MLB Free Agents 2012: 20 Free Agents Teams Shouldn't Touch with a 10-Foot Pole

With MLB's winter meetings just around the corner, it certainly seems that the dominoes will start to fall into place with top free agents finally making their much-anticipated moves.

Heath Bell's move to the Marlins was one of the first of many that will no doubt be taking place in the coming weeks.

As these players are swooped up and given deals, though, another group waits in the wings.

Second- and even third-tier free agents may or may not find themselves with a new deal before spring training starts (as some of these players will find out).

David Aardsma

After undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum last winder, Seattle Mariners pitcher David Aardsma went under the knife again, undergoing Tommy John surgery and ending any chance of pitching anytime soon.

It's not likely that he'd be ready to pitch until late in the summer (at the earliest), so teams may wait to gauge his recovery before making a decision on whether or not to test the shoulder.

Russell Branyan

At one point in his career Russell Branyan was a feared slugger that could change the game with one swing of the bat.

Just shy of 36 years of age, those days appear to be mostly behind him.

After coming over to Anaheim from the Arizona Diamondbacks this season, Branyan batted only .185 and only went deep four times in the 37 games he played for the Angels.

Matt Capps

After a dismal 2011 season across the board, Minnesota Twins fans need something to look forward to as next season nears.

If nothing else, they should be able to count on not seeing Matt Capps in the bullpen next year.

After acquiring Capps in a trade with Washington for catching prospect Wilson Ramos in 2010, the Twins re-signed Capps to a one-year deal worth more than $7 million.

Capps disappointed in the closing role last season, as he blew more save opportunities than all but one pitcher in baseball.

Edgar Renteria

As recently as 2007 Edgar Renteria was a .332 hitter that contributed on an everyday basis.

After playing an important part in the San Francisco Giants' World Series run in 2010, the team declined to bring him back for another season.

He spent the 2011 season with the Cincinnati Reds but was used relatively sparingly and saw his offensive production decline 25 points from his .276 average the year before.

Brad Penny

When the season began, the Detroit Tigers expected that veteran Brad Penny would be a contributing factor to their ascent in the AL Central standings.

Things didn't go quite as planned for Penny, as he walked nearly as many players as he struck out en route to an ERA north of 5.00.

With a number of other starting pitchers available via free agency or trade, Penny is relatively low on the list.

Pat Neshek

After missing the entire 2009 season while rehabbing from surgery, Pat Neshek came back to the Minnesota Twins in 2010 but failed to impress anyone and was quickly demoted.

He was sent to the San Diego Padres in 2011 and walked nearly as many batters as he struck out, struggling with command of all his pitches along the way.

Joel Zumaya

Joel Zumaya's career took a turn for the worse when he suffered a brutal elbow injury while pitching against the Minnesota Twins in June of 2010.

He hasn't played since, and while he's young enough to be able to rebound, it's unlikely that a team will jump at the opportunity to take a chance on an unproven elbow.

Milton Bradley

You'd have to believe that by now teams have learned their lesson and will stop giving Milton Bradley chances in this league.

He's clearly shown sparks of immense potential in the league, but the negatives outweigh the positives with Bradley, and he may have to work his way back up the hard way before being given another shot.

Bill Hall

Bill Hall has managed to catch on with teams since 2002 but hasn't ever found himself in a position to stick around.

He's played for five teams in the past three seasons without producing much value for any of them. His best seasons came between 2005 and 2007 with the Milwaukee Brewers, but he's batted only .223 since then while putting up somewhat pedestrian defensive stats.

Kelly Shoppach

Kelly Shoppach's value lies behind the plate, as he's a solid defensive backstop with a career fielding percentage of .991.

He provides very little offensively, however, as he hasn't batted over .214 since 2008 and has batted for very little power during his seven-year career.

Scott Kazmir

Two-time All-Star Scott Kazmir enjoyed his share of success during his time with the Tampa Bay Rays.

From 2004-2009 with the Rays he went 55-44 with a 3.82 ERA before moving to Los Angeles and starting with the Angels.

After going a disappointing 9-15 in 2010, Kazmir made only one start in 2011.

Jason Varitek

Jason Varitek is undoubtedly one of the best catchers we've seen in the past two decades.

Entering free agency this offseason, his biggest problem is the fact that he's been around for those two decades.

He'll turn 40 during the first week of the 2012 season, and at the most physically demanding position on the field, you'd have to think teams would look for a more youthful backup at catcher.

Dontrelle Willis

In Dontrelle Willis' early years with the Florida Marlins he showed enough promise to be labeled a potential superstar in this league.

He's only averaged 10 starts per season since 2008, however, and his ERA hasn't dropped below 5.00 in any of those seasons.

Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero's 29 home runs and 115 RBI with the Texas Rangers in 2010 should have been enough to warrant an extension for at least another season.

His price proved to be too high for the Rangers, so he moved on to Baltimore, where he kept up a respectable batting average but saw his power numbers drop significantly.

Joel Pineiro

Inconsistency has been the name of Joel Pineiro's game since coming into the league in 2000.

His ERA has been below 3.50 in a number of seasons, but more frequently he's seen his ERA balloon above 5.00.

At 33 he probably wants to get one last significant contract, but he'll likely need to dip well below the $8 million he made in 2011 to find a suitor.

Omar Vizquel

As one of the best defensive infielders to play the game, Omar Vizquel's value for so many years came both at the plate and on the field.

He's still a solid defender, but at the age of 44 he's lost a step and will likely only deteriorate, as he won't be able to rely on his speed as heavily as in the past.

Marcus Thames

Marcus Thames will probably end up getting a contract with a team this offseason, but he won't be able to expect much until he proves his ability to stay healthy and productive enough to stay on the field.

Having played an average of 70 games per season during his career, it's clear that he's a backup at best with some upside.

Michael Wuertz

Michael Wuertz didn't have a decision this year but did manage to rack up a 6.68 ERA in his 39 appearances, as his ERA jumped significantly from his first year with the A's.

After having his $3.25 million option declined, he'll likely need to wait out the rest of the free-agent market for relief pitchers before catching on somewhere.

Casey Blake

The second half of Casey Blake's stay in Cleveland appeared to give the Los Angeles Dodgers enough reason to bring him on board as their everyday third baseman via a three-year, $17.5 million contract.

He enjoyed one successful season in 2009 but has steadily declined since then, and at 38 years old he may not have enough left to be a legitimate starter on many teams and may opt to retire.

Alex Cora

With very little left in the tank offensively and defensively, Alex Cora's value isn't as a player but more likely as a mentor to young players coming up in this league.

There are a number of more viable (and still affordable) options in the infield free-agent market, meaning Cora might be out of luck next spring.