Leyland to be marshal for Detroit parade

Former Tigers manager Jim Leyland will be the grand marshal for the Detroit Thanksgiving parade.

DETROIT — Organizers of Detroit's Thanksgiving parade say that former Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland will be the grand marshal.

The Parade Company announced the selection Tuesday.

Leyland became manager of the American League club in 2005. He announced he was stepping down after the Tigers' 2013 season ended.

Leyland says it's an honor to be part of America's Thanksgiving Parade, which he says is "a cherished tradition" in Detroit.

Doubront barely misses arbitration cutoff

BOSTON — Red Sox pitcher Felix Doubront missed the cutoff for salary arbitration eligibility by two days.

The major league service time required for arbitration this offseason was 2 years, 122 days, according to calculations by the commissioner's office and the players' association.

Los Angeles Angels infielder Chris Nelson was the last player to make it among the 28 with enough service time. Seattle pitcher Charlie Furbush was the player closest to qualifying who missed, falling one day short. On Boston's active major league roster all season, Doubront has 2 years, 120 days of service.

Under the labor contract reached in November, 2011, the top 22 percent of players by service time with at least two years but less than three are eligible for arbitration as long as they had at least 86 days this year.

They join the older group of 3-to-6 year players.

From 1991-12, the top 17 percent in the 2-to-3-year group had been eligible. Under the old rule, the cutoff would have been 2 years, 129 days.

Six extra players qualified this season under the new rule, with Nelson 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.

The cutoff was down from 2 years, 139 days last winter.