MLB Free Agents 2012: Josh Willingham Won't Save Minnesota Twins

Last season, the Minnesota Twins struggled offensively en route to a 63-99 record behind key injuries to catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman Justin Morneau.

Now, after losing outfielder Michael Cuddyer to free agency, they are trying to patch up holes with the signing of former Oakland Athletic Josh Willingham.

Willingham will help in terms of power and driving in runs. He hit 29 home runs last season, with 98 RBI, despite averaging .248 during the campaign. He also hit .313 with runners in scoring position.

In that sense, the signing is a good one, adding pop to an offense that struggled without Mauer and Morneau last season.

However, it's important to note that Willingham won't solve all of the Twins' offensive problems. They scored 619 runs last season, sixth-worst in baseball, and they had a .306 on-base percentage, fourth-worst in the majors.

There's also no guarantee Mauer and Morneau will come back 100 percent, or that they'll remain healthy for the rest of the season. There are serious injury concerns there.

But perhaps even more troubling than that is the Twins' pitching. As a unit, they had a 4.58 ERA last season, second-worst in baseball. Although Willingham will help the offense, they need to focus on their pitching, and there's also the chance Francisco Liriano misses games or is simply ineffective, as he was last season.

The signing of Willingham was a step in the right direction, but the Twins are going to need much more if they expect to capture the American League Central or simply make the playoffs.