MLB Free Agency: Top 10 Underachievers on the Market and Where They'll Go

As MLB free agency continues to move along, the market is still quite full with players who have yet to entice many teams for the 2012 season. With big time players like Albert Pujols, CJ Wilson and Jose Reyes already off the market, those players who don't carry as much talent will still be looking for a place to call home this coming season.

Besides the previously mentioned, there really are not a whole lot of players remaining who will be regarded as making a significant impact on their next team. Still, they will likely find a spot on a roster, as they have done so year after year.

Here is a look at some of the remaining free agents who have been underachieving as of late.

10. Jonny Gomes: Outfielder

Jonny Gomes is coming off what is by far his worst year as a major league player. In 2011, Gomes batted a pathetic .209 with 14 home runs, 12 doubles and only 43 RBI in 120 games. 

Gomes started out the season with the Cincinnati Reds, an organization he played in for the last three years. With the Reds, Gomes saw his most success, batting on average .254 over his three-year stint.

His move to the Washington Nationals wasn't any better. In 43 games with the Nationals, Gomes batted .204 and only had 12 RBI. While the Nationals were hoping to add another bat to their lineup, in actuality, they just hurt themselves even more.

Gomes has yet to be connected to any team this offseason. A place where the 31-year-old could end up, though, is the Baltimore Orioles. If the Orioles pass on Vladimir Guerrero, they could be looking to occupy their designated hitter role with a few different players.

9. Ronny Cedeno: Shortstop

Ronny Cedeno is only 28 years old, but with a career batting average of .246, many teams may be reluctant in giving the young shortstop another chance. 

Cedeno has spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, in which he has had a batting average of .254 and an on-base percentage of .294. Both numbers are not really that reasonable, but Cedeno does provide a relatively good addition in the defense.

At shortstop, he has a career fielding percentage of .970. He has good range and has also occupied a few different positions over his career. Not only has he played shortstop, but Cedeno has also spent time at second, third and the outfield.

Although he is only 28 years old, Cedeno is already a seven-year veteran of the game. 

Cedeno has been linked to the Atlanta Braves. He would be a great fit for that team, considering they just lost shortstop Alex Gonzalez to the Milwaukee Brewers.

8. Ryan Ludwick: Outfielder

Ryan Ludwick is coming off of his ninth season in the MLB. Ludwick started out the 2011 season with the San Diego Padres, but he ended up with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the final 33 games of the season.

Ludwick had one of the worst years of his career this past season, as the outfielder batted .237 in 139 games. During that time, he had 13 home runs, 23 doubles and only 75 RBI. 

Ludwick hasn't been the same player since he left the St. Louis Cardinals, where he hit a career best of .280 over four seasons.

Ludwick has certainly dropped off in production, but perhaps it was his move to a non-contending team that saw a drop off in his game. He seemed like a completely different player in St. Louis.

While Ludwick doesn't appear to be the player he once was, there is no doubt that he could be a great veteran piece to a team that is in playoff contention. A team that he has been linked to is the San Francisco Giants, and that could be a very nice fit for the 33-year-old.

7. Casey Blake: Third Base

The Los Angeles Dodgers veteran third baseman, Casey Blake, may finally be moving to a new organization. Blake has been with the Dodgers for the last three-and-a-half years, but the team recently declined the 38-year-old's $6 million option.

Blake was held out for most of the 2011 season due to injuries, but he did play in 63 games. Last season, Blake batted .252 and was somewhat productive for the amount of time that he was actually on the field.

At times, Blake can show that he has some power, but never would he be considered a power hitter. His best seasons were with the Cleveland Indians, where he hit 116 home runs in six seasons. 

Blake is certainly coming close to an end on his career, but he still could be a useful piece for many teams trying to make that one last playoff push. He has been linked early on to the Indians, which could be a good fit for Blake to fulfill a DH role or fill-in elsewhere when needed. Cleveland is where he had his best years, and perhaps it would be the right place to finish out his career.

6. Mark DeRosa: Utility

At 36 years old, Mark DeRosa is no longer the player he once was. After battling many injuries, DeRosa has become just a nice compliment to teams with playoff aspirations.

In the last two seasons, DeRosa has played for the San Francisco Giants. During his tenure, DeRosa has only played in 83 games. While last season he only had 97 plate appearances, DeRosa batted .279 with 12 RBI.

DeRosa has been able to play all around the field over his career, so he presents an option to fill a void on a number of different teams in a number of different positions.

A place where he could fit quite well would be with the Washington Nationals, who have been said to have interest in signing the veteran utility player to play center field for the team next season.

It remains to be seen where DeRosa will end up in 2012, but there is no reason to think that all 32 teams will pass up on a player as useful as DeRosa.

5. Mike Cameron: Outfielder/DH

Mike Cameron has been playing in the MLB for 17 seasons. While there has been quite a drop off in the 38 year-old's career as of late, Cameron could still be a fine piece to add to many different teams looking for that one last guy.

The Florida Marlins released him this September, and now, he can look to sign on where he wants.

Cameron signed on with the Boston Red Sox in 2010, but he really never panned out. In 81 games, Cameron only hit seven home runs and batted .219. Both were extreme lows for the veteran outfielder, but he could still possibly add production if used right.

While Cameron is far from his double-digit home run and steal seasons, he could be a good piece for a team that needs extra depth for the outfield and in the DH role.

Cameron has always been a good locker room piece and is a veteran that could help many teams.

A team that he has been linked to him is the Cleveland Indians. After they just re-signed Grady Sizemore, the team will be looking to increase their depth in the outfield.

4. Rich Harden: Pitcher

Over the last three seasons, Rich Harden has a record that sits evenly at .500. That is because he has been pitching .500 for each of the last three seasons. After a two-and-a-half year break from the organization, Harden returned to the Oakland A's, which was where it all began.

Harden became one of the game's best young pitchers when he came out with the A's organization. During his original tenure, he had an overall record of 36-19. Injuries have always been a problem with Harden, but when he is healthy, he is by far one of the best pitchers in the game.

The difficult part is keeping him healthy, and that is why he is considered an underachiever.

Harden's career ERA is 3.76, but these last two seasons haven't been his best. This past season with the A's, Harden went 4-4, but had an ERA of 5.12.

Harden still has much ground to make up, but he could be a great No. 4 or 5 guy in many team's rotations. If he can stay healthy and pitch like he can, he could be a No. 2 quality starter on the cheap.

Teams that have expressed interest in Harden are the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies. The Red Sox nearly dealt for the right-hander's services last season, so it wouldn't be shocking if they game Harden a chance in 2012.

3. Kosuke Fukudome: Outfielder

Last season, the Cleveland Indians dealt for the Chicago Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome. While Fukudome has always presented a good left handed option with a keen eye, his batting average hasn't been exactly what many had hoped when he came over from Japan.

In four seasons, Fukudome has a career batting average of .260. Along with the spotty batting, he also hasn't provided the power numbers that many had expected. He has only produced 42 home runs over his career.

The one positive attribute Fukudome had was his ability to be walked because he had a great eye. 

Over his first three years, he had an OBP of at least .340. Before coming over to the Indians, Fukudome had an OBP of .374 with the Cubs through 87 games in 2011. Once he came over to the Indians, though, that number dropped to .300 over his final 59 games. His batting average also fell to .249—a career low.

Still, Fukudome presents a fine option for a team in need of a left-handed bat. His production will be sporadic, but he has the ability to get on base. That is something that any team would want. He also is a very good fielder and could play many different roles in the outfield. He was an All-Star is rookie season, and that was mostly attributed to his fielding ability.

After dealing prospects for Fukudome just a season ago, the Indians should look to retain the right fielder. If they pass, he could be a good piece for the Milwaukee Brewers, who may be without left fielder Ryan Braun for the first 50 games if his PED allegations hold true.

2. Andruw Jones: Outfielder/DH

No matter how bad Andruw Jones continues to play, for some reason, teams continue to pick him up. For the 2012 season, things shouldn't be any different.

Jones is the definition of underachieving. After having ridiculous seasons in 2005 and 2006, Jones has never been able to capture anything close to the numbers he had those years. In both seasons, he hit over 40 home runs and had over 125 RBI. Since than, he has never hit over 30 home runs and hasn't eclipsed 100 RBI.

Last season, Jones joined the New York Yankees. He had 222 plate appearances with only 13 home runs and 33 RBI. He also managed to strike out 62 times.

Jones occupied the outfield 57 times for the Yankees last season, but he is better suited to become a full-time DH for the next team he joins. Jones is approaching his 17th season, and so he should also be nearing his last.

Considering the Yankees don't mind taking on players with potential, it wouldn't be premature to assume the Yankees would bring Jones back. Jones is said to be looking to compete for a starting job, but in the end, his best chance at getting on a team would be to re-up with the Yankees.

1. Johnny Damon: Outfielder/DH

While Johnny Damon came off of a better season than many had expected, the 38-year-old outfielder/DH still has much to prove. 

With the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011, Damon batted .261 with 16 home runs, 29 doubles, seven triples and 73 RBI. More impressively, Damon showed his speed that he once was known for, swiping 19 bases this past season.

Damon took on the role of being the DH, a role that he has become more accustomed to in the latter parts of his career. The lack of being on the field seems to be having a positive impact on his batting, as he has been able to have a nice turnaround in his offensive production.

Damon, though, still has much to improve upon—especially his batting average—before he can be considered a player that hits at a caliber that is expected of him. Damon did have 34 more plate appearances this season, and as a result, his batting average went down 10 points from the previous season.

Damon needs to prove that he can stay consistent in the long run; otherwise, he will continue to underachieve his expectations.

It wouldn't be far-fetched for Damon to re-sign with the Rays following this season. Both sides have been silent on the subject, but in the end, Damon should be back in Tampa for 2012.