying to trade for John Danks this winter. However, the Chicago White Sox were interested in keeping him.

Any hope that the Yankees had of trading for Danks this winter was shot down when the White Sox inked him to an extension.

Oakland Athletics

One of the most active teams on the trade market this winter has been the Oakland Athletics and they have a few more pieces that they can move.

Kurt Suzuki would be a popular name on the trade market, but Buster Olney does not believe that he will be traded this winter. The Athletics should move him now to maximize the return they get for him.

Philadelphia Philies

The Philadelphia Phillies know that they will soon need a replacement for Placido Polanco. 

Aramis Ramirez was a potential hot-corner replacement and the Phillies were interested in bringing him in. Ultimately the team missed out and he signed in Milwaukee.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Paul Maholm had an outstanding year in 2011. The Pittsburgh Pirates are just one of the teams that have an interest in him.

According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Pirates are talking to Maholm. However, it looks like they will not be able to bring him back.

San Diego Padres

At the moment, the Padres' biggest issue of the offseason is one that could easily be corrected. After the Mat Latos trade, they have found their future first baseman.

That leaves them in an interested position with Anthony Rizzo. He is a talented player, but at this point it does not seem as if he has a future with the organization.

San Francisco Giants

Tim Lincecum is one of the best pitchers in baseball, so it should not surprise anyone that the San Francisco Giants want to try to sign him to an extension.

However, the two sides have not been able to find much common ground and they are far apart according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The Giants could look to trade Lincecum if they do not begin to make any progress on a deal.

Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners have seemingly been in and out of the Prince Fielder sweepstakes this winter. He would be their biggest catch of the winter.

In fact, the Mariners are waiting to make any other moves until they find out if they are able to bring in Fielder.

St. Louis Cardinals

Albert Pujols meant so much to the community of St. Louis as well as the Cardinals baseball organization. Had he stayed in St. Louis, there is a chance that there could have eventually been a statue of him erected outside of Busch Stadium.

Instead, Pujols is now a Los Angeles Angel. He has been called a traitor by some and fans are not happy that he will not be back in St. Louis.

Tampa Bay Rays

Casey Kotchman did a great job with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011 but he became a free agent after the season.

The Rays are still without a first baseman and they have not been all that active trying to fill the position. There are a number of free agents and players on the trade market that would be a fit for the Rays.

Texas Rangers

It says a lot about a team's offseason when the biggest mistake that they made is not making a formal offer to Darren Oliver.

Oliver is a good relief pitcher, but no one in the Texas Rangers organization will be losing much sleep over the fact that he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays were one of the teams that had a big interest in Yu Darvish. They placed a high bid for him but lost out to the Texas Rangers.

Darvish is potentially the type of pitcher that can have a significant impact on a franchise and the Blue Jays missed out on him.

Washington Nationals

It is no secret that the Washington Nationals have an interest in B.J. Upton. However, the team has yet to make a move.

The Nationals have improved their team by bringing in Gio Gonzalez and adding Upton could put them on the verge of being a playoff team.