MLB Free Agency: All 30 Teams' Toughest Decision to Make This Season

Being a general manager of a baseball team seems like a dream job for fans, but the reality of the occupation is that it's wrought with hazards.

Bet big on a free agent that fails miserably, and it can cost you your job.

Make moves that result in a quality roster, and those players become too expensive to retain as they reach the end of their contracts, forcing a GM into having to decide between dealing a player away for less than market value or watching them walk away as a free agent to a big-market club.

Let's take a look at which players are making GM's around the league have to start thinking about some difficult decisions as the 2012 season moves into its second month and what those decisions could ultimately be.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Stephen Drew

You could make a case for Miguel Montero, but he's asking for more than the Diamondbacks are willing to offer, and Kevin Towers has already targeted about a dozen possible replacements at all levels of the game around the league. The decision seems to have already been made—they'll be parting ways at the end of the season.

No decision has been made on Stephen Drew, and rightfully so, considering that the 29-year-old shortstop has yet to play in 2012. A $10 million mutual option sits out there for 2013, one that would cost the Diamondbacks $1.35 million to buyout.

Drew is close to starting a rehab assignment in the minors, though there is still no official timetable for his return. The defending National League West champions will have roughly four months, upon his return, to base their decision on.

If he hit the open market, Drew would be the best shortstop available among a class that includes Jhonny Peralta and Yuniesky Betancourt, but whether or not he'd receive offers exceeding his $10 million salary in 2013 is questionable at best.

The Diamondbacks have 20-year-old prospect Chris Owings at High-A, but he's at least two years away from being major league ready.

Assuming Drew is able to contribute and shows no lingering effects from the injury, I expect the 2013 option to be picked up, with an outside chance of an extension being worked out, perhaps lowering his 2013 salary slightly to give the club more flexibility and making it up in later years.

Atlanta Braves: Jair Jurrjens

By now, the Braves probably wish that they had traded Jair Jurrjens when they had the chance.

Banished to Triple-A Gwinnett after getting shelled in four starts with the Braves (9.37 ERA, 2.45 WHIP, 10 walks and eight strikeouts over 16.1 innings pitched), there is actually something more disconcerting than his performance.

Primarily a fastball pitcher, the velocity on his heater has dropped from an average of 91 miles per hour to a pedestrian—and very hittable—88 miles per hour.

Both the 26-year-old Jurrjens and the team don't believe there's an injury to blame, so it's something with his mechanics or in his head.

A "super-two" player, Jurrjens is eligible for his second year of arbitration following the season. He's currently earning $5.5 million, and while his performance thus far has been nauseating, players typically do not receive a cut in pay through the arbitration process.

With a ton of young pitching talent in the system, the Braves have to decide whether they want to invest another five to six million dollars in the talented righty.

If he returns to the Braves this season and performs well, I expect the team to pull the trigger on a trade to get him out of Atlanta. Should he struggle either in the minors on upon his return to the big leagues, the Braves will part ways with him this winter and not tender him a contract offer.

Baltimore Orioles: Adam Jones

On pace to have the best offensive season of his career, 26-year-old centerfielder Adam Jones is under contract through 2013 with the Baltimore Orioles. So far, the two sides have not discussed an extension, something Jones isn't interested in once next season starts, as he told Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun: 

"

My side hasn't come to me, knocking down my phone, calling me, texting me. So that means nothing's in the works," Jones said this weekend. "Honestly, I've told my representatives to only hit me up if something is significant, because I am playing. The season has started...If I'm in the same situation next year (without an extension), I am going into my free-agent year. It would be hard to give up that right.

"

The largest contract in team history was doled out to Miguel Tejada in 2004—$72 million over six years.

An extension for Jones would cost more than that, and you can expect his agents to point to the deals signed by Jayson Werth ($126 million over seven years) and Carl Crawford ($142 million over seven years) as the market price for his services.

But will Orioles owner Peter Angelos be willing to pay Jones close to, if not more than, $100 million?

Are the Orioles better off dealing Jones while he has a year remaining on his deal and his value is as high as it's ever been?

I believe the answers to those questions are no and yes, respectively, and that the Orioles will try and lock Jones up to a below market value deal after the season. When that doesn't work, look for them to strike while the iron is hot, dealing Jones off over the winter.

Boston Red Sox: Kevin Youkilis

The controversy surrounding what Bobby Valentine said about him aside, whether or not Kevin Youkilis will be a member of the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and beyond is certainly a question that is weighing on the minds of both Boston's front office and their fans as well.

Youkilis, who has been the Red Sox do-it-all corner infielder and outfielder since 2004, has struggled thus far in 2012, .219/.292/.344 with two home runs and nine RBI—numbers which have done nothing to allay fears that his 2011 campaign, the worst statistical season of his career, was a sign of things to come.

Due $13 million in salary or $1 million as a buyout, the 33-year-old has had a hard time staying healthy, playing an average of 119 games a season since 2009.

With 23-year-old prospect Will Middlebrooks crushing the ball in Triple-A (.358/.409/.753 with nine home runs and 27 RBI in only 21 games), the Red Sox have a replacement ready to step in and contribute immediately—at far less money than Youkilis is due.

Youk is more valuable to Boston than he is to any other team due to the fact that he's a fan-favorite, so there's certainly a chance that he could return in 2013 in a reserve role. But there's simply no chance that the Red Sox will pick up their $13 million option following the season.

I expect Youkilis to become a free agent but re-sign with the Red Sox for less than he's making now.

Chicago Cubs: Matt Garza

It could be argued that the future of Ryan Dempster in Chicago is a more pressing question, but deciding whether or not to trade Matt Garza would have a bigger impact on the club going forward.

Contemplating Garza's future is something that team president Theo Epstein is looking at Garza's situation from afar and not up close, as he tells Gordon Wittenmeyer of the Chicago Sun-Times:

"Anytime you’re contemplating significant personnel moves, you have to look at the organization as a whole and where you’re going. One week’s worth of performance, let alone one season’s worth, doesn’t necessarily impact that significantly. Some issues are best examined up close, from 10 feet away, and some are best examined from 10,000 feet away. That’s (Garza) probably one that falls in the latter. It’s sort of a big-picture issue."

Garza, 28, was the subject of multiple trade rumors this past winter, though the consensus around baseball was that the Cubs would wait until this year's trade deadline to move him when the available front-of-the-rotation arms were few and far between.

With the emergence of Jeff Samardzija as a legitimate starting pitcher and Ryan Dempster's desire to stay in Chicago, moving Garza to further the rebuilding process makes sense—especially if GM Jed Hoyer can lock Dempster up to a deal below what he'd receive on the open market.

I'd be surprised if Garza didn't go to the highest bidder at this year's non-waiver trade deadline.

Chicago White Sox: Jake Peavy

It's taken nearly four years, but Jake Peavy in 2012 sure looks a lot like the Jake Peavy who won the NL Cy Young Award in 2008, doesn't he?

Peavy, who turns 31 at the end of May, is finally healthy and putting up his best numbers in years: 3-1 with a 1.67 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 33 strikeouts over 37.2 innings pitched. He's gone the distance in his last two starts, posting a 0.50 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, three walks and 15 strikeouts.

The White Sox ave a $22 million team option or a $4 million buyout on Peavy in 2013, and while he's pitching as well as anyone in baseball at the moment, his injury history makes it difficult to commit that much money to him next year. Peavy hasn't started more than 18 games or thrown more than 115 innings since 2008.

At the same time, if he is able to remain healthy and productive throughout the 2012 season and the White Sox did allow him to reach free agency, Peavy is likely to receive offers that could make him too expensive for Chicago's taste.

If the White Sox are still alive and well in the playoff race as the non-waiver trade deadline nears, then they'll take their chances with re-signing Peavy as a free agent. Should the White Sox be out of the race, Peavy will be one of the best pitchers available to contenders at the deadline.

Cincinnati Reds: Scott Rolen

With the core of their offense—Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto—locked up for the foreseeable future, the Reds only have one position, third base, that they need to give some thought to.

Do they stick with the incumbent, 37-year-old Scott Rolen, who is not only off to a horrid start (.186/.240/.329) and has yet to decide if he'll even keep playing past this season, or do they hand the spot to 26-year-old Todd Frazier?

Frazier has primarily played third base in his limited time with the Reds, but he's also versatile enough to play left field, second base and shortstop.

Are the Reds ready to commit to Frazier full-time at the hot corner, or do they view Frazier's versatility as too great of an asset to lock him into one position?

Should Rolen decide that he wants to keep playing, I expect the Reds to bring him back on a reasonable one-year contract and keep Frazier in a super utility role, filling in wherever and whenever he's needed.

Cleveland Indians: Grady Sizemore

Prior to spring training, word around the league was that Derek Lowe had his sights set on re-joining the Boston Red Sox following this season, either as a starter or a reliever.

Lowe, who turns 39 in June, has been outstanding for the Indians so far in 2012, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.27 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over 31.2 innings pitched.

While the Indians find themselves atop the AL Central a month into the season, will Lowe's reported desire to return to Boston in 2013 play into the Tribe's plans when the non-waiver trade deadline approaches?

If they are still in the thick of the playoff race, then no, I don't believe 2013 will be a factor in their thinking.

But if the Indians seem to be on the outside looking in, look for them to move Lowe to a contender.

Colorado Rockies: Jorge De La Rosa

Out since May 31 of last season with a shoulder injury that he underwent Tommy John surgery on in July, 31-year-old lefty Jorge De La Rosa is set to start on a minor league rehab assignment, according to Rockies manager Clint Hurdle:

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Jorge De La Rosa is scheduled for May 2 with the Modesto Nuts. [He'll throw] roughly five innings or 65 pitches. We'll take it one start at a time and just continue to stay on the same course that we've been on since he had to step away.

"

In the last year of a two-year, $21.5 million contract he signed with the Rockies prior to the 2011 season, De La Rosa has a $11 million player option that he can exercise, though the team could choose to buy him out for $1.5 million and allow him to become a free agent.

If De La Rosa returns and pitches well, he could decide to decline the option for 2013 and test the free agent waters in order to get a multi-year deal that could wind up being too costly for the Rockies.

Should he pitch well, Colorado will try and sign him to an extension before the end of the season and take their chances should he decide to hit the open market.

"

 

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Detroit Tigers: Jose Valverde

After a remarkable 2011 campaign that saw him go a perfect 48-of-48 in save opportunities, the Tigers wasted little time in picking up their $9 million team option on their closer for 2012.

While picking up the option was the right decision then, Valverde hasn't rewarded the Tigers with a similar performance thus far in 2012.

Somehow, Valverde is 4-for-5 in save opportunities even though he has walked more batters than he's struck out and sits with 5.59 ERA and 1.86 WHIP.

Valverde, who turns 35 before Opening Day in 2013, will be looking for his last multi-year deal and is likely to test free agency. At this point, the Tigers would probably be happy to see him on his merry way as they debate between internal options (the currently injured Al Alburqurque perhaps) and those available as free agents—a market that could potentially include Ryan Madson, Brandon League and J.J. Putz, among others.

Houston Astros: Brett Myers

Two weeks ago, it was reported that the Astros were shopping closer Brett Myers, something that Astros GM Jeff Luhnow has since denied.

While the Astros may not be looking to move Myers now, it's only a matter of time before they do since Myers, 31, has been excellent thus far in his new role with four saves, a 1.59 ERA and 0.71 WHIP.

Myers is making $11 million this season, and it will cost $3 million to buyout his vesting option in 2013, so the Astros will have to include some money in any trade.

Of course, the Astros could decide to hold onto him, allow his 2013 option to vest and keep him in place as their closer, at least up until next season's trade deadline when they could potentially move him without needed to contribute as much in the way of dollars to get a deal done.

That being the case, waiting to move him would be a risky proposition. A number of contenders have issues at the back-end of their bullpens, and those with a need in 2012 are likely to have filled it prior to the 2013 season, removing possible suitors from the equation.

At the end of the day, I'd be stunned if he wadsn't dealt away in advance of the non-waiver trade deadline.

Kansas City Royals: Joakim Soria

For the second time in his career, Joakim Soria has undergone Tommy John surgery. Aside from removing their closer from the equation, the injury clouds the Royals' decision-making regarding Soria going forward.

The team holds two options on Soria for 2013 ($8 million) and 2014 ($8.75 million), each of which comes with a $750,000 buyout.

So the question the Royals need to answer is whether they want to risk $8 million on an injured pitcher or if they'd rather pay $1.5 million and try to re-sign him at a reduced salary? If Soria hit the open market, would the Royals match offers he received from other teams, especially if one were a multi-year deal?

I expect the Royals to exercise their option on Soria for 2013. It's an expensive proposition, but they should have the majority of the 2013 season to see if Soria is fully recovered and back to form. If he's not, they can buyout the 2014 season and look to the future, whether it be with Jonathan Broxton, Aaron Crow or someone else.

Los Angeles Angels: Ervin Santana

With the exception of his start on Sunday against the Cleveland Indians where he threw seven innings of two run ball (both unearned), Ervin Santana has been awful so far for the Angels in 2012.

After locking up shortstop Erick Aybar to a four-year, $35 million extension earlier this month, the Angels sit with more than $90 million committed to only seven players heading into 2013. This does not include options that the team holds on starting pitcher Dan Haren ($15.5 million), catcher Chris Iannetta.($5 million) or Ervin Santana ($13 million).

Angels GM Jerry DiPoto has been non-committal when it comes to picking up those options, but it would be surprising if the Angels didn't exercise their options on both Haren and Iannetta, which would bring their 2013 payroll to over $110 million committed to only nine players.

That leaves 29-year-old starter Ervin Santana, a lifelong Angel who sits 0-5 with a 5.58 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP twisting in the wind.

With Garrett Richards waiting in the wings at Triple-A, picking up Santana's option becomes less of a priority as the youngster could slide into his spot in the rotation.

After Sunday's games, the Angels find themselves in the basement of the AL West, nine games behind the Texas Rangers. Should the Angels somehow not turn things around and find themselves out of contention as the deadline approaches, dealing Santana away for whatever they could get in return is not out of the realm of possibility.

If they hold onto Santana through the deadline, I don't expect that the team will exercise their option on him, allowing Santana to hit the open market as they look to Garrett Richards to fill his spot in the rotation.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Andre Ethier

Dodgers GM Ned Coletti has always intended to keep Andre Ethier in Dodgers blue, and he's had discussions with the incoming ownership group about working out an extension with their 30-year-old rightfielder.

Off to a solid start in 2012, hitting .277/.333/.554 with five home runs and 24 RBI, Ethier has done nothing to diminish his value on the open market, should the Dodgers allow him to become a free agent following the season.

Working out an extension during the season makes sense for both sides—it gives Ethier peace of mind that he'll stay in the same place he's been throughout his seven-year career, and it gives the Dodgers and their fans peace of mind that a big part of their offense isn't going anywhere.

I'd be shocked if an extension wasn't agreed to prior to the end of the season, something in the neighborhood of $60 million over four years.

Miami Marlins: Anibal Sanchez

Anibal Sanchez has been Miami's best starting pitcher thus far in 2012, sitting 1-0 with a 2.73 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 33 strikeouts over 26.1 innings pitched.

You would think based on that and his impending free agency that the 28-year-old figures to receive a lucrative multi-year extension from the Miami Marlins.

But then again, maybe not. We are dealing with a team owned by Jeffrey Loria, a man with a reputation for dumping salary on a whim, regardless of how it impacts the on-field product.

After spending big to bring in Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes, Sanchez could prove too rich for Loria's liking—especially if he hits the open market.

I expect the Marlins not to goof this one up and work out an extension with the talented right-hander before the end of the season, for if he hits the open market, there is no guarantee that he'll come back to Miami.

Milwaukee Brewers: Zack Greinke

One month into the season, Zack Greinke is the only starting pitcher on the Milwaukee Brewers who sits with an ERA under 4.00 (3.93) and more than one win (Greinke is 3-1).

Greinke, who is in the last year of a contract that pays him $13.5 million in 2012, is sure to have his agent use the five-year, $112.5 million extension that Matt Cain signed with the San Francisco Giants as a comparable deal for what the 28-year-old Greinke is worth.

Without the Brewers picking up any options, the teams sits with seven players under contract for 2013 at a cost of $49.8 million—almost half of the $101.7 million payroll they have this season.

It's doubtful that an extension would be worked out between the two sides, as Greinke is sure to be one of the most sought players on the market should he reach free agency, with offers coming in at or exceeding the deal that Cain signed with the Giants.

One thing the Brewers have going for them is that Greinke seems to prefer playing in smaller markets. That being said, Greinke isn't opposed to playing in a big market...which leads me to the thinking that the Brewers should trade Greinke at the non-waiver trade deadline if they're falling behind in the playoff race.

They have a number of players that need to be paid for 2013 and a number of holes that need to be filled. Dealing Greinke away, while it'd only be as a short-term rental for the acquiring team, is sure to bring back a number of prospects that could help them both in 2013 and down the road.

Minnesota Twins: Scott Baker

Out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery two weeks ago, the Twins hold a $9.25 million option on 30-year-old starter Scott Baker for 2013.

The question is, will they exercise it?

Baker has been the Twins' most consistent pitcher since 2007, going 12-7 with a 3.92 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 169 innings pitched on average.

He wants to stay with the Twins, and it's likely that the Twins would like to have Baker back, just not at a $9.25 million salary.

Look for the Twins to decline his option following the season and for the two sides to agree on a multi-year deal with a number of team options and incentives included.

New York Mets: David Wright

David Wright seems to have put his multitude of injuries behind him and is off to a torrid start to the season, posting a .397/.506/.588 hitting line with three home runs, 14 RBI and solid defense at the hot corner for the New York Mets.

Wright, 29, is the face of the embattled franchise and a player that the team holds a $16 million option on for 2013. Mets GM Sandy Alderson has said that he expects Wright to be a Met going forward:

"Look, let’s play out at least part of this season and see where we are. But, I honestly, at this point, cannot foresee David playing elsewhere.”

While Alderson cannot foresee the third baseman playing elsewhere, Wright's next contract won't be as team-friendly as the previous extension that he signed was. Comparisons to Washington's Ryan Zimmerman and the six-year, $100 million extension that he agreed to earlier this season are inevitable and accurate.

Should the Mets decide to trade Wright, the team option is nullified and Wright becomes a free agent following this season.

Expect the Mets to hold onto Wright, exercising their option following this season and working on an extension with him over the winter.

New York Yankees: Nick Swisher

The New York Yankees don't negotiate contract extensions during the regular season, a policy that generally has worked out well for the 27-time World Series champions.

The Yankees are under an edict from owner Hal Steinbrenner to be under the $189 million luxury tax threshold in 2014, and they still have long-term extensions to work out with both Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson.

With the pitching issues the team has had thus far in 2012, it's conceivable that they'll be players in free agency this winter, going after someone like Cole Hamels should he hit the market.

That leaves Nick Swisher, their affable 31-year-old rightfielder, potentially on the outside looking in.

If he has his way, he'll stay with the Yankees and he has no problem waiting until after the season to talk contract with the team:

"I love this place. Everybody knows that. This is the place I want to be. I'm just going to continue to be myself, then after we win this World Series, let's talk about it."

Swisher is going to hit the open market, and the Yankees' stated goal of being under the $189 million threshold and Swisher's stated goal of remaining a Yankee will both be put to the test.

Oakland A's: Brandon McCarthy

After acquiring a number of young arms that are under team control in exchange for starting pitchers Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez, the Oakland A's have inexpensive options for their rotation going forward.

McCarthy has battled injuries throughout his career, throwing more than 160 innings in a season only once, last year for the A's when he logged 170.1.

Sitting with a 3.23 ERA and 1.41 WHIP, the 28-year-old McCarthy is earning $4.28 million this season for the second-place A's in the AL West.

Unless the A's are still in contention for a playoff spot as July 31 approaches, expect McCarthy to be moved to a contender.

Philadelphia Phillies: Cole Hamels

John Boggs represents Cole Hamels, and he spoke with Jim Salsbury of ComcastSportsNet Philadelphia in January to announce his expectations for his client: 

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At the appropriate time, Cole is looking to be compensated as one of the premier left-handed pitchers in baseball...Without putting a number on it, we’ll leave it at the fact that he’s an elite pitcher. Look and see what elite pitchers are compensated with. Hopefully at the end of the day we’ll be able to get something done with the Phillies that will reflect that.

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The Phillies had attempted to sign Hamels to a team-friendly deal, much like the one that Jered Weaver signed with the Los Angeles Angels towards the end of last season. As far as Boggs is concerned, Weaver's deal is irrelevant:

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I don’t think it’s a parallel...That contract is great for Jered. I understand it. But he took a different path and left a lot of money on the table. He came up through the Angels system and grew up in their backyard. He’s pitching where he grew up. That situation appeals to him. It’s a similar situation to when I had Tony Gwynn.

"

The Phillies are going to have to decide, and rather quickly, whether they are willing to pay Hamels market value to retain his services. Once the 28-year-old lefty hits the open market, expectations are that he'll receive multiple six-year offers from suitors that exceed $20 million a season.

As the season wears on and free agency draws closer to becoming a reality, Hamels is unlikely to be as amenable to discussing a long-term deal with the Phillies as he currently is.

By then, the Phillies will have to get in line and negotiate against the rest of the league.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Joel Hanrahan

Playing this season on a one-year, $4.1 million contract he was awarded in arbitration, 30-year-old closer Joel Hanrahan has had some issues with his command so far in 2012.

Hanrahan has thrown seven innings, picking up a win and four saves en route to a 2.57 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. Of the seven innings that he's thrown, three have come with two walks, something you don't want to see from a man who's job it is to shut down the opposition in the ninth inning.

That being said, Hanrahan would be an attractive trade chip for the Pirates, especially given the number of contending teams who have issues at the back end of their bullpens.

Expect to see Hanrahan moved to a contender at the non-waiver trade deadline, if not earlier, while the Pirates will look to other internal options to fill the role.

San Diego Padres: Huston Street

With the Padres' ownership situation now back in limbo after Jeff Moorad dropped his bid to purchase the team, the Padres' financial situation is once again in flux.

Though they traded for Huston Street this past offseason, the cost was negligible, with Colorado only receiving low-level pitching prospect Nick Schmidt in return.

Street, who turns 29 before the end of the season, has a $9 million mutual option with the team. While the pitcher may exercise his end, the Padres are likely to move him to a contending team in an effort to obtain more pieces for their rebuilding process.

San Francisco Giants: Aubrey Huff

After locking up Matt Cain with a five-year extension, the Giants will enter this coming offseason with nothing in the way of irreplaceable players hitting the open market.

Aubrey Huff is the best of those who could become free agents, and with youngsters Brandon Belt and Brett Pill on the roster, you would think that Huff is expendable.

While his performance thus far in 2012 has been awful (.182/.300/.333 with no home runs and five RBI), it's likely being attributed to the anxiety disorder that has kept him out of action.

The Giants hold a $10 million team option on Huff for 2013, but unless Belt and Pill show that they cannot play at the major league level, I don't expect the Giants to bring him back at that price.

With Huff being a versatile player and a favorite of Giants skipper Bruce Bochy's, I expect the two sides to work out an extension that lowers the annual salary but gives the 35-year-old some job security for the next few seasons.

Seattle Mariners: Justin Smoak

Acquired by the Mariners as part of the package they received for Cliff Lee, 25-year-old Justin Smoak has been nothing but a disappointment for the Mariners thus far.

Not only has Smoak struggled to stay healthy, but he's struggled to perform when he does play, hitting .229/.307/.389 with 23 home runs and 78 RBI in 172 games played for the Mariners over parts of three seasons.

He's an inexpensive option at first base, making less than $500,000 this season, but his production has been virtually non-existent. The Mariners will have to decide whether they want to continue to trot Smoak out on the field or not.

I expect the Mariners and Smoak to part ways following the 2012 season, with Seattle looking to an inexpensive veteran, such as Casey Kotchman, to fill the role in 2013.

St. Louis Cardinals: Lance Berkman

To say Lance Berkman's career has had a resurgence in St. Louis would be an understatement.

Since joining the Cardinals last season, Berkman has done nothing but produce, hitting .303/.417/.546 with 31 home runs and 96 RBI.

Currently on disabled list with a calf injury, the 36-year old started to run yesterday and is slowly working his way back to active duty.

In his absence, Matt Carpenter has performed admirably, hitting .267/.333/.467 with a home run and 14 RBI.

Earning $12 million this season, I expect the Cardinals to let Berkman test free agency this offseason. With in-house options in Carpenter and the currently injured Allen Craig to play first base on a full-time basis, the money spent to retain Berkman could go towards keeping their pitching staff intact.

Tampa Bay Rays: B.J. Upton

Just as Carl Crawford did following the 2010 season, B.J. Upton will be the next talented Rays outfielder to take his talents to the highest bidder.

Upton has been a solid player who has never quite lived up to the lofty expectations surrounding him. He is in line for a raise over the $7 million salary he will earn in 2012.

With Desmond Jennings as the future in center, Upton will receive offers that far exceed levels that the Rays are comfortable with, and the 27-year-old will call another city home starting in 2013.

Texas Rangers: Josh Hamilton

The Rangers already have a boatload of money tied up entering 2013. Between his injury issues and off-field concerns, Josh Hamilton is a risky proposition.

Hamilton turns 31 next month and will earn $13.75 million this season in the last year of a two-year deal he signed with the Rangers prior to the 2011 season.

There's no disputing that when he's right, Hamilton is arguably the best player in baseball, as he's showing again this season with a batting line of .395/.438/.744 to go along with nine home runs and 25 RBI.

Even with Leonys Martin waiting in the minors, the Rangers cannot afford to let Hamilton walk after the season. I expect them to lock him up before the end of the regular season.

Toronto Blue Jays: J.P. Arencibia

Catchers who can hit for power are a valuable commodity in baseball, but in the case of 26-year-old J.P. Arencibia, the power potential is being outweighed by his inability to make consistent contact with the bat.

Hitting .197/.242/.295 with only one home run and 10 RBI for the Blue Jays in 2012, Arencibia figures to be pushed out of the starting spot by prospect Travis d'Arnaud in 2013.

It's hard to imagine the Blue Jays will want to go with two young catchers moving forward, especially with other teams constantly looking for a long term answer behind the plate.

If the Jays fall out of contention by the trade deadline, I expect Arencibia to be moved at that time. If they're still alive, look for him to be dealt his offseason.

Washington Nationals: Edwin Jackson

After not receiving a multi-year offer to his liking, Edwin Jackson signed a one-year deal with the Washington Nationals so that he could hit the open market again heading into 2013.

Off to a great start for the Nationals this year—a record of 1-1 with a 3.16 ERA, 0.974 WHIP 26 strikeouts over 25.2 innings pitched—Jackson has done nothing but strengthen his negotiating position.

With Matt Cain already off the board as possible competition, Jackson's agent, Scott Boras, is unlikely to allow his client to sign an extension with the Nationals. He'll hit the market, and Washington, among other teams, will vie to acquire his services.