Jim Goulart

I've since been provided with the details on Knebel - thank you, fellow Brewer fan! The 2016 option counted, but Knebel will be eligible for a 4th option. He’s burned through three options and has less than five years of professional service. That typically earns the player a 4th option. But, an important note, if Knebel gets to five years of professional service before using the 4th option, then I believe that 4th option goes away. *** That is super-interesting and good to know. Knebel was drafted and made his pro debut in 2013 and was in the big leagues by May of 2014 - super-quick, which is why this doesn't come up often. He was optioned for the first time a month later. None of us want to see Knebel "blow up" in 2017, but if he does, you now know why he has a 4th option remaining, which shouldn't become null if unused until some time in 2018.

We're able to confirm option data with the Brewers 2017 media guide, so were able to fill in some blanks on the veteran acquisitions like Feliz and Thames, and thus the Brewerfan 40-man roster page including option data is now updated. As we have in the past, we suggest you bookmark / favorite that page. There's no direct link to navigate from our old home page. It will also come up quickly if you Google "Brewerfan 40-man roster". There's only one player we're going to ask the Brewers to double-check on. Coming into 2016, the Brewers listed reliever Corey Knebel with one option remaining, which made sense. Then, in 2016, Knebel's start to the season was delayed by an oblique injury, and you can track his transaction path at the bottom of his MiLB player page. Knebel was on an injury rehab assignment, then once activated, he walked six in his first five outings (see game log here) Knebel was then optioned on June 19th, and then recalled on July 15th. That's longer than 20 days, and should have wiped out that final option (less than 20 days would have preserved it). Let's see what we learn from the Brewers. Maybe they were able to sneak some rehab days onto that optional assignment somehow, technically keeping it under a 20-day formal option. NOTE: RHP Adrian Houser is listed with just one option left now, he's the only one whose 2017 option has already been made and noted on the list as of Sunday afternoon.

VIDEOS via Brewers.com: Includes more on Brian Anderson's broadcast career, and full in-game interviews with Darnell Coles and Ed Sedar from Saturday's game

According to the updated "career transaction" sections within Baseball America's individual player pages, the Brewers have released three farmhands. Each of these players were not included in the complete list of minor league players in Maryvale camp provided by the Brewers' Player Development twitter feed. Now 20 years old, catcher Johel Atencio was signed by the Brewers out of Panama at the July 2nd signing period in 2013 for $130,000. Read this post and the one just beneath it to learn of a March 2014 wrist fracture. But Atencio would recover from that and make a somewhat splashy 2014 Dominican Summer League debut, .290/.332/.355 in 55 games as a 17-year-old. Unfortunately, Atencio would get injured again in a more significant way, undergoing surgery for a right elbow fracture in May of 2015, wiping out that entire season. As you'll see on his stat page linked above, Atencio struggled in very limited action with Helena and Maryvale last season (just 25 games). Baseball America's player page indicates Atencio was released on March 2nd. *** 2016 33rd round RHP Emerson Gibbs (Tulane) will be 23 in June. He was rock-solid, as most college pitchers are, during his nine-game Maryvale debut, found the going a bit rougher in Big Sky country in six Helena appearances, including three starts. Regardless of age and a .316 batting average against overall, a 47-to-6 K-to-BB ratio in 46.2 innings is something to hang your hat on. Baseball America's player page indicates Gibbs was released on March 2nd. *** Venezuelan first baseman Nicol Valderrey turned 20 years old this past January. He made his stateside debut in 2016 after two seasons in the Dominican Summer League (All-Star there in 2015), but only appeared in 18 Maryvale games (.629 OPS in the small sample there). Listed at 6'2", the RH-hitting Valderrey had only played first base in his pro career thus far. Valderrey had been signed in October of 2013, so he was a part of that year's international signing class, but wasn't a priority July 2nd signing. Baseball America's player page indicates Valderrey was released on March 3rd. As always, we wish all released players well in their post-Brewer careers, whether off the field in a new venture, in indy ball, or as young catcher Zach Taylor was this past December, get scooped up immediately by another MLB organization. Hat-tip and thanks to fellow transaction maven "Jim" (not me) for bringing these updates to my attention.

Recapping farmhand injury news from 2016, many of which we never got definitive updates on last summer -- these details via the Brewers' media guide, and are listed from the higher levels of the system down to the rookie levels: Catcher Adam Weisenburger missed all but 11 games with a left finger fracture. Wow, we sure didn't know this. We never did learn why Biloxi RHP Jorge Ortega was placed on the DL in late July, missing the remainder of the season. Turns out the Brewers' Dr. William Raasch performed Tommy John surgery on the control specialist Ortega on August 4th. 2012 first round OF Victor Roache last appeared for Biloxi on June 9th. The last update we had was a calf strain, but as it turned out, he missed the remainder of the season with a lower left leg fibular fracture. LHP Mitch Lambson's extended absences in the upper levels of the system last year were due to left elbow tendinitis. Thankfully he finished strong and has appeared in big league camp visits this spring, but a reminder that RHP Preston Gainey's 2016 debut was delayed until July with a lower back stress fracture. 2016 Brevard County infielder George Iskenderian's late season-ending DL stint (last played August 9th) was for a left wrist injury. Well publicized, but just a reminder that Wisconsin OF Monte Harrison's approximate seven-week mid-summer injury was a left hamate fracture. The Tucker Neuhaus injury that cost him all but 12 games of 2016 (four of those rehabbing in Maryvale) was officially listed as a right wrist fracture. We had heard more about a finger injury earlier. Many of you know Neuhaus spent the winter in Australia, and the 21-year-old 2B/3B showed he was healthy there. Catcher Carlos Leal, who had such a fantastic surprise 2015 season with the Timber Rattlers, missed all of 2016 with right shoulder surgery. On top of that, Tom Haudricourt had learned as late as last September that Leal had suffered a major setback in his recovery process. Remember that Leal originally debuted in the Brewers' system in 2014 as a pitcher before returning to a familiar role behind the plate. A month ago, we read this translated Q&A piece with RHP Daniel Missaki, one of the three youngsters acquired from Seattle in the Adam Lind trade. In that linked article, Missaki mentions a second Tommy John surgery, and indeed, Dr. Raasch of the Brewers performed that second TJ on March 24th of 2016. That was only ten months after Missaki's original Tommy John surgery under the Mariners' care. We did know about this one, but a reminder that 1B Tyrone Perry missed all but four games with a right hand hamate fracture. Perry is listed at 6'2", 300 in this year's guide. We know much about Wisconsin OF Trent Clark's season, which was interrupted significantly by two distinct hamstring injuries. Clark ended up appearing in 59 games and finished the season healthy. Crossing our fingers on 2014 6th round RHP David Burkhalter, still just 21 years old. Sidelined in early June with a right elbow strain that wiped out the rest of the season, Burkhalter avoided surgery this offseason. Re-read this article to remind you that Burkhalter had just been named a Midwest League All-Star prior to his injury. A reminder that we learned the date of RHP Milton Gomez' Tommy John surgery was March 25th of last year. Gomez had split 2015 between Helena and Wisconsin. Again in the reminder category, RHP Victor Diaz' ten Maryvale appearances in July and August represented his return from Tommy John surgery on 5/15/15. 2016 26th round infielder Nick Roscetti was sidelined after only 13 Maryvale games by a right foot fracture. RHP Junior Flores finally made his stateside debut in Maryvale after four campaigns in the Dominican Summer League. His 2016 season began in July due to right wrist surgery. Promising Panamanian RHP Carlos Luna did miss all of 2016 with Tommy John surgery, which we did know about. The Brewers don't list a specific date, but it was post-April, likely not long after. Now 21 years old, Venezuelan RHP Yosmer Leal had Tommy John surgery on 5/28/15, and missed the entirety of the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He pitched in the Dominican Summer League in 2013-2014.

Devin Williams to get second opinion on elbow Adam McCalvy, MLB.com

AUDIO via "Bison 1660" in Fargo, ND Fri. 3/10: Former voice of Nebraska Huskers baseball, Lane Grindle, tracked down by his upper Midwest brethren *** AUDIO via the Mike Heller Show, also with Drew Olson Fri. 3/10: Tom Haudricourt *** AUDIO: Ryan Braun's postgame press conversation

Jim Callis on Corey Ray via transcript portion of Pipeline Podcast

Pleskoff on Erceg

AUDIO via the Mike Heller Show, also with Drew Olson Wed. 3/8: Travis Shaw *** AUDIO via Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch's podcast Thurs. 3/9: The link includes a description of the variety of topics discussed with Brewers TV voice Brian Anderson, a chat drawing rave reviews (I'll be listening to it on my Friday AM commute). *** AUDIO via the Mike Heller Show, also with Drew Olson Thurs. 3/9: Tom Haudricourt (go to the 23:00 minute mark) *** AUDIO via the Mike Heller Show, also with Drew Olson Thurs. 3/9: GM David Stearns *** AUDIO via the Mike Heller Show, also with Drew Olson Thurs. 3/9: Craig Counsell, for an extended 21-minute discussion *** AUDIO via the Bill Michaels Show Thurs. 3/9: "Jim Callis, Senior Writer for MLB.com/MLBPipeline.com, takes a look at the Brewers Farm System. Who are some the young players that really stand out in Jim's mind?" *** AUDIO via WTMJ and Matt Pauley's "Brewers Extra Innings" collection Thurs. 3/9: This week's episode of "Brewers Weekly"

If the Brewers call this name in June, we'll think back to this feature on El Camino College RHP Cassius Hamm, Milwaukee mentioned specifically.

AUDIO via the Bill Michaels Show Thurs. 3/9: "Jim Callis, Senior Writer for MLB.com/MLBPipeline.com, takes a look at the Brewers Farm System. Who are some the young players that really stand out in Jim's mind?"

AUDIO via the Mike Heller Show Wed. 3/8: Orlando Arcia *** AUDIO via the Mike Heller Show Wed. 3/8: Zach Davies *** AUDIO via the Mike Heller Show Wed. 3/8: Scooter Gennett *** AUDIO via Brewers.com Wed. 3/8: "Episode 72 features a one-on-one with GM David Stearns and prospects Luis Ortiz and Brandon Woodruff." *** AUDIO via the Bill Michaels Show Wed. 3/8: Adam McCalvy *** AUDIO via the Bill Michaels Show Wed. 3/8: Seth Everett on the WBC, Tim Tebow

All via Chris Kusiolek -- Brandon Woodruff / Gilbert Lara video Mario Feliciano cage video Comments on -- Woodruff Ryan Cordell Lucas Erceg

Haudricourt: #Brewers catching prospect Jacob Nottingham has been out with biceps tendinitis. Still working through it. It's why he hasn't been playing.

MLB.com's Jim Callis on the Brewers' system

Chris' timeline today included this: "Devin Williams just exited the Brewers intrasquad with some sort of an issue eight pitches in" Click that timeline link for a sweet Freddy Peralta changeup and comments on Cody Ponce. Update via Adam McCalvy - Tests scheduled

AUDIO via ESPN 540 Tue. 3/7: Sophia Minnaert on the Bucks and Brewers (Brewers talk begins at the 09:15 minute mark) *** AUDIO via the Mike Heller Show Tue. 3/7: Tom Haudricourt (go to the 02:20:20 hour/minute mark)

Glowing scouting report on Lucas Erceg from none other than David Stearns

Chris' timeline today included this: "Devin Williams just exited the Brewers intrasquad with some sort of an issue eight pitches in" Click that timeline link for a sweet Freddy Peralta changeup and comments on Cody Ponce.

AUDIO via WSSP 105.7 FM Mon. 3/6: Adam McCalvy joins the Morning Show *** AUDIO via the Bill Michaels Show Mon. 3/6: Andrew Wagner of the Sports Exchange *** VIDEOS via the Brewers site: Lucas Erceg, Nathan Kirby, Charlie Greene

Via Kyle Lobner over at Shepherd Express -- Brewers First Round Draft Pick Corey Ray on Injuries and the MLB Experience

VIDEO Via Chris Kusiolek's Twitter: RHP Luis Ortiz on the mound

Todd Rosiak's Twitter Timeline for March 6th filled with news on a minor league game in Maryvale (on the main field) vs. a visiting KBO (Korea) team, including oblique concerns for Monte Harrison and Tyrone Taylor. When Rosiak files an evening report, we'll link to that.

And by number, thanks to @BrewersPD --