The Florida Marlins had an offer on the table for Albert Pujols over the winter, but he chose to sign with the Angels. That means that 28-year old righty swinging 1B Gaby Sanchez will be the starting 1B for the Marlins again in 2012. Sanchez played in 159 games for the Marlins last year and he was 152 for 572 (.266 avg, .779 OPS) with 72 runs scored, 19 homers, 78 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. He has now played in 336 games in his first four years in the majors and he is 316 for 1,173 (.269 avg, .786 OPS) with 146 runs scored, 40 homers, 167 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. Sanchez only had 5 errors in 153 games at 1B as he is pretty decent with the mitt. Look for another solid season out of Sanchez in 2012.

33-year old lefty swinging Greg Dobbs will likely be Sanchez’ top backup despite 3B being his best position. Dobbs played in 4 error-free games for the Marlins last year.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 1B IN 2012: B

The catchers didn’t add much to the success of the Marlins in 2011 and they hope that changes in 2012. 31-year old righty swinging John Buck was a disappointment with both the bat and the mitt in 2011. Buck played in 140 games for the Marlins last year and he was 106 of 466 (.227 avg, .683 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 16 homers and 57 RBIs. He has now played in 842 games in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 671 for 2,788 (.241 avg, .716 OPS) with 312 runs scored, 106 homers, 382 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Buck caught 135 games for the Marlins last year and he had 5 errors and 7 passed balls. Buck only threw out 15 of 100 (15%) base stealers last year but Marlins’ pitchers had a 3.90 ERA with him behind the dish. The Marlins hope for improvement out of Buck with the bat and the mitt in 2012.

28-year old righty swinging Brett Hayes will be the Marlins’ backup once again in 2012. Hayes played in 64 games for the Marlins last year and he was 30 for 130 (.231 avg, .706 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 5 homers and 16 RBIs. He has now played in 104 games in his first three years with the Fish and he is 49 for 218 (.225 avg, .701 OPS) with 30 runs scored, 8 homers and 24 RBIs. Hayes played in 50 games behind the plate for the Marlins last year and he didn’t have any errors, but he did have 3 passed balls. Hayes threw out 5 of 27 (18.5%) base stealers last year and Marlins’ pitchers had a 4.14 ERA with him behind the dish.

The Marlins traded for 24-year old lefty swinging Jake Jefferies over the winter. He played in 66 games in A+AA-ball last year and he was 53 for 223 (.238 avg, .610 OPS) with 21 runs scored, 2 homers, 32 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Jefferies played in 350 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 321 of 1,264 (.254 avg, .661 OPS) with 138 runs scored, 13 homers, 153 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CATCHERS IN 2012: C-

The Marlins are going to be relying on a lot of young relievers to get the ball to closer Heath Bell with a lead to protect. Here is a look at the Marlins’ bullpen for 2012 as of right now:

Closer: Heath Bell: 34-year old righty Heath Bell was signed to a nice deal over the winter to close for the Marlins for the next few years. Bell pitched in 64 games (0 starts) for the Padres last year and he was 3-4 with 43 saves, a 2.44 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He has now pitched in 435 games (0 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 28-24 with 134 saves, a 3.06 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. I think Bell is going to do a very solid job in 2012 for the Marlins.

Set-Up Man: Edward Mujica: 27-year old righty Edwin Mujica is likely going to be the Marlins’ top set-up man in 2012. He pitched in 67 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 9-6 with a 2.96 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Mujica has now pitched in 246 games (4 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 17-15 with 2 saves, a 4.10 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. He will likely do a good job of protecting leads for the Marlins in 2012.

Righties: Juan Oviedo: 29-year old Juan Oviedo (the pitcher previously known as Leo Nunez) might have a hard time getting cleared to return to the U.S. to pitch in 2012 due to his past lies involving his identity. Oviedo pitched in 68 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 1-4 with 36 saves, a 4.06 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He has now pitched in 211 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Marlins and he is 9-13 with 92 saves, a 3.86 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Nunez has now pitched in 317 games (6 starts) in his first seven years in the majors and he is 18-20 with 92 saves, a 4.34 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. He will likely pitch in middle relief if he is cleared to return to the majors in 2012.

Ryan Webb: 26-year old Ryan Webb had a decent first year with the Marlins. He pitched in 53 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 2-4 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Webb has now pitched in 135 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 7-6 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Look for Webb to do another solid job for the Marlins in 2012.

Steve Cishek: 25-year old Steve Cishek looked really good for the Marlins in 2011. He pitched in 45 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 2-1 with 3 saves, a 2.63 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Cishek has now pitched in 48 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Fish and he is 2-1 with 3 saves, a 2.44 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Look for the Marlins to have Cishek pitching later in games this year.

Jose Ceda: 25-year old Jose Ceda has a good arm and it’s time for the Fish to see what they have in him. Ceda pitched in 17 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 0-1 with a 4.43 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He has now pitched in 25 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Marlins and he is 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. Ceda will get his chance this spring to show what he can do.

Chad Gaudin: 28-year old Chad Gaudin will get a shot to win a job as the Marlins’ long man in the pen this spring. Gaudin pitched in 10 games (0 starts) for the Nationals last year and he was 1-1 with a 6.48 ERA and a 2.40 WHIP. He has now pitched in 268 games (75 starts) in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 36-40 with 2 saves, a 4.63 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP.

Rob Delaney: 27-year old Rob Delaney will get a shot this spring to make the Marlins’ pen. He pitched in 4 games (0 starts) for the Rays last year and he was 0-0 with a 10.80 ERA and a 2.20 WHIP. He has now pitched in 5 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 0-0 with a 10.50 ERA and a 2.33 WHIP. The reason Delaney caught the Marlins’ eyes is how well he pitched in AAA last year. Delaney pitched in 51 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball for the Rays last year and he was 4-2 with 13 saves, a 1.86 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP.

Gary Glover: 35-year old Gary Glover last pitched in the majors back in 2008 with the Tigers & Rays, so he’s a big time longshot to win a job in the Marlins’ pen. Glover has pitched in 263 games (47 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 29-26 with 3 saves, a 5.03 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP.

Chris Hatcher: 27-year old ex-catcher Chris Hatcher is going to try to win a job in the Marlins’ bullpen this spring. Hatcher pitched in 42 games (0 starts) in AA-ball last year and he was 2-1 with 6 saves, a 1.90 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He also pitched in 11 games (0 starts) for the Marlins in his first taste of the majors as a pitcher and he was 0-0 with a 6.97 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP.

Sandy Rosario: 26-year old Sandy Rosario is also going to be a longshot to win a job in the Marlins’ pen this spring. Rosario pitched in 4 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP. He also pitched in 53 games (0 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 3-3 with 27 saves, a 4.14 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Rosario has now pitched in 6 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 0-0 with a 13.50 ERA and a 3.64 WHIP.

Robert Ray: 28-year old Robert Ray pitched in 12 games (all starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 2-5 with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors back in 2010 for the Blue Jays. Ray has pitched in 7 games (4 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 1-2 with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP.

Lefties: Michael Dunn: 26-year old Michael Dunn has a huge upside, he just needs to throw more strikes to realize his full potential. Dunn pitched in 72 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 5-6 with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He has now pitched in 101 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 7-6 with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.

Randy Choate: 36-year old Randy Choate is a situational lefty and little more, but he’s good at his job. Choate pitched in 54 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 1-1 with a 1.82 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He has now pitched in 396 games (0 starts) in his first 11 years in the majors and he is 11-11 with 5 saves, a 4.16 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2012: B

The Marlins have signed 32-year old switch-hitting infielder Chase Lambin to a minor league deal. Lambin played 134 games in AAA-ball for the Twins last year and he was 129 of 471 (.274 avg, .728 OPS) with 49 runs scored, 6 homers, 46 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 1,080 games in his first 10 years in the minors and he is 973 of 3,605 (.270 avg, .783 OPS) with 504 runs scored, 108 homers, 483 RBIs and 45 stolen bases. Lambin is going to be a big time longshot to make the Marlins out of spring training, but his versatility in the field is a big asset. He will likely start 2012 in AAA-ball.

The Florida Marlins are lined up to have a pretty good starting rotation in 2012. They added a couple of veterans (Mark Buehrle and Carlos Zambrano) over the winter to add more zip to the rotation. Here is a look at how the Marlins’ rotation looks as of right now:

#1: Josh Johnson: 28-year old righty Josh Johnson will be the ace of the Marlins’ rotation in 2012 if he can just stay healthy. Johnson pitched in 9 games (all starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He missed most of last season due to injury problems but he’s likely to be ready to rock when spring training opens. Johnson has pitched in 123 games (113 starts) in his first 7 years with the Marlins and he is 48-23 with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. I think he can win the Cy Young Award this year, if he can stay healthy and start 30+ games.

#2: Mark Buehrle: No starting pitcher is as consistent as 32-year old lefty starting pitcher Mark Buehrle. Mark Buehrle has won in double digits for 11 consecutive years. He has also won three consecutive Gold Gloves as he fields his position really well. Buehrle pitched in 31 games (all starts) for the White Sox last year and he was 13-9 with a 3.59 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He has now pitched in 390 games (365 starts) in his first 12 years in the majors and he is 161-119 with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. I think Buerhle is really going to like pitching in the N.L. as I expect him to win at least 15 games in 2012.

#3: Ricky Nolasco: 29-year old righty Ricky Nolasco has been a tease his whole time in Miami. He has outstanding stuff but he has not gotten outstanding results with it. Nolasco pitched in 33 games (all starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 10-12 with a 4.67 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He has now pitched in 164 games (148 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 64-51 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The Marlins are hoping that Ricky Nolasco finally steps up to be the pitcher they think he can be.

#4: Anibal Sanchez: 27-year old righty Anibal Sanchez is a darn good pitcher when he’s healthy, and he was in 2011. Sanchez pitched in 32 games (all starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 8-9 with a 3.67 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He has now pitched in 114 games (113 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 39-38 with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Look for Sanchez to really excel in 2012 with a better team behind him, as long as he can remain healthy.

#5: Carlos Zambrano: 30-year old righty Carlos Zambrano will be the #5 starter for the Marlins in 2012. He pitched in 24 games (all starts) for the Cubs last year and he was 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. Zambrano has now pitched in 319 games (282 starts) in his first 11 years in the majors and he is 125-81 with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. If Zambrano acts his age and not his shoe size in 2012, the Marlins could really benefit, as I think he has a lot left in the gas tank.

Wade LeBlanc: 27-year old lefty Wade LeBlanc will likely get a shot at the starting rotation if one of the front five get injured in spring training. He pitched in 14 games (all starts) for the Padres last year and he was 5-6 with a 4.63 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. LeBlanc has now pitched in 54 games (52 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 17-22 with a 4.54 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He could also get a job as the long man out of the pen if he loses out on a rotation spot this spring.

Brad Hand: 21-year old lefty Brad Hand will likely start the season in AAA-ball. He pitched in 12 games (all starts) for the Marlins last year in his first taste of the majors and he was 1-8 with a 4.20 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Hand also pitched in 20 games (19 starts) in A+AA-ball last year and he was 11-5 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. He will be one of the first starters called up if the need arises for one in 2012.

Alex Sanabia: 23-year old righty Alex Sanabia pitched in 3 games (2 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 0-0 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. He has now pitched in 18 games (14 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 5-3 with a 3.67 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Sanabia will likely get some starts for the Marlins in 2012 as he has really pitched well so far in his major league career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2012: B+