Baltimore Orioles: 10 Free Agent Names They Could Pursue This Offseason

Let's face it, the Baltimore Orioles have way too many holes to fill through free agency. This team isn't a big-name guy or two away from contention.

But the free-agent market is a nice place to start when looking for quality talent to add to the 2012 season's 25-man roster.

The market this season will be even drier than last year's, however, so the O's will have to target the right talent and be aggressive about signing said talent, something they haven't been too good at in the past.

And we all know there's no way the team can or is willing to compete with the top dogs in terms of free-agent bidding, such as the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, so they're going to have to get creative to add the right pieces to properly complement their current roster.

The following are some of the names you could see your favorite Baltimore baseball team make a push for this offseason.

Edwin Jackson; Starting Pitcher

The Orioles are in need of starting pitching. That much is obvious.

There's no way the O's go after and sign either of the two top pitchers on the market this year—lefties C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle. So to add a solid veteran presence to the rotation, St. Louis Cardinals righty Edwin Jackson could be a nice complimentary piece to add.

If slotted into the No. 2 starter role, he, his 3.79 ERA and de facto ace Jeremy Guthrie could do a pretty decent job of leading the team and taking some pressure off of the young starters looking to make a name for themselves.

Jackson is just the type of pitcher the O's like to go for: He's not a big name, and he wouldn't cost an extreme amount. But if the team did nab him, it would be one of the few times in recent memory that I'm not scratching my head at the move.

He's no ace, but he would most help the Birds.

Michael Cuddyer; Super Utility

Though he's no super star, Michael Cuddyer is going to be a very wanted man this offseason due to his versatility, relative batting consistency and clubhouse presence.

Cuddyer can play first, second, third and the corner outfield positions and do all with at least an average glove. And his line of .284/20/70 would be a welcome sight for any team.

Many O's fans are calling for his addition to the team, a view that I agree with, mainly because he can play second base should Brian Roberts be out for significant time for the third consecutive year, an unwanted but very possible situation.

He's a quality player for any club, and if the O's can sign him, he'd be a very positive addition to the team.

Yu Darvish; Starting Pitcher

This Japanese right-hander will be an interesting watch this offseason.

Though he hasn't yet officially been posted, he's still generating plenty of intrigue. He's got a mid-90s fastball, plus secondary pitches and projects to be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter in the MLB. Of course, one can never be certain of how an international player will translate once brought to American baseball, but it's fairly safe to say that Darvish should exceed, at least to some extent.

Orioles front-office executive John Stockstill recently traveled to Japan to watch Darvish pitch, but unfortunately, his start was skipped since his team had already locked up playoff contention.

Not to worry; the O's have watched Darvish pitch multiple times before.

It's possible that the Orioles will be in on Darvish should he be posted, but negotiation fees alone may be too much for the O's to spend on one player. Their seriousness in acquiring him will likely mostly revolve around his cost.

We all know what that means with this team...

Josh Willingham; Left Field

If the Orioles can't add any big-name offense, they could look at others to help boost their offensive consistency.

Being a middle-of-the-pack offensive team in 2011, improvement in that department isn't a dire need, but it would definitely be welcomed.

If the O's deem Nolan Reimold not good enough to take over left field full-time in 2012, then they could turn to the market to find an upgrade.

Josh Willingham is probably the best option out there, as his bat is a consistent run-producer, hitting 29 balls out of the park last season while driving in 98 runs.. His defense is a bit subpar, so he could be used in the DH role if manager Buck Showalter preferred that.

One thing, though: Don't expect the O's to sign both Willingham and Michael Cuddyer.

Jonathan Broxton; Relief Pitcher

Jonathan Broxton was once a dominating closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but injuries and ineffectiveness have plagued him the last couple of seasons.

This is exactly the type of relief arm the Orioles seem to target every offseason—a reclamation project. And if Broxton is willing to take on a small salary in order to make an attempt at re-establishing his dominance, O's management will only become more intersted.

While it wouldn't be smart to come to the AL East looking to prove yourself all over again, crazier things have happened. The fact remains that the O's need to add pitching depth, and Broxton needs a second chance.

I wouldn't be surprised to see this man on Baltimore's radar.

Erik Bedard; Starting Pitcher

Once the Oriole's ace, Bedard has been a shell of his former self since being traded to the Seattle Mariners for five players, including the team's current center fielder Adam Jones, prior to the 2008 season.

His ineffectiveness can be directly blamed on some bad luck with injuries, but in 2011, Bedard started to return to form with the Mariners and, after he was dealt to Beantown, the Boston Red Sox. His 5-9 record is a bit misleading since he speant half the year in Seattle, as his skills are better represented by his 3.62 ERA.

Although Bedard didn't exactly enjoy his time in Baltimore, a reunion would not be out of the question for the two. Bedard has proven he can still pitch, but now, he has to prove he can remain healthy for extended periods of time, as he even spent time on the disabled list with the Red Sox.

He likely won't be expensive and could provide to be a nice veteran arm for the team.

Such a reunion would certainly interest me.

Javier Lopez; Left-Handed Middle Reliever

Javier Lopez has quietly been one of the best relievers in all of baseball over the last handful of seasons and will likely be in high demand come this winter.

The O's obviously need bullpen help, especially in the left-handed department, and Lopez could be quite the addition on a one or two-year deal.

Not only that, but he knows how to win, as he's been on two championship teams ('07 Red Sox, '10 San Francisco Giants). He would bring a positive attitude to the Baltimore clubhouse.

Sign me up for his 2.72 ERA.

Prince Fielder/Albert Pujols; First Basemen

I felt like it would be an cheap way to add an extra slide if I did one for each, since they're pretty much the same scenario for the Birds and the likelihood that they're signed by the club is terrible, so I combined them into one slide.

There isn't anything I could tell you about these two that you don't already know. They're super stars. They hit bombs all day. They hit for average. They drive in runs. They're team leaders and winners. And in Pujols' case, a great glove comes with all of that.

They'll also each command a ton of money, something Orioles owner Peter Angelos doesn't especially like spending. That little fact makes it pretty unlikely that they'd be coming to Baltimore, though the slight possibility still remains.

It's even debatable whether one of their additions would be good for the O's, since a large contract would tie up the team's payroll.

Matt Capps; Closer

Matt Capps had a down year in 2011 with the Minnesota Twins, but then again, so did the Twins.

Regardless of his 2011 season, he's a proven relief pitcher who's saved games and can pitch in high-pressure spots.

If the Orioles decide to move reliever Jim Johnson into the starting rotation for 2012, they'll need a closer. Capps is an affordable and reliable option, and the O's like affordable.

His addition could help provide a little stability to a bullpen that never seems to have any. I'd take him over Kevin Gregg any day, and he'd probably take up less of the payroll.

Aaron Hill; Second Baseman

Aaron Hill is no longer the same as he was during his incredible 2009 season, but he could be a nice pickup as insurance for Brian Roberts.

At this point, Hill could understand being used in a utility role due to his inability to play like he did in 2009, but I'm not sure whether he's still hoping for a starting job with someone in 2012, so that could hinder his interest in signing with Baltimore.

His contract has an option for 2012 as well, and should the Arizona Diamondbacks pick that up, he wouldn't be an option for the O's unless they dealt for him.

Still, the O's need to have a backup to Roberts so that they can keep super utility man Robert Andino in the role he excelled so much in during 2011, and Hill would be a decent choice.