What Options do the Tigers have left for the 2014 season?

Following are a couple of charts for the players on the Tigers' 40 man roster, indicating the service time, number of options remaining, arbitration or free agent status, and other contract details for each of the players.

The options remaining now include those that have been used through the 2013 season. The service time and player's age listed is as of opening day 2014, and free agency dates assume full time service in the major leagues until his contract expires or six years of service have been attained.

The first chart shows the players who either have five years of major league service time, in which case they can not be optioned without their consent, or have used up their options. This chart also shows how long the player is under contract.

The second chart shows the players on the 40 man roster who have at least one option remaining. This chart also shows the number of options and the number of years of arbitration eligibility remaining. A player becomes eligible for arbitration with about 2.121 years (two years, 121 days) of service time.

Players with Five Years' Service or out of options-

can not be sent to minors without consent or without clearing waivers

Note: Service time is read thus- 8.002 is eight years plus two days service time.

Service time listed as of opening day, 2014.

Players with Options Remaining starting the 2014 season

General Rules

Note that fifteen players on the 40 man roster will be optioned to the minor leagues (or traded, outrighted or released) before opening day. Those players optioned will use up an additional option once they spend 20 days in the minors. Phil Coke, Don Kelly, and Evan Reed are players who can not be optioned without clearing waivers. Coke and Kelly would also have to consent. Their contracts are not guaranteed, and can be terminated for one sixth of their salary by March 15, and one quarter by March 30.

Options: Once a player is placed on the team's 40 man roster, he may be sent on optional assignment (optioned) to the minor leagues in three separate seasons. That includes being optioned before the start of the season. A player who has less than five years experience as a pro, excluding short season leagues, but has been optioned three times, has a fourth option. This applies to Bryan Holaday and Jose Ortega.

A player may be optioned multiple times in one season, and only one option per season is used. A player who is optioned can not be recalled for at least ten days, unless another player is placed on the disabled list. A player who is optioned for a total of less than 20 days in a season is not charged with an option (and he receives major league pay for that period). Players on the major league disabled list also accrue major league service time.

Once a player has used up his options, he can not be sent to the minor leagues without first clearing waivers. If he clears waivers, he may then be taken off the 40 man roster and outrighted to the minors. A player may only be outrighted once in their career without their consent. A player who is outrighted more than once may declare free agency immediately or at the end of the season.

A player may not be optioned without his consent after he has accrued five years' service time in the major leagues. For example, Phil Coke now has more than five years' service time, so he can not be optioned without his consent. Rick Porcello, Alex Avila, and Austin Jackson will reach five years this season.

Arbitration eligibility: For purposes of free agency and arbitration, 172 days on the major league roster counts as one season. To be eligible for super two arbitration status, a player needs about two years and 121 days service time. (Read 2.121). Andy Dirks and Al Alburquerque were super two arbitration players this winter. They will have four years of arbitration eligibility before free agency.

Kudos:

Eddie Bajek maintains a comprehensive data base that is always up to date, showing the exact amount of service time to the day. This data base is, without a doubt, the most comprehensive source of information about the status of players Tigers' organization. It's worth checking out.