MLB Free Agency: 9 Teams One Player Away from a Breakout Season

As a fan, there's nothing more frustrating than seeing your team come so close to winning it all, only to lose because one key piece of the puzzle is missing.  For example, last season, it broke my heart to see my beloved New York Yankees get eliminated from the playoffs because of the lack of a shutdown pitcher (among other things) in Game 5 of the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers.

This offseason, while many teams have improved their rosters compared to those of last season, one can't help but notice how some pieces are still glaringly missing.  Some think that the Los Angeles Angels are all set now that they've added both Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, but I'm just not convinced that they have a winning team just yet.

Thus, in the spirit of some pre-spring training previewing, here are nine teams just one player away from having an absolute breakout season.

No. 9: New York Yankees

In all fairness, the Yankees have had a pretty good offseason.  GM Brian Cashman did a great job of upgrading the starting rotation in signing free agent Hiroki Kuroda and acquiring hard-throwing youngster Michael Pineda from the Seattle Mariners.

However, acquiring Pineda came at a price as Cashman sent top prospect Jesus Montero to Seattle in return.  In doing so, he traded away the man who was most likely going to be the starting DH going into 2012.

I'm not saying that the trade was a bad idea, but the fact is the Yankees need a pure hitter at that position throughout the season and not use this idea of a "revolving door DH" designed to give some of the big hitters like Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira half-days off.  If they can bring in someone whose sole role will to occupy that spot for most of the season and provide some clutch hitting as well, then the glory days of 2009 may be repeated sooner rather than later.

No. 8: Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a talented team who had a great second-half run last season, but let's be honest—much of their year was marred by the Frank McCourt divorce drama that created a distraction, and the team underachieved as a whole.

Yet, that doesn't mean that they still don't have what it takes to contend.  Clayton Kershaw proved to be a fine staff ace last year in taking home the NL Cy Young, and Matt Kemp had one of the best seasons in baseball history.  Therein lies the team's problem.

While talented, the Dodgers are going to have a hard time getting over the hump if a majority of the team's offense comes from either Kemp or Andre Ethier.  If another clutch hitter can be added to the lineup—preferably a young prospect who is MLB-ready—then the Dodgers could find themselves among the best again for sure.

No. 7: Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels proved to be big spenders and winners this offseason when they signed future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols to a 10-year deal worth $254 million and pitcher C.J. Wilson to a five-year deal worth $77.5 million.  While fans got excited about the team's World Series prospects following the Pujols deal, I was not so convinced.

Does Pujols make the Angels' lineup better?  Absolutely.  However, there's just one problem:

Besides Pujols, the Angels don't really have much power in the lineup.  I understand that this lineup also features the likes of outfielder Vernon Wells and top prospect Mike Trout, but let's be honest.  Wells is over the hill and Trout is inexperienced.

The team certainly has the potential to win a World Series but not without another younger and experienced power bat to give Pujols some protection.  Otherwise, he's not going to get too many good pitches to hit.

No. 6: Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks surprised everyone last year as they won the NL West on the back of some great pitching and an MVP-caliber season from outfielder Justin Upton.  The offense ranked No. 7 overall in runs scored, but the team still had problems scoring a lot of runs in general.

That may have been alleviated this offseason with the signing of Jason Kubel, but I can't help but feel that something is still missing.  The lineup looks solid, but the superstitious baseball mind in me just has a feeling that the pitching staff overachieved as a whole.

Ian Kennedy had a great year, going 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA and remarkable 1.09 WHIP.  Still, even after the acquisition of Trevor Cahill, all starting pitchers save for Joe Saunders are under 30, and I wouldn't exactly call Kennedy an ace just yet. 

If a solid veteran arm could be acquired for a low price and the team moved Saunders to the bullpen, perhaps, then the Diamondbacks might be able to have 2001 season, version 2.0 in the not too distant future.

No. 5: Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies play their home games at Coors Field, one of the most hitter-friendly stadiums in baseball.  Thus, with guys like Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer in the lineup, you know that the offense will do just fine.

Yet, when it comes to pitching, the rotation leaves a little something to be desired.  Jorge de la Rosa has what it takes to be an ace, but he's currently recovering from Tommy John surgery.  That leaves right-hander Jhoulys Chacin in the ace's spot and while solid, he's still just 24 years old.

In fact, that is the Rockies' biggest problem right now: inexperienced pitching.  Everyone in the rotation is under 30 and Drew Pomeranz, the main piece acquired in last year's Ubaldo Jimenez trade, is nowhere near ready to be the ace of a pitching staff.

Long story short, the Rockies need to get a veteran arm in that rotation who can also be a great leader and mentor to the young guns, essentially uniting the staff as one.  Once that happens, they'll contend regularly.

No. 4: Tampa Bay Rays

It's no secret that when it comes to good, young pitching—the Tampa Bay Rays are the team to beat.  Guys like James Shields and David Price form a great one-two punch at the top of the rotation and with players like Matt Moore and Jeremy Hellickson only continuing to get better, the future looks bright for this small-market franchise.

Yet, manager Joe Maddon is a product of decades spent with the Los Angeles Angels which means one thing: great pitching, very little offense.  That being said, while the Rays are good, it's hard to see them doing ridiculously well when the only surefire bat in the lineup belongs to Evan Longoria.  Nothing against Desmond Jennings or Matt Joyce, but that's the sad truth.

While the team's offense will look better next year, Longoria just needs some more veteran protection in the middle of the lineup, preferably at shortstop (Sorry, Reid Brignac and Sean Rodriguez).  He's solid, but he hit a career-worst .244 last year.  Thus, until prospect Tim Beckham is ready, front office guru Andrew Friedman should try to bring in a shortstop who can actually hit.

No. 3: Atlanta Braves

The Braves are all set when it comes to pitching.  In fact, they have way too much pitching.  They'd be all set to contend if it weren't for just one unfortunate truth: their offense is borderline nonexistent.

I don't mean to sound like a hater or be overly harsh, but regularly contending for the playoffs is going to be difficult if the majority of your offense comes from one of two players, in this case Brian McCann and/or Freddie Freeman.  This situation can be alleviated if Jason Heyward bounces back, but that remains to be seen.

Thus, it's truly shocking that the Braves haven't already traded away a surplus arm for another big bat or even used the monies available to bring one in via free agency.  Once that void is filled, the glory days of the 1990s can be relived.

No. 2: Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays went 81-81 last year and finished fourth in the AL East.  Considering how that's easily the toughest division in baseball, I'm going to call that impressive.

Here's a team that finished sixth in runs scored and fifth in home runs hit as a team, so you know that they can hit.  The only problem is that in the starting rotation, there really isn't anybody who can be called an ace at this point.

Sure, Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow are good, but one is a strikeout pitcher who walks too many batters and the other is still evolving.  The team came close to filling the ace void this year by getting in on the Yu Darvish sweepstakes, but lost that bidding war to the Texas Rangers.  If they can use that money next offseason to try and lure someone like Cole Hamels, then they just might be the team to beat in their division.

No. 1: Washington Nationals

Easily my sleeper team of 2012, the Nationals are just one crucial piece away from becoming contenders.  In this case, they can go one of two ways: get another top pitcher to essentially form a shutdown rotation that already features Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez, or go after a talented centerfielder.

Team owner Ted Lerner has had no problem spending a lot of money on his team, so he can't really go wrong with either direction.  If you ask me, pursuing a centerfielder would be more effective as this year, the starter at that position is expected to be either an aging Mike Cameron or the hit-or-miss Roger Bernadina.

Either way, no matter how you look at it, this team is getting close to making a playoff run.  They're a team to watch this year and—if one of those voids is filled soon—they could become the team to beat.