by Dayn Perry

Mark Teixeira hit .308 with 33 home runs and 121 RBI in his sixth major-league season. (Otto Greule Jr. / Getty Images)

Of course, just certain teams need to do that. Some are fine as is (e.g., the Rays, the Twins, and maybe the Indians and Diamondbacks), and some will be so hopelessly buried in the standings that they're beyond help (e.g., the Nationals, Orioles, Pirates, etc.).

Others, though, should loosen the purse strings, and that's who we're focusing on. These, then, are the teams who need to be active on the free-agent market:

Angels

The defending AL West champs need to open the wallet, and owner Arte Moreno has a history of doing just that. Most notably, they face the potential loss of closer Francisco Rodriguez and first baseman Mark Teixeira. Ideally, the Angels would re-sign both. That's going to cost a lot of money, but the Angels are in "win now" mode. They could also use a lefty bat to split between DH and right field (when Vladimir Guerrero and his surgically repaired knee can't play the field). Adam Dunn and Raul Ibanez would both be good fits.

Blue Jays

The Jays were the most underrated team in baseball this past season, and in 2009 they could achieve "stealth contender" status. First order of business should be bringing back A.J. Burnett. Another clear need is for an upgrade at shortstop. Rafael Furcal would be ideal, and Orlando Cabrera is a reasonable backup plan. Some are pressing for the Jays to make a bigger splash on the market -- a splash roughly the size of Manny Ramirez, for instance -- but that's probably not necessary. Travis Snider, one of the best hitting prospects around, is likely ready to produce at the highest level.

Brewers

Letting the injury-prone Ben Sheets walk is fine, but the Brewers badly need to invest in their product and do what it takes to re-sign CC Sabathia. It'll require a hometown discount, but it's worth taking the plunge. Sabathia is far and away the most valuable pitching commodity on the market, and inking him would send a powerful message to the Milwaukee fan base. It would also keep the team in contending territory. A rotation front of Sabathia, Yovani Gallardo and Manny Parra is a fine start on another playoff berth. It's vital that the Brewers make Sabathia a serious offer.

Cardinals

The upstart Cardinals already have the best player in the game, and that's a great foundation from which to start. The first order of business is to get better production from the middle infield. They could accomplish that by signing Orlando Hudson to man second or Rafael Furcal to man short. They'd also do well to add a mid-rotation guy to the mix and sign a lefty reliever (Jeremy Affeldt would be ideal).

Cubs

Obviously, the Cubs must re-up with Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood. They also need to add an impact right fielder, now that Kosuke Fukudome is going to be part of a platoon arrangement in center. Preferably that right fielder will have strong OBP skills from the left side of the plate. Adam Dunn would work, as would Raul Ibanez. Should the Padres decline their option on Brian Giles, he'd also be a good fit. And even though he's not right-handed, Manny Ramirez would of course greatly improve the Cubs.

Dodgers

The Dodgers face the most challenging winter of all. In an ideal world (ideal for Dodger fans, anyway), L.A. would do what it takes to re-sign Rafael Furcal, Manny Ramirez, and Derek Lowe. Obviously, doing so would require an obscene amount of money. Of these, Ramirez is most essential. At short, the Dodgers can turn to Chin-hung Lu or Ivan DeJesus Jr., and they've got enough young pitching to withstand the loss of Lowe. Ramirez, however, is irreplaceable in this market, and the Dodgers need to meet his price. Also, bringing in Joe Crede to man third would be wise.

Mets

The Mets have plenty of needs: a closer, a left fielder and another starting pitcher. On the closer front, Brian Fuentes is a more cost-effective option than Francisco Rodriguez, and in left field the Mets should be in the mix for the standard options (Adam Dunn, Raul Ibanez, maybe Juan Rivera). As for that additional starter, CC Sabathia is the greatest of these, but Derek Lowe, A.J. Burnett, and Randy Johnson also work. Also, re-signing Oliver Perez makes sense.

Phillies

Jamie Moyer and Pat Burrell both need to be brought back. Moyer's still effective despite his age, and Burrell, while challenged defensively, is still a quality hitter. Otherwise, the Phillies are set for another run.

Red Sox

Jason Varitek needs to be cut loose. He was awful this past season, and there's no reason to think he's going to get any better. Handing the fulltime job over to David Ross is an acceptable, if short-term solution at catcher. If the Sox can find a way to move Mike Lowell, making a run at Mark Teixeira would be wise. Elsewhere, Boston has enough young starters in the fold, so they need not pursue any of the big-name starting pitchers.

White Sox

The White Sox need a second baseman and a starting pitcher. At second, Orlando Hudson is the top prize, but a reunion with Ray Durham is a nifty fallback option. In the rotation, the usual suspects -- Derek Lowe, A.J. Burnett, Randy Johnson, Oliver Perez -- should be considered.

Yankees

The Yanks need to persuade Mike Mussina to pitch one more year, and they need to make strong runs at CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira. They could also use a center fielder, but unfortunately for them it's a thin market at that position . . . Jim Edmonds perhaps?