The Oakland Athletics let infielder Jed Lowrie walk in free agency one year ago, but the team realized its mistake and made amends.   

The end of November is an interesting time in Major League Baseball, as it's a time when rumors begin to simmer heading into the winter meetings in two weeks. 

There will also be an overabundance of rumors that are either false or useless. Hearing that teams are "willing to listen" on a random player says nothing because a general manager will take a phone call about any player, even if there's no intention of moving that player. 

In every MLB offseason, the usual suspects dominate the headlines with splashy acquisitions. 

Yet, there always seems to be that one organization that is more aggressive than usual each winter. Over the next few slides, we'll take a look at a few sleeper teams poised to make a splash this offseason. 

Teams may feel the need to have an uncharacteristically active offseason for a variety of reasons. 

For teams on the hunt for a stud first baseman, Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles looms about as large on the offseason market as he does in real life. If a team wants to go for it at first base, it'll pay him the big bucks.

Or, it could trade for Freddie Freeman. In fact, it probably should trade for Freddie Freeman.

A few years back, a general manager of a limited-budget team shook his head while talking about the New York Yankees.

"Sometimes it seems like they're trying to operate like us," he said. "If we had their money, we wouldn't operate like us."

Every MLB teams has a best-case scenario on how their offseason could play out in terms of what specific players they add to address their various areas of need.

However, with 29 other teams vying for the services of the same crop of free agents, things don't always go according to plan, and teams are often forced to move on to Plan B or Plan C to address a particular need.

So with that in mind, what follows is a look at the best fallback options at each position in this year's free-agent class.

Opting out didn't surprise anybody. 

Not the Los Angeles Dodgers decision-makers, not the team's fans, not the media that covers the organization and entire industry, not the man’s teammates, and not rival teams.

Hey, you there. Unnamed general manager. Word is you're interested in a blockbuster trade for Jose Fernandez.

Well, good luck convincing the Miami Marlins to do it. But if you can...well, let's just say you have the right idea.

From the sound of things, you'd think Robinson Cano is the worst baseball player, the biggest whiner and the most despicable human being ever.

In reality, he's not that bad of a guy. Or that bad of a player, really.

But if ever there was a time to acknowledge the honeymoon phase of his 10-year, $240 million contract with the Seattle Mariners is over, it sure seems like now.

The Miami Marlins are reportedly listening to offers from teams interested in trading for second baseman Dee Gordon, per Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

Continue for updates.