The Marlins didn't make any changes to their rotation, even though it largely fell short last year despite strong seasons from RHP Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco. The nucleus of the offense is back. The key questions are at first base, where prospects Logan Morrison and Gaby Sanchez will battle it out, and in the rotation, where three spots are up for grabs. There's also work to be done rebuilding the bullpen.

ARRIVALS: LHP Hunter Jones (trade with Red Sox), INF Danny Richar (minor league free agent from Reds), RHP Jose Veras (minor league free agent from Indians), RHP Seth McClung (minor league free agent from Brewers), RHP Derrick Turnbow (minor league free agent from Rangers), RHP Scott Strickland (minor league free agent from Dodgers), INF Jorge Jimenez (Rule 5 draft pick from Boston), INF Mike Lamb (minor league free agent from Mets), RHP Mike MacDougal (minor league free agent from Nationals).

DEPARTURES: 1B Nick Johnson (free agent, signed with Yankees), 1B/OF Ross Gload (free agent, signed with Phillies), RHP Matt Lindstrom (traded to Astros), OF Jeremy Hermida (traded to Red Sox) RHP Scott Proctor (released, signed minor league deal with Braves), RHP Brendan Donnelly (free agent, signed with Pirates), INF Alfredo Amezaga (non-tendered, signed minor league deal with Dodgers), RHP Kiko Calero (free agent, signed minor league deal with Mets).

SPRING FOCUS: The Marlins need to choose from six candidates to fill three rotation spots. They need to choose a first baseman from two prospect candidates. CF Cameron Maybin needs to prove his surgically repaired left shoulder is healthy. And they need to sort out their bullpen, although they're confident they have the right players in camp.

PROJECTED ROTATION:

1. RHP Josh Johnson

2. RHP Ricky Nolasco

3. RHP Chris Volstad

4. RHP Anibal Sanchez

5. LHP Andrew Miller/LHP Sean West

Johnson and Nolasco are the only certainties as the team enters camp. Six other candidates need to win jobs. Volstad will add a slider and is trying to refine his delivery to improve his sinker, which stayed up too often last year (29 home runs allowed). Sanchez needs to prove his shoulder is healthy. With a strong spring, RHP Rick VandenHurk could unseat Miller or West. RHP Hayden Penn, out of options, is a dark horse.

PROJECTED BULLPEN:

RHP Leo Nunez (closer)

RHP Derrick Turnbow

RHP Seth McClung

LHP Dan Meyer

LHP Renyel Pinto

RHP Brian Sanches

RHP Burke Badenhop

The Marlins have rarely opened the season with the closer who had the job going into camp. They hope Nunez breaks that trend. They have insurance with newcomers Turnbow and McClung, but both veterans must pitch well to win jobs. LHP Hunter Jones could win a job if the team can trade Pinto. Only Nunez, Meyer and Sanches are certainties to win jobs.

PROJECTED LINEUP:

1. LF Chris Coghlan

2. CF Cameron Maybin

3. SS Hanley Ramirez

4. 3B Jorge Cantu

5. 2B Dan Uggla

6. RF Cody Ross

7. C John Baker

8. 1B Logan Morrison/Gaby Sanchez

Coghlan will return to the leadoff spot after hitting .336 in that position -- tops in baseball among No. 1 hitters -- as a rookie last year. That means the Marlins won't have the ideal speed they prefer at the top of the order. Ramirez seems primed for another batting title after hitting .342 last year while batting third. Cantu, Uggla and Ross combined to hit 71 home runs in 2009. Spots 2, 7 and 8 could be tinkered, depending on the progress of Morrison, Sanchez and Maybin this spring.

PROJECTED RESERVES:

INF Wes Helms

INF/OF Emilio Bonifacio

OF Brett Carroll

C Ronny Paulino

INF Jorge Jimenez

Helms and Carroll will win jobs, as will Bonifacio, who could end up replacing Alfredo Amezaga (free agent) as the team's super-utility player. Paulino will split catching duties with John Baker. Jimenez, the team's Rule 5 draft pick, must win a spot or be returned to Boston. He could lose out to invitees Mike Lamb, Danny Richar, Hector Luna or Brian Barden.

TOP ROOKIES: Logan Morrison and Gaby Sanchez, two of the organization's top rookies, will battle it out for the first base job. Sanchez had that chance last spring but opened the year at Class AAA New Orleans, where he hit .289 with 16 homers and 56 RBIs. He hit .238 with two homers and three RBI in 21 September games for the Marlins. Morrison, the Florida State League MVP for Class A Jupiter in 2008, was limited to 79 games for Class AA Jacksonville in 2009 because of a small fracture on his right thumb. He finished with eight homers, 47 RBIs and a .277 batting average.

OF Mike Stanton, who hit 28 home runs and had 92 RBIs last year in a season split between Class A and Class AA, is the organization's top prospect, but he's projected to spend most of 2010 in Jacksonville or New Orleans.

MEDICAL WATCH:

--CF Cameron Maybin (left groin strain) was hurt March 7, and he was expected to miss at least a few spring training games. He had been rehabbing following left shoulder surgery in November 2009.

--LHP Taylor Tankersley (left elbow surgery in April 2009) was healthy at the start of spring training.

--RHP Mike MacDougal (right hip surgery in October 2009) was healthy at the start of spring training.

Copyright (C) 2010 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.