Jeff Fletcher of MLB Fanhouse makes a good point about Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg and his service time.  It’s widely believed that the Nationals are holding back Strasburg in the Minor Leagues so that he does not become arbitration eligible one year too early. Fletcher reminds us that Strasburg is already signed for $3 million for 2012, presumably his third year in the big leagues. His salary for 2013 will be at least $3 million regardless of being arbitration-eligible or not because the Nationals cannot reduce his salary more than 20%.

In certain cases players could become arbitration eligible if they qualify as a Super Two, usually those top tier players that have at least two years and 140 days of Major League service. In the event that Strasburg gets called up as soon as this week, he’ll likely be a Super Two by 2012 and when he’s arbitration-eligible in 2013 he’ll be compared to top tier first-time eligible pitchers such as Felix Hernandez or Justin Verlander. Fletcher speculated that Strasburg’s salary will be in the $4.5 million range when compared to the Heranandez’s or Verlander’s.

Fletcher adds that given the service needed to become a free agent, the earliest that Strasburg can become eligible for free agency is the 2016-2017 off season.