Robinson eligible early for salary arbitration
Cardinals outfielder qualifies as one of 26 Super Two players
ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals outfielder Shane Robinson is one of 26 players with less than three years of service time in the Majors to qualify for salary arbitration this offseason through the Super Two rule.
With Robinson included, the Cardinals now have six players eligible for arbitration, including three for the first time. Robinson is, however, also considered to be a non-tender candidate, as the Cardinals can choose not to go through the arbitration process with him and instead let him enter free agency.
This would be the decision made if the Cardinals believe they have enough outfield talent elsewhere and do not want to cover the hike in salary that Robinson will get through the arbitration process. The deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-qualified players is Dec. 2.
While arbitration is guaranteed for those players with three to six years of service time, this select group of Super Two players receive a fourth year of arbitration by way of a formula that identifies the top 22 percent of players with between two and three years of service time. This year, that cutoff came at two years, 133 days. Robinson has accrued two years, 141 days of Major League service time with the Cardinals, even though he spent part of last season in the Minors.
Robinson, a fifth-round pick by the Cardinals in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, has appeared in the Majors for parts of five seasons. In 2014, Robinson hit .150/.227/.200 in 40 games. He was squeezed for playing time due to a high concentration of outfielders, and Robinson's season then ended a month prematurely when he required arthroscopic shoulder surgery.
Robinson fractured a bone in his left shoulder while trying to slide into second base in late August. At the time of the procedure, the Cardinals announced that he should recover quickly enough to engage in a normal offseason program.
Video: STL@PIT: Robinson leaves the game with an injury
The full list of arbitration-eligible Cardinals include: Jon Jay, Daniel Descalso, Peter Bourjos, Lance Lynn, Tony Cruz and Robinson.