MLB Free Agents 2012: 25 Things We Learned from the Winter Meetings

Baseball's winter meetings have come and gone, and just as quickly as the exciting week took the spotlight it appears to have taken a backseat since reports have surfaced that reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for PEDs during this year's postseason.

That revelation is certainly a negative for baseball, but we can't forget all the exciting news that came about this past week. Some big money was handed out to big-name free agents this past week, with the Los Angeles Angels and Miami Marlins emerging as the biggest spenders.

As we'll see, a number of other teams made moves to put their teams in a better position heading into 2012, while other teams may have done so by not making a particular move.

Either way, the face of many franchises will no doubt take on a different look and feel next season, leaving much for fans of organizations all over the league to look forward to.

The Texas Rangers Have Work to Do

Having made the World Series in the past two seasons, everyone knew it'd be difficult to pull off a third in 2012 with C.J. Wilson heading into free agency this offseason.

Their path just got decidedly more difficult, as slugger Albert Pujols and Wilson have signed contracts with the division rival Los Angeles Angels.

It looks like the Rangers are looking to work on an extension for Ian Kinsler and will also likely need to think about Josh Hamilton's contract situation, so it's not surprising that they weren't active this past week.

They're also considered to be one of a few teams that will be in on Japanese stud Yu Darvish this winter.

Michael Cuddyer Overvalued Himself

When the 2011 season ended Minnesota Twins fans were staring at their lone offensive staple from the season heading out of town as potential suitors lined up.

Michael Cuddyer had early offseason meetings with the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox, leading him to believe that he'd find himself with a true contender in 2012.

Those discussions quickly stalled, however, and the Twins have been the only team to offer Cuddyer a contract (three years, $25 million).

It appears Cuddyer will be holding out for a while, as the Twins' deal doesn't appear to have a deadline, plus the Rockies and potentially Cardinals are recently emerging. Cuddyer may end up out of Minnesota yet.

The Yankees and Red Sox Are No Longer the Only Ones with Blank Checks

Whenever the biggest name free agents hit the market, the consensus around the league is whether it'll be the Red Sox or Yankees that sign them.

At least for this year it appears there are some new teams entering the fray.

The Angels are in no way a small-market team, but nobody expected them to hand out over $300 million in contract value this week.

The Marlins are certainly headed into a new era as they move into their new ballpark, but you really couldn't expect that it'd mean they'd snag three top free-agent names in Jose Reyes, Heath Bell and Mark Buehrle (they were in on Pujols for a while too).

The Cardinals Have a Big Hole to Fill

With Albert Pujols headed west, the St. Louis Cardinals must now turn their attention to how they'll replace the productivity suddenly missing from the lineup.

Moving Lance Berkman to first base would be the easiest move, allowing the team to potentially sign an outfielder like Carlos Beltran or Michael Cuddyer.

The team could also look at Carlos Pena or even Prince Fielder (although that's highly unlikely) to fill in at first base.

The White Sox Really Are Rebuilding

Last offseason the Chicago White Sox were big spenders as they brought in free-agent slugger Adam Dunn and re-signed first baseman Paul Konerko.

This offseason, the team saw their longtime ace Mark Buehrle follow former manager Ozzie Guillen to South Beach.

On top of that they traded reliever Sergio Santos to Toronto, and made top starters Gavin Floyd and John Danks available to suitors.

The Braves Aren't Intent on Trading Jair Jurrjens After All

A name that gained a lot of traction heading into the offseason was emerging Atlanta Braves starter Jair Jurrjens.

It seemed at one point that he'd be a staple in the rotation, although as the meetings began there was a lot of talk about his availability with teams such as the Cincinnati Reds seemingly in the mix to get a deal done.

That talk has subsided somewhat, and the Braves appear intent on holding on to Jurrjens due to injury concerns in other spots of the rotation.

The Angels Just Caught the Attention of the Entire League

With a $144 million payroll on the books heading into 2011, the Los Angeles Angels already had a great deal of expectations in the AL West, and while they weren't able to make it into the postseason they definitely took steps in the right direction for 2012.

Much like with the Miami Marlins, big contracts came in multiples for the Angels as they signed not only the top hitter on the market in Albert Pujols but also added the top free-agent pitcher to a pitching staff already in great shape.

With a Jared Weaver, Dan Haren and C.J. Wilson holding down the top of the rotation, and Albert Pujols, Vernon Wells and Torii Hunter adding offensive pop, the Angels have to be a favorite heading into next season.

Scott Boras Loved Seeing Pujols Sign Mega Deal

It was never really in doubt that Albert Pujols would be a more sought-after target than Prince Fielder in this offseason's talks, but that doesn't mean Fielder's agent Scott Boras hasn't been taking notes.

In light of Pujols' $250 million deal, Boras has set a high bar for what he expects his client to get, and as teams digest the proceedings of this past week, true suitors will emerge.

The Yankees Didn't Get Their Starter, Yet

Based on their annual offseason spending it'd be easy to consider this year's winter meetings to be a failure for the New York Yankees.

But more than anything the lack of signing of a starter is merely based on the team making more calculated moves.

Most fans throughout the league would've assumed C.J. Wilson would head straight for the pinstripes, but the team wasn't interested.

Hiroki Kuroda? Not interested.

As the team quietly shops A.J. Burnett around you have to believe they'll get their guy—it's just a matter of when.

The Marlins Are Banking on Big Revenue in the New Ballpark

We saw this happen in Minnesota when the Twins signed Joe Mauer to a $184 million contract just before moving into Target Field.

Packing the seats in a new stadium ultimately leads to a boost in revenue, and the payroll must follow.

The Marlins' signings of Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes signify that they're no longer going to lay down in the NL East, and with high-profile manager Ozzie Guillen leading the show fans in South Florida have plenty to be excited about right now.

The Athletics Want Too Much for Their Pitchers

Heading into this past week's meetings it became clear Oakland pitching was available, as Andrew Bailey, Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez could've been had—at a price.

Cahill was shipped off to Arizona, but the talks for Bailey and especially Gonzalez appear to have quieted, at least for now, as their asking price seems to be too high.

With C.J. Wilson leaving Texas, the Rangers could potentially be one of the most willing suitors for Gonzalez as the offseason continues.

The Market for Carlos Beltran Isn't What He Thought It'd Be

With the San Francisco Giants clear about their intentions to let Carlos Beltran walk, he set his sights on the best teams out there.

Given the fact that he's truly a great player and has a track record for success you'd think he'd be able to find a home somewhere.

The potential downsides appear to be greater than the upsides, however, as Beltran's history of injury and his age (34) are likely what has prevented him from signing with a team thus far.

Teams Got It Right in Not Settling for Starters

With teams vying for the services of top starters C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle, it appears the rest of the market for free-agent pitching is left waiting.

Edwin Jackson, Roy Oswalt and Hiroki Kuroda represent the rest of the best starting pitching on the free-agent market, but teams appeared more focused on working trades for pitchers such as Gio Gonzalez.

Top free-agent pitchers obviously will sign before spring training starts, but this year teams weren't willing to buy into any frenzy for a less-than-stellar market.

Are the Red Sox Really Tapped Out?

Along with the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox are annual big spenders during offseason proceedings, signing big contracts to the best available players who can compete in the always tough AL East.

The Red Sox have remained quiet this year, pricing players out of their reach as they aim to stay below the $178 million luxury tax threshold.

The Mets Are Open to Losing More Than Just Reyes

When it became official that Jose Reyes was leaving the New York Mets, you had to wonder if it'd be the last move made.

The Mets have remained relatively quiet otherwise, but it also appears they're willing to let other players leave town.

It appears that with the exception of David Wright any player could be moved, with Mike Pelfrey, Bobby Parnell and Jonathon Niese as most discussed targets.

Roy Oswalt Priced Himself out of Deal

Roy Oswalt likely knew he'd have to wait out pitchers like Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson before finding a new home, but it appears he may have to make concessions if a deal is to get done.

He's been getting interest from teams like the Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies, but his interest in any contract for three years may be the most likely roadblock.

The Brewers Apparently Have Moved on from Prince Fielder

It became seemingly apparent even before the 2011 season ended that it'd be Prince Fielder's last in Milwaukee.

With the winter meetings in the past, Fielder still hasn't signed elsewhere, but it doesn't appear the Brewers are realistically in the mix.

Rather, the team appears to be paying more attention to free agent Aramis Ramirez as an offensive replacement.

The Yankees Can't Pay Enough to Send A.J. Burnett Packing

The New York Yankees appear intent on finding a way to get A.J. Burnett out of the rotation, as GM Brian Cashman has said the team is willing to "listen to anybody."

They're going to need to make additional concessions if they do plan to get any deal done though, as the team has indicated they're only willing to take on $8 million of the $33 million Burnett is owed over the next two seasons.

Burnett has shown signs of strength throughout his career, but it's unlikely any team would be willing to take on $25 million in salary for a pitcher who hasn't shown the consistency of a top starter.

Big Deals Set the Stage for Josh Hamilton Extension

The Texas Rangers will need to open their wallets to keep their track record in the AL West moving for years to come.

With slugger Josh Hamilton's impending free agency, his agent will certainly keep the deal handed to Albert Pujols and the deal that will be handed to Prince Fielder in mind as contract talks get underway.

Hamilton won't command the same dollar amount they will, but if nothing else he has a gauge for what he could look for should he put up a strong 2012 stat line.

The Blue Jays Made Smart, Subtle Move in Acquiring Santos

The Toronto Blue Jays brought in a good late-inning pitching option in their acquisition of Sergio Santos.

Rather than spending big dollars on the many free-agent options available, Santos will make an immediate impact next season for the Blue Jays as they look to work toward the top of the AL East.

They're quietly pursuing other moves as well; they've been mentioned in talks for Prince Fielder (although that has since subdued) and could bring in another bat such as Carlos Quentin or Carlos Pena.

Twins Fans Hope GM Knows What He's Doing with Matt Capps

After blowing more saves than all but one pitcher in 2011, Minnesota Twins fans likely didn't see any scenario in which Matt Capps would wear a Twins uniform in 2012.

But with the departure of Joe Nathan the Twins saw no other choice but to bring back Capps, albeit at a reduced price.

Returning GM Terry Ryan has a track record for success in Minnesota, so Twins fans were naturally excited to see his return, but this move has to worry some fans.

Did Stubborn Ownership Lead to Pujols' Departure?

The St. Louis Cardinals made their intentions to re-sign Albert Pujols known from the start, but they also clearly indicated that they weren't going to break the bank for their longtime star.

It can't be proven that Pujols' displeasure with negotiations in St. Louis led to the abrupt signing in Los Angeles, but given the magnitude of the deal it's somewhat surprising that he signed the deal without any face-to-face meeting.

Moves Can Be Made Even Without Ownership

Despite not having ownership in place and being overshadowed by their SoCal counterpart, the Los Angeles Dodgers quietly made a couple of moves, bringing in Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano.

The Tigers Aren't in a Hurry to Add to Rotation

The Detroit Tigers have the best pitcher in the league in Justin Verlander, but they appeared ready to add to their rotation by acquiring another starter.

Wandy Rodriguez was mentioned at one point, but later appeared to be a non-option for the Tigers, and Detroit was also a name connected to a potential trade with Oakland for Gio Gonzalez.

Fountains Can Be Hazardous

It had to be intentional, but "fountain guy" nonetheless provided one of the more humorous moments of this past week's winter meetings.