The 30 Opening Day starters aren't the 30 best pitchers in the game, but their managers do consider them the best arms currently available. Here's a list of the pitchers who got the Opening Day nod this year and how their current teams acquired them (note that many have since signed extensions that delayed their arrival on the free agent market):

Draft Picks (12)

• Stephen Strasburg, Nationals – Selected in the first round of the 2009 draft (1st overall).
• Justin Verlander, Tigers – Selected in the first round of the 2004 draft (2nd overall).
• Ricky Romero, Blue Jays – Selected in the first round of the 2005 draft (6th overall).
• Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers – Selected in the first round of the 2006 draft (7th overall).
• Tim Lincecum, Giants – Selected in the first round of the 2006 draft (10th overall).
• Jered Weaver, Angels – Selected in the first round of the 2004 draft (12th overall).
• Yovani Gallardo, Brewers – Selected in the second round of the 2004 draft.
• Jon Lester, Red Sox – Selected in the second round of the 2002 draft.
• Josh Johnson, Marlins – Selected in the fourth round of the 2002 draft.
• Jake Arrieta, Orioles – Selected in the 5th round of the 2007 draft.
• James Shields, Rays – Selected in the 16th round of the 2000 draft.
• Tommy Hanson, Braves – Selected in the 22nd round of the 2005 draft.

Free Agent Signings (8)

• Kyle Lohse, Cardinals – Signed a free agent contract worth $4.25MM in March, 2008. 
• Ryan Dempster, Cubs – Signed a free agent contract worth $52MM over four years in November, 2008.
• C.C. Sabathia, Yankees – Signed a free agent contract worth $161MM over seven years in December, 2008.
• Colby Lewis, Rangers – Signed a free agent contract worth $5MM over two years in January, 2010.
• Brandon McCarthy, Athletics – Signed a free agent contract worth $1MM in December, 2010.
• Carl Pavano, Twins – Signed a free agent contract worth $16.5MM over two years in January, 2011. The Twins originally traded for him in 2009, but Pavano has since hit free agency.
• Bruce Chen, Royals – Signed a free agent contract worth $9MM over two years in November, 2011.
• Erik Bedard, Pirates – Signed a free agent contract worth $4.5MM for one year in December, 2011.

Trades (7)

• John Danks, White Sox – Acquired from the Rangers in the December, 2006 trade that sent McCarthy to Texas. 
• Johan Santana, Mets – Acquired from the Twins in a February, 2008 trade that sent Carlos Gomez, Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey to Minnesota. 
• Justin Masterson, Indians – Acquired from the Red Sox in a July, 2009 trade that sent Victor Martinez to Boston.
• Roy Halladay, Phillies – Acquired from the Blue Jays in a December, 2009 trade that sent Michael Taylor, Travis d'Arnaud and Kyle Drabek to Toronto. 
• Ian Kennedy, Diamondbacks – Acquired from the Yankees in a December, 2009 trade involving the Yankees and Tigers.
• Edinson Volquez, Padres – Acquired from the Reds in a December, 2011 trade that sent Mat Latos to the Reds.
• Jeremy Guthrie, Rockies – Acquired from the Orioles in the February, 2012 trade that sent Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom to Baltimore.

International Free Agent Signings (3)

• Wandy Rodriguez, Astros – Signed as an amateur free agent in 1999.
  
• Felix Hernandez, Mariners – Signed as an amateur free agent in July, 2002.
• Johnny Cueto, Reds – Signed as an amateur free agent in 2004.

The cutoff for super two players after the 2012 season will be two years and 134 days of service time, according to preliminary internal studies by CAA (Twitter link). A year ago this time the agency correctly anticipated that the 2011 cutoff would be two years and 146 days of service time.

This would be good news for players such as Josh Thole, Chris Johnson, Michael Saunders, Tyler Colvin, Sam Fuld, Esmil Rogers, Drew Storen and Mark Melancon. They'll project as super twos this coming offseason, assuming they accrue a full year of service in 2012 and the CAA projection is accurate.

Super two status entitles certain players to four years of arbitration eligibility, rather than the usual three. In other words, they'll earn more than their peers. Under baseball's new collective bargaining agreement, 22% of players qualify as super twos. This represents an increase from 17% and helps explain why the cutoff is lower than it was a year ago.

Jonathan Lucroy would qualify as a super two if the cutoff falls at 2.134. If he qualifies, he'll earn an additional $2MM over the course of the extension he recently signed. 

The following players will finish the season with less than two years and 134 days of service time: Carlos Santana, Justin Smoak, Danny Valencia, Michael Brantley, Jordan Schafer, Giancarlo Stanton, Madison Bumgarner, Stephen Strasburg, Daniel Hudson, Dan Runzler, Andrew Cashner and Alexi Ogando. They don't project as super twos, so their teams may only have to worry about going through the arbitration process three times.

I looked ahead to some upcoming first-time arbitration eligible players earlier in the year.