djoctagone

taylor green can't be optioned, as he's not on the 40-man roster.

the brewers optioned a number of players today: rhp brooks hall (two options remaining after this season) rhp kevin shackelford (two options remaining after this season) 1b hunter morris (two options remaining after this season) 1b/of jason rogers (two options remaining after this season) rhp jimmy nelson (two options remaining after this season) rhp ariel pena (no options remaining after this season) all of these players can be sent up and down in 2014. a number of players were returned to minor league camp. the most notable for 40-man roster discussion is taylor green. green has an opt-out clause in his contract if he's not on the 40-man roster by 15 june 2014.

olmsted released. still a lot of pitchers who probably won't make the brewers 25-man roster vying for a spot on nashville's pitching staff. of course, injuries can change things pretty quickly.

velez finally reached base this spring with a walk yesterday. he's hitless in 12 at-bats and has an .077 obp.

that's provided no other team claims wang. but then he'd be subject to the same requirement: he must be kept on that team's 25-man roster the entire season.

yes. if he remained on the brewers' 40-man roster, he'd enter 2015 spring training with three minor league options. and for those seeking details on how wang was eligible for the rule 5 draft with so little professional experience, look here.

that's 15 pitchers. and it doesn't include dustin molleken, nor does it include zach duke (likely has an opt-out clause if he doesn't make the major league club, but that hasn't been confirmed).

unlikely that bianchi would accept the minor league assignment.

donovan hand cleared waivers and has been given a non-roster invitation to big league camp. he becomes the 18th non-roster invitee for 2014.

the brewers' 40-man roster is full, but the brewers are fortunate this season in that many players have minor league options remaining, meaning they can be optioned to the minor leagues and still remain on the 40-man roster. as we enter spring training, these are players who will affect the make-up of the 40-man roster: --infielder jeff bianchi is out of minor league options and has been outrighted off the 40-man roster once before. if bianchi does not open the season on the 25-man roster (or on the disabled list), the brewers would have to outright him and he'd be eligible to declare free agency. the other utility infielder on the 40-man roster (elian herrera) has an option remaining. --scooter gennett can be optioned to the minor leagues. rickie weeks cannot. because neither can play any other position than second base, and based on ron roenicke stating that gennett has the edge, many expect weeks to be traded or released sooner than later. if weeks is traded for a player on a major league contract, that player would take weeks' spot on the 40-man roster. --left-handed reliever wei-chung wang is a rule 5 draft pick from the pirates. he must remain on the 25-man roster (and therefore, the 40-man) the entire season, or the brewers would have to return him to the pirates. if the brewers deem it necessary to have another left-hander in the bullpen (assuming lhp will smith is not a starting pitcher and makes the club as a reliever), and if recovering left-handed reliever tom gorzelanny has to open the season on the disabled list, wang's chances of making the club may be good unless . . . --lhp zach duke is battling for a 25-man roster spot. he is not on the 40-man roster, and room would need to be made for him. --the brewers have two veteran non-roster candidates for first base in lyle overbay and mark reynolds. overbay has an opt-out clause in which he can declare 48 hours after 22 march if he's not added to the 40-man roster. an opt-out clause for reynolds has not been confirmed, but it's likely before the start of the championship season. it is unlikely that the brewers would carry both overbay and reynolds on the 25-man roster. the brewers also have a first base candidate in taylor green, but his opt-out clause to be added to the 40-man roster isn't until 15 june. --the brewers have many other non-roster invitees in big league camp. any of them have a shot at making the club, provided they can first obtain that coveted 40-man spot.

this is a team's first attempt to outright him to the minor leagues. if no other team claims him, hand will be forced to accept the minor league assignment. if he clears waivers, doug melvin has assured hand a non-roster invite to big league camp.

revised: rotation: gallardo, garza, lohse, estrada, peralta bullpen: henderson, kintzler, smith, gorzelanny, wang, thornburg, rodriguez outfield: davis, gomez, braun, schafer infield: ramirez, segura, bianchi, gennett, overbay, halton, francisco catcher: lucroy, maldonado

if reports of francisco rodriguez signing a major league contract are true, another player would have to be removed from the 40-man roster, as it's currently full.

k-rod close to a deal per this tweet from jon morosi.

2014 spring training hasn't started yet, but the brewers already have 17 non-roster invitees.

mark attanasio asks doug melvin what his favorite foods are. but then he goes behind doug's back and asks jeff suppan what his favorite foods are. when he has a dinner meeting with the two to negotiate a contract, the menu features all of suppan's favorites.

the brewers were willing to give up four players to cleveland to land cc sabathia on 7 july 2008. doug melvin stated that they wouldn't have given up the same number and/or mix of players if the trade happened even just a few days later, as it allowed cc to give the brewers an additional start. now, the date in play is 8 june--a whole month earlier than when the club acquired sabathia. i remain confident that many teams will wait until then to sign free agents with qualifying offers.

if a team is willing to give up high level prospects in a trade before 31 july to take on a pro-rated salary of a stud player, the team should be more willing to sign a free agent (such as morales) for a similar pro-rated amount after 8 june--knowing they don't have to give up any players or draft picks (other than perhaps making room on the roster for the free agent). i don't think that the pro-rated contracts will be huge--i think they'll be in line with the pro-rated amount of the qualifying offer. look for these free agents tied to draft pick compensation to sign month-to-month contracts with independent league teams.

curious how the 2013 40-man roster took shape last spring?

rotation: gallardo, garza, lohse, estrada, peralta bullpen: henderson, kintzler, smith, gorzelanny, wang, figaro, hand outfield: davis, gomez, braun, schafer infield: ramirez, segura, bianchi, gennett, overbay, halton, francisco catcher: lucroy, maldonado

i can't find where i read it, but somebody reported that garza was in milwaukee today for his physical. if accurate, i wonder if he'll stick around through sunday and appear at brewers on deck?

wow. greg maddux's hat on his hall of fame plaque will have no logo.

blazek is listed here.

it won't be official until he clears his physical, but the matt garza signing would put the roster at 40 (barring another move).

overbay's opt-out is 48 hours after 22 march. presumably, reynolds has an opt-out near the end of spring training as well. i can't see the brewers counting on reynolds to play third and first at nashville. green just isn't established enough to be able to negotiate an earlier opt-out date.