MLB Trade/Free Agency News: Each MLB Team's Riskiest Decisions of the Offseason

With Opening Day just two months away, an offseason full of big-name moves will finally come to fruition, as teams set their sights on a World Series berth.

A number of teams made great strides to make their teams successful immediately, while others traded away veterans in hopes for future returns.

Any way you look at it, all of these moves bring some risks along with them. Here are some moves (or non-moves) that may pay off, but could also fail to pan out.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Banking on Kubel in Right Field

In bringing Jason Kubel to Arizona, the Diamondbacks have certainly added a capable bat to the lineup that plays sufficient defense.

At $15 million, it's possible they overpaid a bit. Kubel had a breakout season in 2009, going deep 28 times and batting .300 for the first (and only) time in his career. He fell back below .250 in 2010 and struggled again in 2011, playing in only 99 games.

Atlanta Braves: Holding onto Jair Jurrjens

The Atlanta Braves head into the 2012 season facing a number of tough competitors in the NL East, with both Washington and Miami making acquisitions to compete immediately.

With the number of pitching stars the Atlanta Braves have in their system, they could've worked out a beneficial trade for Jair Jurrjens, who has gotten a great deal of interest from other teams.

Baltimore Orioles: Adding Tsuyoshi Wada to the Rotation

With the Baltimore Orioles signing of Tsuyoshi Wada recently, you have to think they're taking a risk in not utilizing a proven major league pitcher.

The success rate of pacific league players isn't the highest, and with Wada drawing comparisons to a slightly lower-level Dallas Braden, the acquisition may not live up to it's billing.

Boston Red Sox: Limiting Themselves

Whether or not it's due to the new management in the organization or not, the typically big-spending Boston Red Sox are apparently tapped out.

Not wanting to cross the league's luxury tax threshold, the team hasn't made a big move this offseason and likely won't have much room to work with should they find a player they truly want.

Chicago Cubs: Playing the Waiting Game

When Theo Epstein became a part of the Chicago Cubs organization this fall, there was a renewed sense of hope for the future of Wrigley Field.

Whether it's a measure of calculation or not, the Cubs haven't made that big splash that the fanbase has been waiting for.

Chicago White Sox: Counting on Robin Ventura as Their Manager

With the Chicago White Sox re-signing pitcher John Danks to an extension, they may be indicating that they're not just yet ready for rebuilding mode.

They may be able to contend in the AL Central with the squad they have. But with a manager that has essentially no experience in place, it'll be interesting to see how things pan out.

Cincinnati Reds: Giving Up so Much for Mat Latos

The Cincinnati Reds clearly wanted to add a big-name starting pitcher to their rotation before heading into spring training, and they definitely did that with the acquisition of Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres.

While they'll like the productivity that Latos brings to the mound, it seems that even in Ohio the consensus is that the Reds appear to have gotten the short end of the stick in the deal.

Cleveland Indians: Counting on Grady Sizemore in the Outfield

After signing a one-year deal loaded with incentives, Grady Sizemore will have millions of reasons to succeed in 2012.

Still, Sizemore has played barely more than 100 games in the past two seasons with very low productivity.

The team was in on the bidding for Carlos Beltran but ultimately fell short. They'll need to continue their pursuit in a dwindling outfield market as they look for insurance on Sizemore.

Colorado Rockies: Spending $31 Million on Michael Cuddyer

The Colorado Rockies picked up a solid outfielder on both sides of the game with the signing of Michael Cuddyer to a three-year, $31.5 million deal.

While they'll no doubt love what he brings to the table, the price point seems to be too high.

Based on Cuddyer's 2011 season in which he batted .284 and hit 20 home runs while contributing all over the field, you'd think the Rockies would be getting a steal.

But as is the case with all teams, the Rockies could use some pitching help, and they probably could have spent less on an outfielder and put money towards pitching.

Detroit Tigers: Giving Prince Fielder a 9-Year Deal

As players all around the league signed contracts for the 2012 season, the baseball world continued to wonder where Prince Field would land.

After negotiations with a number of teams failed to produce deals, the Scott Boras client would ultimately get the payday he was looking for, signing a nine-year, $214 million contract.

Averaging nearly 40 home runs per season since coming into the league, Fielder will no doubt make an immediate impact for the Tigers.

The bigger question is how much of an impact the over-sized slugger will make in the later years of his hefty contract.

Houston Astros: Not Moving Veterans in Favor of Youth

After finishing the 2011 season with the league's worst record, it's not at all surprising to see that the Houston Astros haven't been active in the free-agent market.

They did make a good move in bringing in Jeff Lunhow as the team's GM, and now his first order of business should be moving trade pieces like Wandy Rodriguez and Carlos Lee to contenders in exchange for prospects that will help the franchise rebound in the long run.

Kansas City Royals: Letting Jose Mijares into Their Bullpen

The Kansas City Royals have made a number of positive moves to bolster their pitching staff ahead of spring training in signing Bruce Chen and Jonathan Broxton and acquiring Jonathan Sanchez.

Among all the signings, the contract to Jose Mijares is the most puzzling.

He'll eat up innings in left-handed relief, but the Royals have likely seen what Mijares has to offer having played against him.

Los Angeles Angels: Pujols' Big Payday

Throughout the season, many wondered whether or not Albert Pujols would remain a Cardinal for the remainder of his career.

Once the World Series ended and the free-agency period began, it became clear he was headed elsewhere.

The Angels bring in one of the best players of our generation in signing Pujols to a 10-year, $252 million contract.

As is the case with the Prince Fielder contract, the earlier years should certainly go well for Pujols, but paying any player upwards of $25 million as a 40-year-old brings some risks along with it.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Letting Hiroki Kuroda Walk

Heading into the offseason, it seemed like Hiroki Kuroda would be back in the Dodgers' rotation in 2012, with his other likely option being a return to Japan.

The Dodgers' signings of Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang essentially put Kuroda on the outside. While he'll be missed in L.A., he's done well for himself, landing with the always dangerous New York Yankees.

Miami Marlins: Backloading the Jose Reyes Deal

The Miami Marlins have had about the most active offseason in the entire league, as they prepare to open play in their new stadium in 2012.

The acquisition of Jose Reyes puts one of this offseason's top targets on their roster, although the structure of the contract could end up hurting the team in the long run.

Reyes' severely backloaded contract helps the team in the immediate future, but if the team fails to contend down the road and needs to trade stars like Reyes, the salary could prohibit any move from being made.

Milwaukee Brewers: Not Re-Signing Prince Fielder

The Milwaukee Brewers' run through the NLDS and into the NLCS last season showed just what the team is capable of being with the right pieces in place.

They won't have the same look next season, however, with Ryan Braun set to miss the first third of the season and Prince Fielder headed to the Motor City.

Aramis Ramirez should help fill some of the void, but Fielder's nearly 40-home-run-per-season average will certainly be missed.

Minnesota Twins: Filling Hole in Rotation with Jason Marquis

Pitching definitely wasn't the only problem with the Minnesota Twins in 2011, but the general consensus was that a solid starter needed to be added to return to some shade of respectability.

The Twins have long lacked a pitcher capable of striking batters out, as they've favored the type that pitches to contact.

The signing of Jason Marquis to a one-year, $3 million deal in no way changes that, as Marquis rarely records strikeouts.

New York Mets: Not Making Serious Push for Jose Reyes

The New York Mets fans made it very clear throughout last season that they wanted their team to do whatever it took to keep Jose Reyes in a Mets uniform for years to come.

When he wasn't traded at the deadline, it appeared there was a chance the team was taking steps to get a deal done. But with all the conversations teams had this offseason, the Mets didn't even make a formal contract offer to their shortstop.

New York Yankees: Holding onto A.J. Burnett

The New York Yankees have been fairly open about the fact that they're listening to anyone who has an interest in starting pitcher A.J. Burnett.

At this point, it seems unlikely that a deal gets done because of the Yankees' unwillingness to eat much (if any) of his remaining contract.

They can always stash him in the bullpen, but if things get bad enough, they may do whatever it takes to cut ties, leaving another team to figure out how to work with Burnett.

Oakland Athletics: Jumping the Gun on Trades

During the early part of the free-agency period, it seemed like a forgone conclusion that Andrew Bailey would be departing from Oakland, and there were rumblings about Gio Gonzalez leaving as well.

With Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill shipped out, the team did exactly what they set out to do, it's just questionable that they'd move so quickly when they had the ability to keep both pitchers around through arbitration for a number of years.

Philadelphia Phillies: Making a Sizeable Investment in Papelbon

When the Philadelphia Phillies set out to sign a closer this offseason, they wasted no time in agreeing to terms with former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon.

He'll no doubt save many games for the Phillies in the coming years, and the organization can afford it, but spending $50 million seems to be on the high end.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Investing in Clint Barmes

With one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates don't have much room to work with when it comes to signing players.

In giving Clint Barmes a two-year, $10.5 million deal, the Pirates' highest-paid player is one who has batted .242 over the past three seasons with an on-base percentage barely over .300.

San Diego Padres: Was Moving Anthony Rizzo the Right Move?

The San Diego Padres only saw a small sample of Anthony Rizzo at the big league level, as he appeared in only 49 games, batting .141 with a .281 OBP.

Although it looked like he wasn't ready for big league pitching on a full-time basis, Rizzo is still considered the top first base prospect in baseball, and trading him to the Chicago Cubs could be a premature move.

San Francicso Giants: Was Trading Jonathan Sanchez the Right Move?

With Buster Posey out for most of the 2011 season, the San Francisco Giants certainly struggled to score runs at times.

Posey will be back in 2012, and while Carlos Beltran has left for St. Louis, the contract given to Tim Lincecum is a positive for Giants fans.

After a down 2011 season, the team also opted to part ways with Jonathan Sanchez and brought Melky Cabrera into the fold.

Cabrera should be able to contribute, but with Sanchez having a relatively solid body of work over the past few seasons, it could be a premature move.

Seattle Mariners: Trading Michael Pineda to the Yankees

With the least runs scored in baseball in 2011, the Seattle Mariners clearly needed to address their offense this offseason.

They made a move to improve their offense in trading for Jesus Montero, who should make an immediate impact in the lineup.

The team is taking a risk in moving Michael Pineda, however, as he had a strong 2011 campaign and appears poised to break out as an elite pitcher.

St. Louis Cardinals: Letting Albert Pujols Walk

The St. Louis Cardinals replaced a portion of their 2011 offensive production in agreeing to terms with Carlos Beltran on a two-year deal.

But they'll still greatly miss everything that Albert Pujols offered when he set foot on the field.

Tampa Bay Rays: Not Moving Pitchers

The Tampa Bay Rays always seem to find a way to contend despite not typically having much wiggle room when free agency rolls around.

This offseason they've once again been quiet, and while it wasn't expected they'd make a major signing, some did wonder if they'd move a starting pitcher to bring in prospects or MLB-ready talent to fill in other positions.

They'll need to shift the rotation around with Matt Moore assumed to be joining in 2012, meaning a starter could ultimately be expendable.

Texas Rangers: Relying on Joe Nathan to Close Games

With Neftali Feliz heading to the starting rotation in 2012, the closer role became an immediate hole for the Texas Rangers to fill.

A large number of closers hit the open market this offseason, but the Rangers opted to sign Joe Nathan, a 37-year-old pitcher returning from Tommy John surgery who is coming off a rough season in a pitcher's ballpark.

Toronto Blue Jays: Not Acquiring Starting Pitching

This year's free-agent market for starting pitching was relatively weak, and while the Toronto Blue Jays did make a strong push for Yu Darvish, they ultimately fell just short.

Whether by a trade, or signing remaining free agents like Edwin Jackson, starting pitching could've helped the team go a long ways towards contending in the AL East.

Washington Nationals: Addressing Outfield with Mike Cameron

The Washington Nationals' signing of Mike Cameron to a minor league deal may not amount to much, but with the team looking to contend after adding Gio Gonzalez to their roster, they should look to add true depth in the outfield by way of trading for a player like Denard Span or Marlon Byrd—who have drawn interest from Nationals before.