Boston first baseman Carlos Quintana and Seattle pitcher Erik Hanson lost their salary arbitration cases Saturday, giving owners a 12-5 lead over players with one case remaining.
It is the owners' best hearing record since 1978.Robert Light, who heard arguments Thursday, picked the Red Sox' $340,000 offer - the same salary Quintana made last year - instead of the first baseman's request for a raise to $850,000.
Nicholas Zumas gave Hanson a rare cut in arbitration, lowering his salary to $1.25 million from $1,345,000. The right-hander had asked for $2.3 million.
The decision was the only arbitration ruling in favor of a pay cut this year.
Pitchers Jim Gott, David Wells and Joe Magrane are the only players who filed for arbitration, then agreed to lower base salaries.
Only one case remains outstanding, that of Boston pitcher John Dopson. Dopson, 7-11 last year with a 4.08 ERA, asked arbitrator Anthony Sinicropi for a raise to $750,000 from $265,000. Boston offered $485,000.
Lawyers said Sinicropi told them he would issue his ruling Sunday.