Where the roster stands with nine days to go

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We are now nine days from opening day, and it's time for the Nationals to start making those hard decisions they've been putting off all spring.

We may even get a few of them today, now that yesterday's split-squad day-night doubleheader in two different towns is over, negating the need for extra bodies in big league camp.

But before anything goes down, let's take a look at who exactly still is here. This is the spring roster as it currently stands, with asterisks placed next to anyone who is a non-roster invitee. (In other words, someone who would need to be added to the 40-man roster before being part of the opening day roster.)

Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to whittle it down to the 25 players you want to bring north. Keeping in mind, of course, the fact you can't add those who aren't already on the 40-man roster until you drop someone else ...

STARTING PITCHERS (9)
Max Scherzer
Stephen Strasburg
Tanner Roark
Gio Gonzalez
Joe Ross
A.J. Cole
Vance Worley*
Jeremy Guthrie*
Jacob Turner*

RELIEF PITCHERS (13)
Shawn Kelley
Blake Treinen
Joe Blanton
Sammy Solis
Oliver Perez
Enny Romero
Koda Glover
Trevor Gott
Matt Grace
Rafael Martin
Matt Albers*
Neal Cotts*
Joe Nathan*

CATCHERS (4)
Matt Wieters
Jose Lobaton
Pedro Severino
Jhonatan Solano*

INFIELDERS (10)
Ryan Zimmerman
Daniel Murphy
Trea Turner
Anthony Rendon
Stephen Drew
Adam Lind
Clint Robinson
Wilmer Difo
Brandon Snyder*
Emmanuel Burriss*

OUTFIELDERS (6)
Jayson Werth
Adam Eaton
Bryce Harper
Chris Heisey
Michael A. Taylor
Brian Goodwin

*-Non-roster invitee