The Mariners have signed 36-year old switch-hitting 3B/2B/DH Carlos Guillen to a minor league deal. Guillen played in 28 games for the Tigers last year and he was 22 for 95 (.232 avg, .633 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 3 homers, 13 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Guillen started his major league career with the Mariners from 1998-2003 in which he played in 488 games in which he was 439 of 1,665 (.264 avg, .718 OPS) with 264 runs scored, 29 homers, 211 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. Guillen has now played in 1,305 games in his first 14 years in the majors and he is 1,331 of 4,673 (.285 avg, .798 OPS) with 733 runs scored, 124 homers, 660 RBIs and 74 stolen bases. Guillen might get a chance to compete with Chone Figgins for the starting 3B job this spring, but he will likely be used as a bat off the bench. I like this signing for the Mariners.

The Seattle Mariners are going to have a lot of competition for rotation spots behind Felix Hernandez and Jason Vargas this spring. The Mariners have a motley crew ready to compete for jobs in the starting rotation as they have a guy from Japan, some veterans trying to get back into the groove and some young guys trying to make their mark in the show. Here is a look at the Mariners’ starting rotation as of today:

#1: Felix Hernandez: 25-year old Felix Hernandez is the ace of the Mariners’ pitching staff. He pitched in 33 games (all starts) for the Mariners last year and he was 14-14 with a 3.47 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. A lack of run support was the reason for Hernandez’ .500 record in 2011 as he continues to be one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. He has now pitched in 206 games (205 starts) in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 85-67 with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. If the Mariners start hitting the ball better, I look for Hernandez to make another run at a Cy Young Award in 2012.

#2: Jason Vargas: 28-year old lefty Jason Vargas seems to have found a home in Seattle. He pitched in 32 games (all starts) for the Mariners last year and he was 10-13 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Vargas has now pitched in 86 games (77 starts) in his first three years with the Mariners and he is 22-31 with a 4.19 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Vargas has now pitched in 117 games (97 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 28-39 with a 4.53 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. The Mariners are hoping for another decent year out of Vargas in 2012.

#3, #4 and #5: Hisashi Iwakuma: 30-year old righty Hisashi Iwakuma will be one of the top competitors for a starting job this spring. He pitched in 17 games (all starts) in Japan last year and he was 6-7 with a 2.42 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Iwakuma has now pitched in 113 games (all starts) in his five years in Japan and he is 55-31 with a 2.67 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He has had a lot of success in Japan, and the Mariners hope that it translates into solid pitching in the majors.

Blake Beavan: 23-year old righty Blake Beavan pitched in 15 games (all starts) for the Mariners last year and he was 5-6 with a 4.27 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Beavan also pitched in 16 games (all starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 5-3 with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Beavan is one of the favorites to win a rotation spot as spring training opens next month.

Charlie Furbush: 25-year old lefty Charlie Furbush really struggled with the Mariners this year. He pitched in 11 games (10 starts) for the Mariners last year and he was 3-7 with a 6.62 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Furbush pitched in 28 games (12 starts) overall for the Tigers & Mariners last year and he was 4-10 with a 5.48 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. If Furbush pitches like he did in Detroit last year, he will likely nail down a spot in the Mariners’ rotation.

Kevin Millwood: 37-year old righty Kevin Millwood earned his way back to the majors with the Rockies last year after working his way back up by pitching well in AAA. He pitched in 9 games (all starts) for the Rockies last year and he was 4-3 with a 3.98 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. He has now pitched in 423 games (415 starts) in his first 15 years in the majors and he is 163-140 with a 4.10 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Millwood won the ERA crown in the American League (2.86) back in 2005 with the Cleveland Indians, working for Mariners’ manager Eric Wedge. If he shows he has a lot left in the gas tank this spring, look for him to lock up a job in the starting rotation in 2012.

Hector Noesi: 25-year old righty Hector Noesi was part of the return from the Yankees in the huge Michael Pineda deal. Noesi pitched in 30 games (2 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 2-2 with a 4.47 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. He also pitched in 6 games (5 starts) in AAA-ball for the Yankees last year and he was 1-1 with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Noesi will likely get a job in the pen for the Mariners in 2012 if he misses out on the starting rotation.

Oliver Perez: 30-year old lefty Oliver Perez is looking to work his way back to the majors in 2012. He pitched in 16 games (15 starts) in AA-ball last year for the Nationals and he was 3-5 with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Perez last pitched in the majors back in 2010 with the Mets. Perez has now pitched in 206 games (195 starts) in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 58-69 with a 4.63 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. If the Mariners can get Perez back to throwing strikes, he could be a wild card for them in 2012 at some point.

Matt Fox: 29-year old righty Matt Fox is a longshot to win a job in the Mariners’ rotation. He pitched in 28 games (21 starts) in AAA-ball for the Red Sox last year and he was 10-4 with a 3.96 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Fox last pitched in the majors (his only experience in the show) back in 2010 with the Red Sox & Twins. Fox pitched in 4 games (1 start) for the Twins and Red Sox in 2012 and he was 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.

Jeff Marquez: 27-year old righty Jeff Marquez is a longshot to win a spot in the Mariners’ starting rotation. He pitched in 3 games (0 starts) for the Yankees last year and he was 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Marquez also pitched in 4 levels in the minor leagues last year working in 18 games (all starts) in which he was 6-5 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Marquez has now pitched in 4 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP.

Anthony Vasquez: 25-year old lefty Anthony Vasquez pitched really well in the minors last year. He pitched in 24 games (all starts) in AA+AAA-ball for the Mariners last year and he was 9-10 with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Vasquez had a rough time with the Mariners though. He pitched in 7 games (all starts) for the Mariners last year and he was 1-6 with a 8.90 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP. Vasquez gave up 46 hits and an amazingly awful 13 homers in only 29 1/3 innings for the Mariners last year.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2012: C-

The Mariners have signed 37-year old righty reliever Brian Sweeney to a minor league deal. He pitched in 33 games (9 starts) in AAA and Independent ball last year and he was 6-5 with 1 save, a 4.21 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors back in 2010 with the Mariners. Sweeney has pitched in 29 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Mariners and he is 1-2 with a 2.91 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. He has now pitched in 73 games (2 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 4-2 with 2 saves, a 3.38 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Sweeney will have a good shot of winning a spot in the Mariners’ pen this spring.

Major League Baseball has suspended 25-year old righty reliever/starter Chaz Roe for the first 50 games of the 2012 season due to a positive test for amphetamines. Roe pitched in 33 games (10 starts) in AAA-ball for the Mariners last year and he was 0-7 with 2 saves, a 6.59 ERA and a 1.72 WHIP. He has now pitched in 159 games (136 starts) in his first 7 years in the minors and he is 42-45 with 2 saves, a 4.73 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. This is not much of a loss for the Mariners as Roe wasn’t expected to make their pitching staff in 2012.

The Mariners have signed 30-year old lefty starting pitcher Oliver Perez to a minor league deal. Perez pitched in 16 games (15 starts) in AA-ball last year and he was 3-5 with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Perez last pitched in the majors back in 2010 with the Mets. Perez has pitched in 206 games (195 starts) in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 58-69 with a 4.63 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Perez has only given up 1,019 hits in his first 1,111 2/3 innings so far in his major league career while whiffing 1,126 batters. But, he has also walked 628 batters which is way too many. If Perez is healthy and throwing strikes this spring, he could win a job at the back end of the Mariners’ starting rotation.