MLB Free Agency 2012: Predicting All 30 Teams' Biggest Target

With the playoffs only weeks away, we are nearing crunch time for the teams in contention. Meanwhile, the teams who are out of the race are evaluating their talent looking ahead to next season.

So here is a look at the top free agent that each team will target this offseason, as it is a star-studded free-agent class that has plenty of depth to it as well. Some of the big names could be re-signed and re-signings have been included on this list as well.

It should be noted that the players have only been linked to one team despite the fact that more than one team will target them. For example, while there will be a number of teams vying for Prince Fielder's services, he is only listed for the team I feel will land him in the end.

Atlanta Braves: Rafael Furcal

Injuries have prevented Furcal from reaching the 600 plate appearance total he needed in order for his $12 million option to vest next season, so he will be hitting the market at season's end.

After hitting just .197 in 37 games with the Dodgers before being sidelined with injuries, he has been better since joining the Cardinals with a .250 BA, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 25 R line in 43 games.

Furcal is still just 33 and plays great defense. He represents, perhaps, the best option on the market at shortstop aside from Jose Reyes. The Cardinals have expressed interest in bringing him back, but the team he broke into the league with could also make a play for his services.

Florida Marlins: Livan Hernandez

It's hard to believe that it has been 14 years since the then 22-year-old Livan Hernandez burst onto the scene and helped lead the Marlins to a surprise World Series title back in 1997.

Now a seasoned veteran, Hernandez is still a workhorse and a solid pitcher as he has eight wins and a 4.47 ERA this year.

A return to where it all started would give the Marlins a useful innings eater in their rotation and allow Hernandez to close out his career where it started.

New York Mets: Jonathan Broxton

The Mets held onto shortstop Jose Reyes at the trade deadline, despite the fact that the team is heading for a rebuild, and he would have brought in a bevy of prospects.

While they did it in hopes of getting a jump start on re-signing him, in the end, I think he will head for greener pastures.

That leaves the Mets with a number of holes, and with Wilmer Flores unready as the shortstop of the future, a stop-gap option like Alex Gonzalez could be a viable signing.

However, look for their biggest name signing to be someone to stabilize the awful bullpen, and Jonathan Broxton could be a bargain in what should be a bounce-back season.

Meanwhile, the team will bide their time until next offseason when they can make a run at someone like Josh Hamilton, Matt Kemp or some other big-name free agent to be.

Philadelphia Phillies: Jimmy Rollins

With all the talk of Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder hitting the free-agent market, little has been made of the fact that Phillies longtime shortstop Jimmy Rollins is also without a contract heading into the 2012 season.

He has spent all 12 years of his career with the Phillies, and while he is no longer the player that won the 2007 NL MVP at the age of 32, he is still a valuable player evidenced by his 3.2 WAR this season, and chances are the Phillies will do what it takes to retain his services.

Look for the Phillies to also vie for the services of one of the big-name closers on the market, but with the emergence of Ryan Madson, that is not as pressing a need as signing Rollins.

Washington Nationals: Cody Ross

The Nationals will likely be the first to jump if the Rays make B.J. Upton available this offseason as they look to upgrade their offense and fill a major void in center field.

However, it remains to be seen if he will in fact be traded as the Rays have seemingly been on the fence about that for several years now. If he is not made available, the next best choice for them may be Cody Ross.

Ross is not the best defensive center fielder and is probably better suited to play in the corners, but he would provide an offensive boost despite the fact that he is having a bit of a down season.

Chicago Cubs: Yu Darvish

The Cubs' franchise is in a state of turnover, as they are just starting to get out from under some bad contracts, although there is more payroll to be shed in the next couple years.

This could be a rebuilding season for the Cubs this coming season, and while many expect them to make a play for Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols, their most pressing need is in the rotation.

With Carlos Zambrano not expected back, the Cubs essentially have two starters they can rely on in Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza. The starting pitching crop is fairly weak but could get a boost if Japan's Yu Darvish is made available.

It will take a steep posting fee much like the one the Red Sox put up to get Dick-K, and while that is risky, it is tough to argue with the success Darvish has had as the 25-year-old has posted an ERA under 2.00 each of the past four seasons. If the Ricketts want to make a splash and shore up the rotation, Darvish could be the answer.

Cincinnati Reds: Francisco Cordero

While his time in Cincinnati has been rocky, it is hard to argue with the numbers. Cordero has saved 146 games in his four seasons with the Reds including 33 this year with a 2.47 ERA.

He has a $12 million option next season with a $1 million buyout, and it seems likely that the team will decline that option as he is currently the highest paid player on the team.

That said, he has expressed interest in finishing his career in Cincinnati and could give the Reds a discount to rejoin the team. While there are some big-name closers on the market this year, bringing back Cordero for cheaper makes more sense for the team.

Houston Astros: Scott Kazmir

Dealt to the Angels midway through the 2009 season after serving as the Rays ace for the past five seasons, Kazmir looked great down the stretch that year with a 1.73 ERA in six starts.

However, he struggled to a 9-15 record and 5.94 ERA last season and was released this season after just one start in which he went 1.2 innings and gave up five runs.

He has yet to sign with a team since being released, and seeing as he is still just 27 years old, a comeback is by no means out of the question. The Astros are not in a position to contend any time in the near future, but taking a flier on someone like Kazmir and then perhaps flipping him for prospects if he performs well, could be a step towards future contention.

Milwaukee Brewers: Carlos Pena

While the Brewers likely do not have enough money to sign Prince Fielder to the mega deal he will be seeking this winter, in losing him, they will also have his $15 million coming off the books.

Much of that will go to the raise that Rickie Weeks is receiving after this season, but in the end, the Brewers should have enough to go sign a replacement for Prince Fielder, and that man could be Carlos Pena.

While he has been solid for the Cubs this year, he is still hitting just .232. Somewhere in the range of a two-year, $20 million deal seems reasonable, and he would certainly help fill the void left by Fielder with his power bat and good glove, even if he does have trouble hitting over .230.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Aaron Harang

The Pirates were the surprise team of the first half of the season, and while they have faltered down the stretch, there is a lot to like about what is going on in Pittsburgh right now, as they have a good young core of players.

However, their pitchers outperformed all season, and they would be wise to add a veteran arm to help a rotation that has no true ace.

The Padres signed Aaron Harang this past offseason to a one-year, $4.3 million deal hoping he would bounce back after three straight poor seasons in Cincinnati, and he has done just that, going 13-7 with a 3.82 ERA.

St. Louis Cardinals: Albert Pujols

After shutting down negotiations when an extension wasn't reached during spring training, the Cardinals now have to contend with the other 29 teams to retain the services of the game's top slugger in Albert Pujols.

Some have put the Pujols contract in the neighborhood of $30 million per year, and if that is the case, the Cardinals will have to do some finagling to work his salary into their budget.

Pujols has bounced back from a slow start and is on pace to continue his streak of .300 BA, 30 HR, 100 RBI seasons, and he may be the only player in the league worth shelling out that kind of money for.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Bruce Chen

With the trio of Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson and Josh Collmenter, all 26 years old or younger, the Diamondbacks have a solid core at the top of their rotation. However, Joe Saunders could be non-tendered in his final year of arbitration, and beyond that, the team is lacking greatly in starting pitching.

The most likely move would be for the team to add a left-handed veteran starter at a low price to fill out the back of their rotation. Chen has gone a combined 23-15 the past two seasons with a respectable 4.16 ERA.

He is making $2 million this year, and while he could get a raise, the 34-year-old will likely still be a bargain.

Colorado Rockies: Jason Marquis

The Rockies landed a pair of terrific starting pitching prospects in Alex White and Drew Pomeranz in the trade that sent Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians, but it is unlikely that either of them will be a part of the rotation in 2012.

Throw in the fact that Aaron Cook's $11 million option will likely be declined and the team will no doubt be adding at least one starting pitcher this winter. Jason Marquis is a familiar face, as he won 15 games and made the All-Star team in 2009 as a member of the Rockies.

He has struggled in three starts with the Diamondbacks since coming over at the deadline, but he was solid in 20 starts with the Nationals, posting an 8-5 record and 3.95 ERA. Still just 32, a return to Colorado could be a good move for Marquis and the Rockies.

Los Angeles Dodgers: No One

With the team's financial questions still in play, and their three stars Clayton Kershaw (first time), Andre Ethier (fourth time) and Matt Kemp (third time) all set to earn a raise in arbitration, it remains to be seen how much money the Dodgers will have to spend on players, if any.

With the raises of those players, along with Hong-Chih Kuo, the Dodgers payroll will undoubtedly exceed $80 million and could be closer to $90 million. While that is still a far cry from the $119 million it was this season, the payroll is going to be cut.

They could add some non-roster invites this spring on minimum contracts but don't expect anything out of them in the free-agent market.

San Diego Padres: Kosuke Fukudome

Fukudome was a flop during his four years with the Cubs, but that is more a result of the four-year, $48 million contract he signed than it was because of his performance.

He did not live up to the lofty expectations the team had for him, but there is certainly a market for a above-average defensive outfielder with a .363 career on-base percentage.

He could be a good No. 2 hitter for the Padres and should come far cheaper than his current salary.

San Francisco Giants: Jose Reyes

The Giants were unable to land Jose Reyes at the deadline as many thought they would, with the Mets choosing instead to hold onto him in an attempt to get a jump on re-signing him this offseason, or at the very least, getting draft picks in return for his departure.

While the Mets will no doubt try hard to keep him, the Giants have the money to spend on him and a clear need at shortstop. It is a perfect fit for both sides, as the Giants get a shortstop and a table setter, and Reyes immediately makes the Giants favorites in the NL West.

Baltimore Orioles: Ryan Ludwick

The Orioles made a splash last offseason when they acquired veteran hitters to bolster their offense in Mark Reynolds, Derrek Lee, J.J. Hardy and Vladimir Guerrero. While that didn't quite work out according to plan with Lee traded and Guerrero ineffective, it is a step in the right direction.

Expect the Orioles to go after a left fielder this offseason, with Luke Scott's future in question and Nolan Reimold struggling in an expanded role this year.

Both Ryan Ludwick and Josh Willingham would make sense, but I think Ludwick will come at a lower price and perhaps for less years which would make him a more attractive option for the Orioles.

Boston Red Sox: Heath Bell

Despite their immense payroll and the splash they made last season in signing Carl Crawford and trading for Adrian Gonzalez, the Red Sox could be among the most active teams in baseball once again this offseason.

They will no doubt be looking to add some starting pitching, but with Jonathan Papelbon set to hit free agency, addressing the closer's role will be their top priority.

While Papelbon could still return, you could certainly argue that Bell is a better option and seeing as Bell is three years older than Papelbon, he may actually come cheaper.

New York Yankees: C.J. Wilson

Priority No. 1 for the Yankees this offseason is retaining ace CC Sabathia, who can opt out of his contract this year and likely will in search of a raise and some extra years.

Once that is taken care of, the team will likely look to secure another starter to flank Sabathia as the group of Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes has more questions than answers.

The best name on the market is the Rangers' C.J. Wilson, and while he has only been a starter for two years, he has been great in that span, going 31-15 with a 3.16 ERA in that span.

With the free-agent market slim, he could be in line for a $100 million contract, and if any team is willing and capable of giving it to him, it would be the Yankees.

Tampa Bay Rays: Raul Ibanez

The Rays proved willing to take a chance on a veteran hitter for cheap last offseason when they inked Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez to one-year deals, and they could do the same this year with Raul Ibanez.

Likely on his way out in Philadelphia, the 40-year-old Ibanez bounced back from a terrible first couple months this year and he still has some pop in his bat.

He would be a low-cost DH option who is still a capable outfielder should the team let Johnny Damon walk, which seems likely.

Toronto Blue Jays: Prince Fielder

While Albert Pujols is the top name on the market this winter, Prince Fielder may be the most intriguing option, thanks in part to the fact that he has virtually no chance of returning to the Brewers.

Making things even more interesting is the fact that the Red Sox and Yankees will likely not be in the running for his services. While contenders like the Giants and Rangers will be in the running, teams like the Orioles, Nationals, Blue Jays and Mariners will also vie for his services.

Of that group, the Blue Jays likely have the most money to spend and pairing Jose Bautista and Fielder together would give the Blue Jays one heck of an offense.

Chicago White Sox: Mark Buehrle

While they have fallen short of expectations this year, the White Sox are more or less locked into the team they currently have for next season with starting pitchers Edwin Jackson and Mark Buehrle hitting free agency but not much else coming off the books.

That said, the team would be wise to bring Buehrle back and likely will. He has spent all 12 seasons of his career with the White Sox, winning 159 games and proving to be as durable as they come.

Not only that, but he is in the middle of one of the best seasons of his career with an 11-9 record and one of the best ERA's of his career at 3.74.

Cleveland Indians: Coco Crisp

The Grady Sizemore era in Cleveland will likely come to an end after this season as he is set to hit free agency and has done little to warrant the team re-signing him.

That said, the team will need to address center field this offseason and a leadoff hitter with solid on-base skills should be among the team's top priorities this winter.

While Crisp is not the most glamorous option, he does have 42 steals this year, plays good defense in center field, and with a .331 career on-base percentage, he is more than capable of being a table setter.

Detroit Tigers: Kelly Johnson

The Tigers have watched as some of their once productive players have gotten extremely old over the past few seasons, with Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen and Brandon Inge fitting that bill.

While the team has a number of outfielders ready to step in for Ordonez, they will be looking for a second baseman and a third baseman this offseason. With the third-base market starting and ending with Aramis Ramirez who could be brought back by the Cubs, a second baseman seems like the more likely addition.

There are a pair of intriguing options in Kelly Johnson and Aaron Hill, and while both have experienced down seasons this year, Johnson has still launched 20 home runs, and at just 29 years old, he could certainly bounce back to his .284 BA, 26 HR, 71 RBI form of 2010.

Kansas City Royals: Ramon Hernandez

The Royals made the most of their modest free-agent signings last season, as Jeff Francoeur, Melky Cabrera, Jeff Francis and Bruce Chen have all performed well. They are a team on the rise, with a plethora of young talent, so expect more of the same as they wait for their youngsters to develop.

With top catching prospect Wil Myers moving to the outfield, the team's catcher of the future appears to be Salvador Perez, and while he has performed well in 20 games so far this season, he is still just 21 years old and the young rotation could benefit from adding a veteran backstop.

Hernandez is likely out in Cincinnati despite strong numbers this season of .281 BA, 12 HR, 36 RBI in a platoon role. With top prospect Devin Mesoraco on his way and Ryan Hanigan still there, they have little reason to re-sign him.

Minnesota Twins: Michael Cuddyer

Despite a less-than-impressive season by the team, the Twins decided to hold onto free agents to be Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel at the deadline, as they were still technically in the AL Central race.

While the team will likely try to re-sign both players, with a small budget, they are likely to only retain one of them and it needs to be Cuddyer.

Despite being three years older than Kubel, Cuddyer is immensely valuable, thanks to his ability to play multiple positions as he has seen time at all three outfield spots, first base, second base and third base within the past two seasons. Add in his first All-Star appearance this season, and he is clearly worth bringing back.

Los Angeles Angels: Edwin Jackson

The Angels have perhaps the best starting pitching trio in the American League in Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana, and that is a big part of why they are in contention despite an average-at-best offense.

More or less stuck with guys like Vernon Wells, Torii Hunter and Bobby Abreu, there is not much the Angels can do offensively, although they will be major player for Aramis Ramirez if he hits the market.

Instead, look for the team to try to add a top-tier arm to their already fantastic rotation to help offset their lineup holes.

Edwin Jackson is a Scott Boras client, so he won't come cheap, but he has as much upside as any free-agent starter on the market this year, and he would make an incredible fourth starter.

Oakland Athletics: Jason Kubel

The Athletics need offense, and they need it badly as they have quickly compiled one of the best young rotations in baseball but simply have no offensive threats.

Look for the team to first try to re-sign Josh Willingham and then turn their attention to another slugging outfielder. The 29-year-old Jason Kubel represents the best of the second tier of outfielders on the market, and he should come fairly cheap.

With a promising young infield of Chris Carter, Jemile Weeks and Grant Green, it will likely be an outfielder that the team targets as they seem to be taking steps in the right direction towards competing.

Seattle Mariners: Carlos Beltran

Beltran is in the final year of the monster deal he signed with the Mets back in 2005, and while it has been an up-and-down seven seasons of the deal, he has ended it on a high note with a .301 BA, 20 HR, 82 RBI line so far this season.

He has been great since being traded to the Giants, and his stock is as high right now as it has been in years, but at 34 years old, it will be interesting to see how many years a team is willing to give him.

After shifting to right field this season, the former three-time Gold Glove winner could benefit from a move to the American League and spending some time as a designated hitter. The Mariners could certainly use some more offensive fire power, and that is one thing Beltran can bring when healthy.

Texas Rangers: Hisashi Iwakuma

Lost in the talk of Yu Darvish possibly coming to the United States is last year's big-name Japanese pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma.

Last season, the A's won the rights to negotiate with him with a $19.1 million posting fee, but talks broke down and he returned to Japan. He will be considered an international free agent after this season so a posting fee will not be required to negotiate with him this time around.

If the Rangers lose C.J. Wilson, they may be best suited taking a chance on the 30-year-old hurler who was a hot commodity last season.