MLB Predictions 2012: Every MLB Team's Biggest Overachiever in 2012

Being an overachiever isn't a bad thing, necessarily. It means you had one of those performances that you weren't supposed to have. For example, I was never supposed to pass Biology 102 freshman year of college, but I overachieved and made it happen.

Each team will have some guys who underachieve every season (Jason Heyward in 2011) and some guys who overachieve (Cody Ross and Juan Uribe in 2010).

Who will be the overachievers this year? Who will exceed expectations and potentially play a huge role in his team's playoff run? Read on to find out.

Arizona Diamondbacks

I am a big Trevor Cahill fan, and I love that the D'Backs went out and got the former A's pitcher. But you never know what you're going to get with Cahill.

Are you going to get the Cahill who went 25-27 combined in 2009 and 2011 with a 4.00-plus ERA? Or the Cy Young candidate 2010 version who went 18-8 with a 2.97 ERA?

Luckily for Arizona fans, I'm tabbing Cahill for some big-time overachievement in 2012, since he's slated as the No. 2 or 3 starter and won't have to carry a struggling offense all season. I could realistically see 15 wins with a mid-3.00s ERA.

Atlanta Braves

This may be more of a trip down memory lane for a fan of my generation, but my pick for Atlanta's overachiever is Chipper Jones. Assuming he stays healthy, I want Chipper to go out with a bang.

And I really do think he'll put up some surprising numbers. Don't get me wrong, he's not going to be an All-Star or lead them to the playoffs.

But if Jones can hit for a respectable average and knock in around 15 to 20 home runs, that would be a dream season for the Braves at this point in Chipper's career.

Baltimore Orioles

The guy with the unpronounceable name might just be the best player in Baltimore this season. He's starting to show some signs of life with a big spring and he may finally become that ace the O's have craved.

Brian Matusz has put up decent numbers before this season, but if his starts in spring training are any indication, 2012 is his breakout year.

This is overachieving in the sense that Matusz hasn't done it before. But it definitely isn't a comment on Matusz's abilities. I'm looking forward to 14 or 15 wins and an ERA right around 3.00.

Boston Red Sox

Drum roll please...Carl Crawford is my man for the Red Sox. Putting up big numbers won't be anything new for Crawford, as he earned a monster contract because of those stats he was putting up in Tampa.

But after an awful debut season in Boston in 2011, I fully expect Crawford to bounce back. I expect an average in the .275 range with 40 steals and 15 home runs.

Still, those numbers aren't Crawford-esque from days past, but it's a huge improvement over last season. If he does overachieve this season, the Sox have an even more unfairly difficult lineup to beat.

Chicago White Sox

How about a little love for John Danks? I don't know if there will be a lot to look forward to for Chicago in 2012, but I believe Danks is going to put up a huge season.

I know what you're thinking: Where does this guy get off thinking a below-.500 career pitcher with an ERA north of 4.00 is going to have a big season? Well, that's where he overachieves.

We see it every season. Is Ian Kennedy really a 20-game winner? He was last year. I foresee Danks at 15-5 with an ERA in the low 3.00s.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs are going to need some players to overachieve this year if they want to seriously contend. I don't think they will be in the mix, but they are on the right track. My guy to overachieve for the Cubbies is new first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

He's been a hot prospect for a long time and he's got all the tools to become a star hitter in this league. Things didn't quite work out for him in San Diego, but I'm looking for Rizzo to have a breakout year.

Granted, a breakout year is something in the neighborhood of 20 home runs and 80 RBI, but that would certainly be achieving way more than he has before.

Cincinnati Reds

Jay Bruce is going to overachieve in a different way. He's simply going to blow out his career highs in what might be an MVP season for him.

Bruce has put up fine numbers in the past, but this is the year he hits over .300 with 35 homers and 120 RBI. The Reds have been waiting for a completely dominant season out of the young outfielder.

I think 2012 is the year. With Bruce hitting the ball a hundred miles and Joey Votto doing what Joey Votto does, this Reds team is going to be in prime position for an NL Central crown.

Cleveland Indians

This is Justin Masterson's year. He's been on his way up for a couple seasons, but I think he's finally going to put it all together and become that bona fide ace the Tribe needs.

I'm expecting 15 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA out of Masterson in 2012. He definitely has put up numbers before, but this type of breakout would be much more impressive.

Masterson won't be in the running for Cy Young or anything, but he'll overachieve his way to an All-Star spot.

Colorado Rockies

Will we ever see a first half at Coors Field like Ubaldo Jimenez two seasons ago? Doubtful. But I can see new acquisition Jeremy Guthrie having a very nice start to his career in Colorado.

Guthrie is going to make the O's regret trading him, by putting up around 15 wins and a 3.30 ERA. In Denver, that's nothing to scoff at.

I don't expect the Rockies to seriously contend in 2012 despite all their new personnel, but Guthrie will definitely be a shining star on this team.

Detroit Tigers

We'll stick with pitching here. I'm flipping a coin between Rick Porcello and Doug Fister. The winner is...Fister!

Okay, so I know a few very intelligent baseball fans who believe Fister is a dark horse Cy Young candidate this year.

I personally disagree, but I don't doubt it could happen. He's got good stuff and flashed it down the stretch in 2011. Plus, the Tigers offense is going to be even better this year.

I don't know if Fister really is 15- to 16-win good, but that's where he's headed this year. An overachievement if I've seen one.

Houston Astros

Yikes. I'm going to choose the one guy I know can play consistently well on this team. That's El Caballo, Carlos Lee. While the big guy is definitely past his prime, he can still rake.

I think 2012 will be a bounce-back year of sorts for Lee. He's going to have to step up and carry this offense, sort of like Matt Kemp did for the Dodgers last year.

For one final big hurrah, look for Lee to hit 30 homers, drive in 100 and break the .300 barrier. Just don't expect much out of that glove.

Kansas City Royals

You will quickly learn that I love this team. I don't root for them, per se, but I love the personnel they've got. Unfortunately, that makes it difficult to choose an overachiever.

I went with former prospect stud, turned bust, turned respectable comeback story, Luke Hochevar. He showed some flashes of absolute dominance in 2011 and I think he'll up his game even more this season.

I'm talking 14-5 and an ERA hovering right around 3.00. He'll be a huge part of this rotation and pair up with new acquisition Jonathan Sanchez to keep the Royals in the wild-card hunt come September.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Ervin Santana has been an enigma for my fantasy teams over the years. He's got some of the best pure stuff in baseball, but can't seem to put together a fully consistent season.

Until now. Los Angeles is going to take the AL West behind their ridiculous rotation. We know Dan Haren, Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson are good for big numbers.

And now we can add Santana to that list.

I'm talking 16 wins and a 2.80 ERA for Santana in 2012. With that much of an overachievement, the Rangers are in trouble.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Enter James Loney, one of my favorite players. But one with a bad rap because he is a big first baseman who doesn't hit the ball 500 feet every time.

This is what Loney does well: He plays defense, he drives in runs like nobody's business and he stays healthy. I'll take it.

But he's been working hard on increasing the power numbers. And I think 2012 is the year he finally puts it all together and drops some bombs. I'll be content with 20 home runs out of Loney.

Miami Marlins

The team that made the biggest free-agency splash this winter has multiple options to choose from for an overachiever. I'm tempted to choose Logan Morrison since he's on my fantasy team, but I'm going to surprise some people.

My Marlins overachiever for 2012 is Carlos Zambrano. Big Z isn't done yet, though he'll never be the slightly crazy, very dominant pitcher he was in Chicago.

That being said, expectations are low for him in Miami. So behind Josh Johnson, Anibal Sanchez and Mark Buehrle, I think Zambrano will thrive on a better team in a lower-pressure situation.

Milwaukee Brewers

I'm a huge fan of the Brewers signing Aramis Ramirez. Obviously he won't replace Prince Fielder's production, but it's a start.

And despite some people thinking Ramirez is done, I think he's got a few very good years left in that bat. In Milwaukee's offense, I think Ramirez will put up some big numbers and keep them right in the thick of things.

If Ramirez goes over .300 with 30 homers and 100 RBI I won't be surprised at all. This is only an overachievement because of his age, but this is the type of hitter he always has been.

Minnesota Twins

Disregard the low batting average this spring and the last couple years of complete futility. Justin Morneau is coming back in 2012 and making the Twins a decent team again.

I'm not expecting MVP-type numbers again, but he could easily put up 25 to 30 homers and over 100 RBI in a full season.

Returning from multiple injuries and a long layoff to hit for those types of numbers would definitely warrant Morneau consideration for Comeback Player of the Year.

New York Mets

My biggest candidate for overachievement in 2012 on this team is their biggest story: Johan Santana. No, he'll never revert back to his old self. But like his former teammate Morneau, he's got a chance to be a relevant, solid player again.

I could see Santana putting up about 12 wins and an ERA in the high 3.00s in his transition from dominant flamethrower to a more crafty, controlled lefty.

The Mets won't contend this year, but if Santana makes it through the year without hitting the DL and puts up promising numbers, the season will be a victory overall.

New York Yankees

Hey, have you heard of this guy I'm about to choose? Word on the street is he's a pretty famous player, but injuries and postseason failures have rendered him a worthless old man among some fans.

Too bad Alex Rodriguez is far from being done. He got healthy this offseason, started taking a new approach to his role as a veteran and mostly stayed out of the tabloids for months.

I think A-Rod will hit 30 bombs and average right around .300 in 2012. He's going to very quietly have a huge season. And he'll definitely spend some time DH'ing to preserve those old knees.

Oakland Athletics

Since we're on the topic of aging sluggers, let's talk about Manny being Manny. He's going to both overachieve and make Billy Beane look like a genius for signing him at half-a-million dollars.

I'm not talking like 40 HR/120 RBI Manny from years past. But I don't think 15 home runs and 60 RBI out of two-thirds of a big-league season is out of the question.

And in Oakland, those numbers are unheard of. For anyone who thought Manny was on the scrap heap, talk to me in September.

Philadelphia Phillies

I'm not going to be surprised by this, but most fans will probably see it as an overachievement, so let's go with Juan Pierre. Even if he doesn't break the Opening Day roster, he's going to be in the lineup eventually.

The Phils just don't have the healthy bats to ignore what Pierre brings to the table. All Pierre has ever done in his career is get on base, steal bases and score runs.

I'm looking at a .280 season from Pierre with 35 steals and lots and lots of havoc created on opposing pitchers. There's a reason he has a legit shot at 3,000 career hits.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Nate McLouth had his best years in Pittsburgh before bombing out in Atlanta. Now, he's come full circle back to the Steel City and is going to have another good year.

Maybe it's the water in Pittsburgh for McLouth, but he only seems to play really well in a Pirates uniform. I'm thinking another All-Star Game is in his near future.

This is great news for Pirate fans, who have endured about a million straight losing seasons. McLouth and Andrew McCutchen will be the big keys in getting this team back over .500.

San Diego Padres

I love what the Padres are doing. It's going to take a while to build up to contention again, but they essentially stole half of the Reds' farm system in the Mat Latos trade.

One of those pieces was slugging lefty Yonder Alonso. He was blocked for a couple years by Joey Votto in Cincy, but he can start in the outfield in San Diego.

I can't wait to see this guy play a full season. If his big-league experience so far is any indication, we can expect a .300/25/90 line out of Alonso.

San Francisco Giants

As a Dodger fan, this is going to be frustrating, but Ryan Vogelsong is going to overachieve again in 2012. He put up good numbers last year, and this year I think he'll plateau around the same stat line.

Of course, for the Giants, that's huge. You can count on Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner to each have big seasons.

But adding the fourth solid starter is going to make them a force to be reckoned with in the NL West. Now if only some of their hitters could overachieve...

Seattle Mariners

Yes, the man of the moment in Seattle, Jesus Montero. I think he'll have a big first year in the Pacific Northwest, even in that lineup.

Will it justify trading Michael Pineda? I doubt it, but time will tell. If Montero puts up numbers somewhere along the lines of .300/25/90, the M's will be satisfied.

The Mariners better hope Montero pans out. Because with what they traded away to get him, it could haunt them for years. Plus, this young offense is pretty decent if Montero pans out.

St. Louis Cardinals

Back to the mound with Jaime Garcia. Obviously, Garcia can pitch, but I think this is the year he busts out and actually makes a legitimate case for being a top-notch starter in MLB.

I'm looking for a record around 16-7 with a 2.85 ERA. If that is the case, the Cards will have quite a three-headed monster in Garcia, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.

You have to assume the offense is going to be a little worse without Albert Pujols, so rotation production is going to be huge for the defending champs.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays have the deepest rotation in baseball, but their offense is significantly average. After Evan Longoria, you kind of cross your fingers and hope B.J. Upton goes off, or Ben Zobrist has another big year.

How about the left fielder, Desmond Jennings? He showed signs of being a breakout player in 2011, but he was just one offseason away.

If 2012 is Jennings' year to shine, the Rays are in much better shape as an overall team to contend. I'm thinking Jennings will drop a .290/20/80/30 line on the AL East this year.

Texas Rangers

With Neftali Feliz moving to the rotation, Joe Nathan was signed to come in and close out games for the Rangers. I think he'll come back and have a big year after fading in the last few seasons.

Nathan battled some injuries, but when healthy he is one of the best closers in baseball. I fully expect him to return to form for Texas this season.

Give me 40 saves and a 2.90 ERA for Nathan. And give me another Rangers team looking good come playoff time.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are quietly getting a lot better. Will it be enough to get them over the hump? Not yet, but they are getting there.

I've got my eye on J.P. Arencibia being the key to that transformation for Toronto. He had a good rookie campaign in 2011, but he really needs to overachieve in 2012 for them to contend.

Luckily, he will. He's going to push a .300 average and go 20/100 this season, leading the Jays to contention through September.

Washington Nationals

Well, can it be anyone other than Bryce Harper? It seems to be common knowledge now that Harper will eventually come up and play center field for the Nats in 2012.

Will he pull a Jason Heyward in his first game? Will he bomb out? That remains to be seen, but it'll be entertaining to watch.

I for one believe Harper will have a good rookie season. I think he'll hit 15 home runs, drive in 50 runs and generally stay out of trouble. If he leads the Nats to a surprise NL East title, he could be the popular pick for Rookie of the Year.