The Marlins have announced a group of 22 players who have received invitations to Major League spring training, which opens February 22 in Jupiter, Fla.

Members of the 2011 Zephyrs receiving invites include pitchers Elih Villanueva and Corey Madden, and catcher Clint Sammons.

If you’ve tuned in to 106.1 FM WMTI, the Zephyrs’ flagship radio station, over the last few days, you’ve noticed a change. Gone is “True Oldies,” in is “The Ticket,” a new all-sports format. The Zephyrs now share the same flagship station as the New Orleans Hornets, with popular sports talk hosts such as Dan Patrick, Jim Rome, and other Fox Sports Radio personalities. Coming this spring, Tim Grubbs and Ron Swoboda will once again be on the call as the Zephyrs take the field for their 20th season in New Orleans, and even if you don’t have a ticket to the game, you can catch the action on “The Ticket,” 106.1 FM!

2012 has arrived, and before you know it, pitchers and catchers will be reporting to spring training. We’re starting to get a clearer picture of the players who will be heading to Marlins camp; yesterday, it was announced Metairie native Chad Gaudin signed a minor-league deal with Miami, so he could be joining fellow hometown hurler Beau Jones on the Zephyrs’ pitching staff.

Miami also re-signed infielder Mike Cervenak, who had a solid 2011 campaign with the Z’s, batting .298 with 14 home runs and 68 RBI in 123 games.

The Marlins designated right-hander Elih Villanueva for assignment today, making room for Greg Dobbs on the 40-man roster. Villanueva was projected to return to New Orleans to begin the 2012 season, but would now have to clear waivers first.

The annual Evening With The Zephyrs cocktail reception is fast approaching – just three weeks from tonight! As is becoming tradition, the first member of the year’s class for the New Orleans Professional Baseball Hall of Fame will be inducted, and this year it will be former Zephyrs pitcher Brad Lidge. Also in attendance will be Marlins VP of Player Development (and former Zephyrs manager) Marty Scott, new Zephyrs manager Ron Hassey, as well as other special guests. Tickets are available now for $35 each or four for $120 by calling the Zephyrs at (504) 734-5155.

Brad Davis signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres this week, bringing an end to his eight-year tenure in the Marlins organization.

BD played in 184 games with the Zephyrs over the last three years, and enjoyed his finest run over the final six weeks of the 2011 campaign, when he batted a Pacific Coast League-leading .388 from July 20th to the end of the season.

Davis played in 33 games with the Marlins in 2010, becoming the first catcher in franchise history to hit a grand slam.

The Marlins have made a handful of minor league signings recently, bringing in pitchers Alberto Bastardo (with Albuquerque in 2011), J.D. Martin (Syracuse) and Robert Ray (Las Vegas) and infielders Nick Green (Norfolk/Round Rock) and Donovan Solano (Memphis). The club also re-signed infielder Jeff Dominguez and catcher Luke Montz, who both spent 2011 with Double-A Jacksonville.

The Marlins have acquired left-handed pitcher Wade LeBlanc from the San Diego Padres in exchange for catcher John Baker.

LeBlanc went 17-22 with a 4.54 ERA in parts of four seasons in San Diego. The Lake Charles native owns most pitching records at Louisiana high school baseball powerhouse Barbe, where he was a two-time First Team All-State selection and won 16 games with a 0.45 ERA as a senior in 2003 before going on to the University of Alabama.

According to Larry Beinfest, the Marlins’ president of baseball operations, LeBlanc will have a chance to win a spot in Miami’s starting rotation in spring training. Otherwise, he could return to Triple-A with the Zephyrs – LeBlanc went 9-1 in 17 starts with Tucson last season.

The offseason is in full swing, with players beginning to sign contracts for 2012, and the winter meetings just around the corner. Several Zephyrs from 2011 have signed deals elsewhere, and the Marlins have announced a few signings of their own, re-signing catcher Clint Sammons, and inking pitcher Beau Jones, a 2005 graduate of Destrehan High School.

Here’s the list of 2011 Zephyrs who are free agents, and where some have already signed:

Chris Aguila
Mike Cervenak
Brad Davis
Todd Doolittle
Darin Downs (Tigers)
Miguel Fermin
Josh Kroeger
Adalberto Mendez
Jorge Padilla
Sergio Pedroza
Alex Romero
Vinny Rottino (Mets)
Chris Sampson
Joe Thurston (Astros)
Tim Torres
Dallas Trahern
Ramon Vazquez

The U.S. team had their bronze medal game at the 2011 Baseball World Cup in Panama City cancelled by rain, and will share the bronze with Canada.

Zephyrs teammates Joe Thurston and Pete Andrelczyk contributed greatly to the U.S. coming home with the bronze. Thurston led the team with a .439 batting average, six doubles and 10 RBI in 10 games, while Andrelczyk had a 1.50 ERA and one save in six innings pitched.

Team USA opens up Pan Am Games competition against the Dominican Republic on Thursday.

Offseason moves have begun, with the Marlins outrighting pitcher Brian Sanches and catcher/outfielder Vinny Rottino to New Orleans on Wednesday.

The moves freed up spots on the 40-man roster, which the Marlins will have to finalize in the coming weeks.

Sanches, who opened eyes by posting a 2.04 ERA in 16 games with the Zephyrs in 2009 before two fine seasons in Florida’s bullpen, declined the assignment and became a free agent. Rottino, one of the most consistent Zephyrs last season, had two hits in 12 at-bats in an eight-game stint with Florida in September, his first big league action since 2008.

Unlikely to return to the Z’s is infielder Joe Thurston, who declined his minor league assignment and elected free agency. Thurston played in a team-leading 126 games with the Z’s in 2011, batting .300 with a club-high 34 doubles. He went 1-for-4 in one game with the Marlins in August.

The Marlins closed the book on the Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphin/Dolphins/Land Shark/Sun Life Stadium era yesterday in the final game in Florida Marlins history.

When Opening Day 2012 rolls around, the team will be known as the Miami Marlins, and will take up residence in a new, yet-to-be-named ballpark on the former site of the Orange Bowl. The club will unveil a new logo and color scheme in a few weeks to accompany the name and address change. Tack on the addition of Ozzie Guillen as manager, and it’s going to be a very busy offseason in South Florida.

Speaking of Guillen, former Zephyrs infielder Ozzie Martinez was one of two Marlins prospects shipped to the Chicago White Sox in the deal to bring Guillen to Miami. Martinez batted .245 in 88 games with the Z’s.