Like a phoenix rising from its ashes, the end of one major league season sparks the life of the next.
Baseball, like any sport, is predicated on its players. Each team comes with a rabid fan base anxiously awaiting what moves will be made during the offseason. This year, there are plenty of intriguing names to be excited about.
MORE: Top 25 free agents this offseason | Every team's potential free agents
Here's our take on each American League team's top free-agent targets:
AL East
Blue Jays
David Price, SP — Despite turning in yet another poor postseason, Price should still be the top pitcher on the market. His consistent playoff woes are a concern, but Price can still be an ace on pretty much any team. The real concern is his age. Toronto already has one of the higher payrolls in baseball, so it may not be willing to pay a hefty fee for a pitcher who just turned 30.
Orioles
Chris Davis, 1B — Davis has made a solid living off Camden Yards' short right-field porch, so there shouldn't be much incentive for him to leave from a numbers standpoint. Baltimore will have to shell out a pretty penny to keep him around, however, and it may choose to use that money to fix its battered rotation. Ultimately, though, we see Davis sticking around.
Rays
Ian Desmond, SS — Desmond suffered one of the worst years of his career last season. His offensive numbers are concerning (.233/.290/.674, 19 home runs, 62 RBIs), but his defense was even worse. Still, Desmond has proved he can be one of the best shortstops in the game when healthy, which is something the Rays desperately need.
Red Sox
Scott Kazmir, SP — Kazmir looked like the No. 2 the Astros needed after arriving via trade in July, but slowed down late in the season. A team like Boston will likely overpay for his services, which may not pan out in the end.
Yankees
Justin Upton, OF — The Yankees need to bolster a struggling, aging outfield. Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner aren't going anywhere, but Carlos Beltran can no longer be counted on as an everyday starter. Upton, 28, is still young and could hit 30 home runs with Yankee Stadium as his home park.
AL Central
Indians
Jason Heyward, OF — Heyward is the most versatile outfielder on the market. He's a 20-20 candidate at the plate, and he can help a team in a variety of ways on defense. It seems as though Heyward has been around forever, but he's just 26 years old. The Indians have a great, young rotation; they need another bat to produce runs for that group.
Royals
Ben Zobrist, 2B/OF — Salvador Perez was named World Series MVP, but Zobrist was the most consistent hitter in Kansas City's lineup during the postseason. Zobrist finished with 20 hits, 10 extra-base hits, six RBIs, 15 runs scored and seven walks in 16 games.
Tigers
Jordan Zimmermann, SP — Names like Justin Upton, Johnny Cueto, Yoenis Cespedes and Zack Greinke — if he opts out of his contract — are all in play here, and Detroit may sign more than one of those guys as they look to retool on the fly after an abysmal season. But Zimmermann is the best fit. Is he an ace? No, but he's a steady No. 2 who has playoff experience and could flourish in a big ballpark.
Twins
Ian Kennedy, SP — The Twins don't possess the same spending power as some of the other teams in their division, but they have great young talent around which to build. Kennedy, 30, would give them a veteran arm who can win 14 games and strike out 180 batters for the next couple years.
White Sox
Hisashi Iwakuma, SP — If he checks out medically, Iwakuma could be this year's steal. The 34-year-old right-hander should come at a discount price after battling injuries and inconsistency last season. He'd still be an upgrade over Jeff Samardzija.
AL West
Angels
Johnny Cueto, SP — What to make of Cueto? On one hand, his last postseason appearance was dominant. On the other hand, he struggled throughout most of his half-season with the Royals. There are always teams willing to gamble on big names; enter the Angels.
Astros
Yovani Gallardo, SP — Gallardo was quietly steady last season. Expectations were low following two poor seasons in Milwaukee, but Gallardo proved with Texas that he can still be a reliable middle-of-the-rotation guy.
Athletics
Daniel Murphy, 2B — "Murph" became a legend this postseason after hitting a home run in six straight games. It's unlikely he will carry the same type of power into next season, and his defense is horrendous at times, but Oakland needs to infuse some excitement into the squad and Murphy can provide that.
Mariners
Desmond — Seattle's experiment with young players at shortstop needs to end. That's not to say those players (in particular, Brad Miller, Chris Taylor and Ketel Marte) can't become solid big leaguers, but the Mariners are in win-now mode and Desmond can help them do that.
Rangers
John Lackey, SP — Lackey was a pleasant surprise in St. Louis this season. He pitched well and caused little fuss in the clubhouse, two things Texas would welcome.