Cutoff set as 28 players qualify for Super Two status
The Major League service time required for salary arbitration this offseason is two years and 122 days, down from last winter and enough to qualify 28 additional eligible players based off calculations from the Commissioner's Office and the Players Association.
Angels infielder Chris Nelson was the final player to make it under the service-time rules, with Seattle pitcher Charlie Furbush falling one day short and Red Sox pitcher Felix Doubront -- on the active roster all season -- needing two additional days.
The top 22 percent of players by service time with at least two years but less than three are eligible for salary arbitration as long as they had at least 86 days of service this year, according to the labor agreement from November 2011. They join the older group of three- to six-year players.
From 1991-2012, the top 17 percent in the two- to three-year group had been eligible. Under the old rule, the cutoff would have been two years and 129 days.
Nelson was joined by Chicago White Sox outfielder Dayan Viciedo, San Francisco first baseman Brandon Belt, Tampa Bay right-hander Jake McGee, San Diego right-hander Tyson Ross and Colorado right-hander Juan Nicasio as arbitration-eligible additions.
Those who will be Super Two players also include Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer, White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers, New York Mets outfielder Lucas Duda and infielder Ruben Tejada, Tampa Bay catcher Jose Lobaton, Detroit right-hander Al Alburquerque and outfielder Andy Dirks, Cleveland right-handers Vinnie Pestano and Frank Herrmann, San Diego first baseman-outfielder Jesus Guzman, Atlanta left-hander Mike Minor, Chicago Cubs right-hander Pedro Strop, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mike Baxter, Miami right-hander Steve Cishek, Milwaukee first baseman Juan Francisco, Minnesota third baseman Trevor Plouffe, Oakland right-hander Fernando Rodriguez, Philadelphia outfielder Ben Revere and Pittsburgh catcher Michael McKenry.
Teams can avoid arbitration by failing to offer a contract by the Dec. 2 deadline, in which case the player would be granted free agency.
Three players who would have been eligible no longer are on 40-man rosters: pitchers David Purcey and Wade LeBlanc, and catcher Guillermo Quiroz.