SAN FRANCISCO -- Washington reliever Drew Storen, who failed to hold a ninth-inning lead against St. Louis in Game 5 of the NL division series, is among six extra players eligible for salary arbitration this winter under baseballs new labour contract. San Diego shortstop Everth Cabrera, New York Mets catcher Josh Thole, Tampa Bay outfielder Sam Fuld, Colorado outfielder Tyler Colvin and Arizona third baseman Chris Johnson also are eligible because of the new deal, Major League Baseball and the players union agreed Tuesday. "I was actually aware that the new rule allowed me to be eligible," Storen said in an email to The Associated Press. "I had talked to my agent a few months back when they had an idea of what the cutoff would be. It was something last year I thought could benefit me along with many other guys. Between the new arbitration rules and raised league minimum, the new CBA really benefits 1-3 year-service guys. It was definitely something I was happy about. Little did I know it was going to be such a close call to become eligible." Under the labour contract agreed to last November, the top 22 per cent of players by service time with at least two years but less than three are eligible for arbitration along with the 3-to-6 year players. From 1991 through last year, the top 17 per cent in the 2-to-3-year group had been eligible. The cutoff was 2 years, 139 days, down from what would have been 2 years, 144 days under the old rule. Seattle outfielder Michael Saunders still fell one day short. Others eligible this winter in the so-called Super 2s group are San Francisco catcher Buster Posey and outfielder Gregor Blanco; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis and reliever Ronald Belisario; Baltimore left-handers Brian Matusz and Troy Patton; Milwaukee closer John Axford; Mets first baseman Ike Davis; Pittsburgh second baseman Neil Walker; Los Angeles Angels reliever Kevin Jepsen; Oakland first baseman Brandon Moss; Nationals reliever Craig Stamman; Atlanta pitcher Cristhian Martinez; Philadelphia reliever David Herndon; Cincinnati outfielder Chris Heisey and reliever Logan Ondrusek; Minnesota catcher Drew Butera; Miami catcher Brett Hayes; Chicago Cubs third baseman Luis Valbuena; and Kansas City pitcher Blake Wood. Under the new rules, all players tied for the last slot become eligible. "Roger Bernadina last year was a guy who was a tie, but missed it because the old rules did not allow that to happen," Storen said of his Nationals teammate. "That would be pretty frustrating to be in his shoes in that situation." Milwaukee catcher Jonathan Lucroy missed by three days, costing him $2 million. If had been arbitration-eligible, his contract called for his 2013 salary to escalate from $750,000 to $1.9 million, for his 2014 and 2015 pay to rise by $300,000 a year and for 2016 to go up by $250,000. Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro would have been eligible but agreed in August to a $60 million, seven-year contract. Matuszs contract includes a $700,000 team option, but he can void it because he is arbitration eligible. Cheap Jerseys From China Online .C. -- Carolina Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller says he will experiment this preseason with putting brothers Jordan and Eric Staal on the ice together. Wholesale Jerseys .A. Happ said he tried not to concern himself about what pitching counterpart Joe Saunders was doing on the mound. http://www.nflwholesalecheapjerseysonline.com/ . The team said Gee will have surgery Friday in St. Louis to replace a portion of damaged artery. The right-hander was released from a New York hospital Wednesday after undergoing a procedure to break up a blood clot in his pitching shoulder. Cheap NFL Jerseys China .J. -- New Jersey defenceman Mark Fayne, a key cog in the Devils run to the Stanley Cup finals, had surgery to repair a ligament in his wrist last week, and will be out up to four months. Cheap Jerseys NFL . -- When dark clouds ominously obscured majestic Mount Baldy north of Auto Club Speedway early in Sundays race, NASCARs drivers all realized they were probably in for a short day on a long track. FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. -- A final chore of summer camp for the coaches of Canadas junior mens hockey team was posting the names of the 47 invitees on a white board in order of preference. That doesnt mean head coach Don Hay and his crew are going to get who they want. The names are on movable cards, so Hay, assistants George Burnett and Ryan Huska and Hockey Canada head scout Kevin Prendergast could shuffle according to their opinions. The depth chart was to be assembled following Sundays intra-squad game in Fort McMurray to conclude the six-day camp. But once the hockey season starts, those names will circulate around that white board, and NHL club commitments could cause some to disappear. There was enough talent on display at the summer camp in Edmonton to indicate Canada is capable of winning gold at the 2012 world junior hockey championship starting Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Calgary. The goaltenders were solid, if unspectacular, and the defencemen were deep in size and talent. The forwards have the skill and smarts to play a shifty brand of offence. How much of that talent will be available to Hay in December? That depends largely upon NHL teams, which have a tendency to hang onto the top teenagers from all countries. Hay may be forced to look lower on the white board when he chooses about 35 for his selection camp in Calgary. "You look at the high draft picks, the second-year players, theres a good possibility they might not be here so you have to evaluate," Hay said. "For us, we have to have a feel for where that depth chart is, what type of players were looking for to fill in the holes and then watch how they play in September and October." After a run of five straight gold medals from 2005 to 2009, Canada took silver in 2010 in Saskatoon and was runner-up again this year in Buffalo, N.Y. Canada opens the 2012 tournament against Finland at Edmontons Rexall Place. There are seven players eligible to play for Canada a second straight year. They would provide valuable experience in a tournament for 18- and 19-year-olds: goaltender Mark Visentin, defenceman Erik Gudbranson and forwards Brett Connolly, Sean Couturier, Quinton Howden, Ryan Johansen and Jaden Schwartz. Visentin was a step above the other three goalies at camp and the starters job is his to lose. The Niagara IceDogs goaltenders confidence doesnt seem shaken after he gave up five goals to Russia in the third period of the championship game in Buffalo. It was to be expected the six other veterans would also be standouts at camp.dddddddddddd. Their combination of size and skill make Johansen of the Portland Winterhawks and Couturier of the Drummondville Voltigeurs difficult to contain. Devante Smith-Pelly of the Mississauga St. Michaels Majors was a camp revelation. The Anaheim Ducks prospect used his big body to punish opposing players while setting up goals and scoring them himself. He was an excellent foil for linemates and playmakers Schwartz and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins during camp. Smith-Pelly, Saskatoon Blades defenceman Duncan Simens and Oshawa Generals forward Lucas Lessio sat out Sundays final intra-squad game. A Hockey Canada spokesman said the three had minor injuries and were scratched for "precautionary reasons." Canada could use the smarts, speed and hockey intuition packaged in Nugent-Hopkins. The first overall pick in this years NHL draft will get a long look from the Edmonton Oilers in September. The Red Deer Rebels centre has to prove he can physically stand up to the pounding of an 82-game schedule. Jonathan Huberdeau of the Saint John Sea Dogs was also an impact player. This years Memorial Cup MVP has quick hands and good instincts around the net. Moncton Wildcats defenceman Brandon Gormley would be a top-four defenceman for Canada if the Phoenix Coyotes send him back to junior. Six-foot-seven Jamie Oleksiak of the Saginaw Spirit is an imposing presence on the blue-line. Overall, the defence looks excellent and will be even deeper if Gudbranson of the Kingston Frontenacs is available to play for his country again. Both he and Huberdeau are first-round picks of the Florida Panthers. Defencemen Ryan Murphy of the Kitchener Rangers and Ryan Murray of the Everett Silvertips are also mobile defenceman who move the puck well. Hay, his assistants and Prendergast plan weekly conference calls starting in October to discuss their prospects performances during the first half of the season. Prendergast doesnt expect to spend much time at home in Edmonton while he crisscrosses the country scouting Canadian Hockey League games. Players will be evaluated on their performances with their club teams and also during the CHLs annual six-game series versus Russia in November. For those players born in 1992 and 1993 and not invited to summer camp, Prendergast says theres still time for them to earn an invitation to Decembers selection camp. "Everybody is back in the game," he said. "At this tournament, were going to take the players who are playing really well going into it." ' ' '