2012 MLB Free Agency: Every Team's Biggest Pipe Dream This Offseason

Every offseason, I have said, "If only my team could get that player—he would fit perfectly on our roster."

I know that many of you have probably said the same thing, and I bet you'll start doing that this offseason too, even though you know it could not happen.

Let's start dreaming.

Let's take a look at every team in baseball and see where their biggest weakness was. Then let's try to fill that weakness with the best player given the rest of the roster. Each player can only be used once.

Unrealistic? Absolutely. However, every team has a dream player, and we will get started with...

Arizona Diamondbacks: Miguel Cabrera

I love the multi-talented Arizona Diamondbacks, such as Chris Young, Justin Upton and Ryan Roberts.

I love the fact that they can hit hard and run fast. The problem is that they strike out a ton, so they need someone to balance them out in the lineup who would hit for a very high average and show some plate discipline.

Who better to fill this gap than Miguel Cabrera?

He hit .344, had an on-base percentage of .448, and he walked more than he struck out.

He also happened to hit 30 home runs and drive in 105 RBI. He would be a great complement to offset this lineup of free-swingers.

Atlanta Braves: Tim Lincecum

The Atlanta Braves have a very good pitching staff this year when looking at the big picture.

However, their starting rotation actually had some durability issues throughout the year.

I would dream of them adding a durable, hard-throwing pitcher who would be a nice complement to the technique arms they have right now.

When I think of an overpowering pitcher, Tim Lincecum comes to mind. Although he received virtually no run support this season—which resulted in a 13-14 record—he still had a 2.74 ERA with 220 strikeouts in 217 innings.

Opponents were only able to hit .222 against him, and I think that his power would complement Tim Hudson and Jair Jurrjens very well.

Baltimore Orioles: Roy Halladay

The Baltimore Orioles have a promising core on offense. The combination of Adam Jones, JJ Hardy, Matt Wieters and Nick Markakis could be pretty effective.

They did, however, have major problems with their pitching staff. They need to add a starting pitcher who is able to throw well for a long time (so they do not need to depend on their thin bullpen) and will strengthen the rotation.

Roy Halladay is a guy that you want to go deep into games. He had eight complete games on the season and went 19-6 with a 2.35 ERA. He also has great control, as he only walked 39 people total in more than 233 innings.

This type of durability would help fill out the rotation in spectacular fashion while also covering for what was a somewhat lackluster bullpen this season.

Boston Red Sox: Ian Kennedy

The Boston Red Sox had what might be described as an epic collapse this fall.

Nevertheless, they do have a talented roster led by the likes of Adrian Gonzalez, Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz (who knows if he will re-sign) and Dustin Pedroia.

However, outside of Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, the Red Sox's starting pitching had relatively major problems.

This is where Ian Kennedy would easily fit in. He tallied a ton of wins and would add some youth to what was an aging rotation.

He went 21-4 this season with a 2.88 ERA to tie for the National League lead in wins. Another reason for this choice is because I'm sure that the Red Sox would love to use a former Yankee to beat the Yankees.

It will continue the battle of trying to one-up each other.

Chicago Cubs: Albert Pujols

You had to see this one coming.

The Chicago Cubs would love to get one up on the St. Louis Cardinals.

Besides the fact that Albert Pujols is the best hitter in baseball, it would be especially sweet to steal him away from their rivals.

There is also the convenient fact that nobody on the team had more than 28 home runs. He would add great power there.

Pujols had probably his worst season ever, as he hit .299 with 37 home runs and 99 RBI. It is kind of ridiculous to even think that that could be his worst.

He has been incredibly consistent through his entire career, and he seems like the type of guy that any team would love to have in the clubhouse.

This is actually kind of a possibility, but even I do not think it will actually end up happening.

Chicago White Sox: Ryan Braun

The Chicago White Sox had quite a bit of trouble producing runs this season especially for an American League team.

Therefore, they would be looking for another run producer to combine with Paul Konerko to support the middle of the lineup.

Also, the only real speed they had on the basepaths was the light-hitting Juan Pierre, who will be a free agent this winter anyway.

30-30 man Ryan Braun would fill both of these voids.

He hit .332 with 33 home runs, 111 RBI, and 33 stolen bases. He has emerged as one of the most well-rounded players in Major League Baseball, as most teams are almost out of them.

Given that the White Sox could not produce runs and the only stolen-base threat they had will be a free agent, Ryan Braun would be an amazing choice if they could swing the deal.

Cincinnati Reds: CJ Wilson

The Cincinnati Reds play in a bandbox, so they got some great production from Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce.

However, they experienced the same problem that the Reds have been plagued with for quite a bit of recent history—starting pitching.

They would love to bring in a pitcher who can obviously win but also rely on the ground ball and keep it down.

CJ Wilson was able to do that this past season.

He was 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA while also playing in the hitter-friendly confines of the Rangers. This season, he got 1.38 ground outs for every air out, but his career number is even better at 1.49.

He would hopefully be able to keep the ball inside the ballpark in Cincinnati by keeping it on the ground.

Cleveland Indians: Cole Hamels

The Cleveland Indians battled a lot of injury problems to the starting rotation.

They tried to add some strength at the deadline by acquiring Ubaldo Jimenez, but he largely underachieved.

Because of this, the Indians need another starter. Also, he should be a southpaw, because David Huff is the only one they currently have.

Cole Hamels would be an excellent addition for the Indians.

For one thing, he had a great year, as he went 14-9 with a 2.79 ERA. It was even more impressive that his WHIP was only at 0.99.

He is only a little bit older than Jimenez, so if we assume that Jimenez will eventually get back on track, they could be a devastating duo for years to come.

Colorado Rockies: Dustin Pedroia

Because of the very thin air in Denver, the Colorado Rockies will normally score a lot of runs.

However, this season did not see them score very many runs at all, and their record suffered accordingly.

Second baseman was held down by a bunch of different athletes, including Mark Ellis when he came over from Oakland, but it is a position where they could use an upgrade who would play all the time and produce runs.

Dustin Pedroia hit .307 with 21 home runs, 91 RBI and 26 stolen bases, and he walked more than he struck out.

Between Pedroia, Todd Helton and Troy Tulowitzki, there would be a lot of baserunners and runs driven in because they have high on-base percentages as well as RBI totals. Although the Rockies had a decent rotation going at second base, it would not hurt to have this type of upgrade.

Detroit Tigers: Aramis Ramirez

The Detroit Tigers obviously did pretty well this season, as they went deep into the playoffs.

Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Jhonny Peralta and Alex Avila led the way for what turned out to be a very powerful offense.

The biggest hole in this lineup is at third base, but even that is a stretch. Wilson Betemit did a pretty good job there, but of course there could be improvement.

In this case, Aramis Ramirez would be the perfect fit.

He hit .306 with 26 home runs and 93 RBI. He would add even more run production to this lineup, which could then support the likes of Justin Verlander and Doug Fister even better.

This is another move that I guess could possibly happen. Ramirez is a free agent, so I think that they will make a play for him.

Florida Marlins: Cliff Lee

The Florida Marlins have always been a team that bring up great young players but then need to trade them for not being able to afford them.

However, I think that a veteran pitcher will not only help them get some victories, but I also think that it would help them develop their young pitchers.

Cliff Lee would be a great addition after he went 17-8 this season with a 2.40 ERA.

He also averaged over a strikeout per inning and held opponents to a .229 batting average against him. Also, his very professional demeanor would be a very good example for all of the young players the Marlins are trying to cultivate.

Houston Astros: Justin Verlander

The Houston Astros need a lot of work, to say the least.

They had the third-worst team ERA in baseball—which is pretty sad coming from a National League team.

They really need that one pitcher who will be able to dominate one out of every five days. This would be a great first step to rebuilding, even if it would not be the complete process yet.

Justin Verlander was obviously the best pitcher in baseball this season. That is why I saved him for the worst team.

He went 24-5 with a 2.40 ERA. Opponents could only manage to hit .192 against him and his WHIP was an amazingly low 0.92.

The worst team in baseball needs a big shot in the arm, and Verlander would definitely be able to help them in a big way every five days.

Kansas City Royals: Clayton Kershaw

The Kansas City Royals almost needed as much help as the Houston Astros did.

Their team ERA was only a tiny bit better then the Kansas City Royals. The disappointing part was that their lineup actually started producing.

Melky Cabrera, Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Jeff Francoeur proved that they could both hit the long ball and run the bases. They needed pitchers to give them a chance to win, though.

If Justin Verlander was the best pitcher in baseball this year, Clayton Kershaw was the second best.

He went 21-5 with an MLB best 2.28 ERA among starting pitchers. He also struck out 248 hitters in just over 233 innings pitched.

He is definitely a flame-thrower, and his young arm would fit in nicely with the aforementioned group of young hitters.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Mike Napoli

The highlight for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this season was definitely the production of Jered Weaver, Ervin Santana and Dan Haren.

The three starting pitchers gave the Angels a chance to win every time they pitched.

The lineup was relatively solid, but they had a big hole at catcher and were not able to replace the lost production from Mike Napoli.

That being said, I'm sure they would love to have Mike Napoli back now.

He hit .320 this season with 30 home runs and 75 RBI. His on-base percentage spiked to .414. Those are ridiculous numbers for a catcher, but it is especially ironic that the Angels just let him go this last offseason.

Too bad they could not see the future and where they would have a hole.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Carlos Gonzalez

The Los Angeles Dodgers are already led by Matt Kemp, who flirted with the Triple Crown this season.

However, he did not have much support on offense this season. Another multitalented athlete like Kemp would add some more opportunities for not only the rest of the lineup to produce runs, but he would also hopefully produce runs himself.

Carlos Gonzalez has the potential to go 30-30 just as Matt Kemp has been known to do.

This past season, Gonzalez missed 35 games due to injury, but he still hit .295 with 26 home runs and 20 stolen bases.

It is not that much of a stretch of the imagination to see him hit over .300 and go 30-30. The Dodgers would then have two all-around great producers, which would stimulate their lineup.

Milwaukee Brewers: Prince Fielder

The Milwaukee Brewers would love to have Prince Fielder back for next season.

He is a free agent and is definitely going to be a very rich man once he signs a new contract this winter.

He has been the core of their lineup and has been a big personality in the clubhouse. He and Ryan Braun formed one of the most productive combinations in baseball.

Fielder hit .299 this season with 38 home runs and 120 RBI. He is also not one of those power hitters who has no discipline and just swings hard. He actually drew more walks than he struck out, and his on-base percentage was a very nice .415.

He probably will not re-sign with Milwaukee, but they definitely hope he does.

Minnesota Twins: John Axford

The Minnesota Twins had quite a few problems this season, but their bullpen was definitely one of the biggest.

Outside of Glen Perkins, the Twins had very few options if they wanted a reliable ending.

They were only able to convert 32 out of 52 save opportunities as a team this season. Therefore, they really need someone to stabilize the bullpen and the hammer-down opportunities.

John Axford would be able to fill this job perfectly.

He went 2-2 this season with a 1.95 ERA and converted 46 of 48 saves. He also struck out 86 batters in just over 73 innings.

He is also only 28 years old, so he could be a piece of the bullpen for years to come. Even though the Minnesota Twins had several weaknesses, Axford would at least be able to handle one of them.

New York Mets: Jose Bautista

Jose Reyes was essentially the only reason the New York Mets offense was even worth looking at.

Carlos Beltran led the Mets in home runs (15) and RBI (66) for the entire season—even though he was traded in July.

That emphasizes how weak their offense really was. This lineup is in need of some power and run production more than anything else.

In terms of power, very few hitters can outhit Jose Bautista.

Bautista hit .302 with 43 home runs and 103 RBI. He also was on-base almost half of the time he stepped to the plate with a .447 on-base percentage.

Adding this type of bat to the middle of the lineup would be a great help, and he can definitely play right field to take over the hole that Beltran left.

New York Yankees: Doug Fister

The New York Yankees do not have a ton of weaknesses in terms of statistics.

They have a very high scoring offense, and their pitching rotation was solid this year behind some veteran surprises such as Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon.

However, because they are older, the Yankees would dream of grabbing a younger yet highly effective starter to help them out.

Looking at Doug Fister's record would not turn very many heads.

He was only 11-13 this season. However, he had a very nice 2.83 ERA and 1.06 WHIP.

Once he actually got to the Detroit Tigers and got some run support, he went 8-1. Imagine what could do with the run support that the Yankees would provide him.

Oakland Athletics: Adrian Gonzalez

The Moneyball success has left the Oakland Athletics.

Although they were the innovators that first moved on this idea, they have lost their competitive advantage because other teams have started to emulate them.

The Moneyball success was based largely on on-base percentage, so the Athletics could use a No. 3 hitter to revamp this lineup.

Adrian Gonzalez is a great all-around hitter.

He hit .338 on the season with 27 home runs and 117 RBI. In terms of on-base percentage, he had a .410 statistic.

He has the potential to carry a lineup and would definitely be welcome in Oakland. Of course, he did not walk as much as he could, but he is still an amazing hitter.

Philadelphia Phillies: Adrian Beltre

The Philadelphia Phillies are kind of like the New York Yankees. They did not have a lot of problems on paper, even though the end result was disappointing.

However, even though Placido Polanco started the All-Star game, he had a definite problem near the end of the season with injuries, and the Phillies could use an upgrade potentially at that position, depending on his injury situation.

Adrian Beltre had an excellent season, as he hit .296 with 32 home runs and 105 RBI.

Plate discipline is definitely not his strong point, but he would add a lot more run production to their lineup.

He would be another powerful right-handed bat to offset the Ryan Howard and Chase Utley left-handed battery. The Phillies needed production at times this season.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Troy Tulowitzki

The Pittsburgh Pirates had another difficult season.

They seem to produce a lot of young talent, but they have never really been able to channel it into a lot of success, like the Tampa Bay Rays have.

Andrew McCutchen has a lot of potential and had a pretty good season this year, but the Pirates could definitely use a powerful bat to do some more damage.

Troy Tulowitzki would solve a few problems that the Pirates have.

For example, he hit .305 with 30 home runs and 105 RBI. Also, shortstop was a bit of a problem area for the Pirates, as Ronny Cedeno was not very productive from that spot.

A power-hitting shortstop who also happens to be a pretty good fielder would be a welcome addition to the Pirates.

San Diego Padres: Jacoby Ellsbury

I definitely realize that the Padres have Cameron Maybin in center field, and I do not mean to frame him as the main problem for the San Diego Padres.

However, their outfield was full of speed players this season, and they really had no power to speak of.

Therefore, they could use a player who can provide a lot of speed and power.

Jacoby Ellsbury went 30-30 this past season.

Overall, he hit .321 with 32 home runs, 105 RBI, and 39 stolen bases. He is the type of player who can contribute in a variety of ways for the betterment of the team.

He could play any outfield position—and this would not necessarily mean that Maybin would be out of a job. However, he definitely could provide more power without sacrificing any of their team speed.

San Francisco Giants: Matt Kemp

The San Francisco Giants traded for Carlos Beltran at the trade deadline to try to bulk up their lineup.

It definitely worked to some extent. However, they still had a relatively weak lineup that did not really hit for much power or steal many bases.

Therefore, they need someone who can anchor the lineup as well as be more than just a home run threat.

Who better to fill this all-around role than Matt Kemp, who almost won the National League Triple Crown?

He hit .324 with 39 home runs and 40 stolen bases over the season. He also drove in 126 runs and scored 115 runs himself.

With all of this production, there are very few batters who could turn around a lineup as quickly as Kemp.

Seattle Mariners: Curtis Granderson

The Seattle Mariners did not have a hitter who was able to drive in more than 62 runs this season.

Because of this, they definitely could use some type of bat to strengthen the middle of their lineup.

The outfield also had problems outside of Ichiro Suzuki and Mike Carp. Therefore, they would be dreaming of some type of power-hitting outfielder.

Curtis Granderson is the epitome of a power-hitting outfielder.

Although his average was little bit low at .262, he hit 41 home runs and drove in 119 runs with 25 stolen bases. Also, he was a very efficient leadoff hitter who scored 136 runs this season.

The Mariners would love to have this type of threat to combine with Suzuki and be able to bring him home.

St. Louis Cardinals: CC Sabathia

It is hard to poke a hole in the National League champions. Obviously, they've been doing something right.

However, while the starting rotation was definitely effective, they did not have one definitive ace.

Chris Carpenter and Jamie Garcia are great pitchers, but I'm talking about that type of pitcher who would definitely be the one they would want on the mound in Game 7.

CC Sabathia went an amazing 19-8 this season with a 3.00 ERA. Given that he played in the American League, this ERA is pretty low.

Obviously the reason for acquiring him is because he gets a lot of wins. The ultimate measure of success is the ability to win baseball games, and CC Sabathia could have made the St. Louis Cardinals' road through the playoffs a bit less rocky.

Tampa Bay Rays: Victor Martinez

The Tampa Bay Rays kind of remind me of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

They have a lot of athletes who are able to hit the ball hard and run well, such as BJ Upton, Ben Zobrist and Matt Joyce.

However, their averages are not quite so high, and they tend to strike out quite a bit. Therefore, they could use a hitter with a high average to balance out this free-swinging nature.

Victor Martinez hit .330 this season with 12 home runs and 103 RBI.

The platoon that Tampa Bay was using at catcher was producing more power in terms of home runs then Martinez, but he blew them away in average and runs batted in.

A switch-hitter also never hurts in the middle of the lineup, and Tampa Bay could surely use him.

Texas Rangers: Tim Hudson

I will only say this one more time. The Texas Rangers are yet another team that is difficult to poke a hole in. As the American League champions, they've obviously been able to win very effectively.

Therefore, I think they could definitely use a pitcher who is able to throw ground balls.

Playing in such a hitter-friendly ballpark would definitely play to the advantages of a ground-ball pitcher.

Tim Hudson has been phenomenal ever since he emerged with the Oakland Athletics a long time ago.

This season, he went 16-10 with a 3.22 ERA. He held his opponents to a .236 average. Most impressively, however, he got 1.63 groundouts for every air out.

Over his career, though, this number even jumps to 2.12. A ground-ball pitcher would suit the purposes of the Texas Rangers perfectly.

Toronto Blue Jays: Jered Weaver

Ricky Romero has emerged as a star for the Toronto Blue Jays. However, he did not have much support from the rest of the starting rotation.

Therefore, the obvious improvement that the Toronto Blue Jays would have to make is to solidify the rotation.

It will be hard to win anything in the American League East with only one strong starter.

Jered Weaver went 18-8 with a 2.41 ERA this season. He earned a WHIP of 1.01 which demonstrates that he is able to limit the opponents' baserunners.

Opponents were only able to hit .212 against him this season as well. He proved that he was among the elite pitchers in baseball, and he could form a nice duo with Romero behind him.

Washington Nationals: Justin Upton

The Washington Nationals were disappointed by the production of Jayson Werth after he signed a huge free-agent contract last season.

However, the outfield is still where the Nationals need more production. They could probably use some more strength in center field, but Werth could play there if he had to.

However, I think that Justin Upton could also play center field.

As far as his production goes, he would be loved for his all-around ability. He hit .289 with 31 home runs, 88 RBI, and 21 stolen bases.

This type of ability would go a long way to help the Washington Nationals' young core that is still developing. Upton isn't even that old himself, so he could be part of that movement.