Notoriously Cheap Pirates to 'Explore' Contract Extensions With Young Talent

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a crop of promising young contributors, but they also have a track record of keeping payroll low refusing to shell out fat contracts. But does that mean every last talented operator won't be permitted a contract extension?

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Pirates have a short-list of players they are considering extending: outfielder Bryan Reynolds, middle infielder Kevin Newman and pitcher Joe Musgrove.

The keyword here is "exploring," because if you know the Bucs, you know their business model is the conservative kind. Owner Bob Nutting rarely goes for big-time free agents, and he never makes moves at the deadline -- even if the rare cases in which the team has been in playoff contention.

The reason Pittsburgh is exploring these players? They're legitimately productive, and the team can lock them in before they are eligible for arbitration -- with the exception of 27-year-old Musgrove, who has already entered his arbitration years.

The younger guys, Reynolds and Newman, have shown some value in the last few seasons. Newman, entering his third season, has been all over the field for Pittsburgh, from shortstop to outfielder. Last season, he scored 61 runs on 152 hits, slashing .308/.353/.446 at the plate.

In his rookie season, Bryan Reynolds had 68 RBI while slashing .314/.377/.503. He was fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting, and the Pirates still have plenty of time before he reaches arbitration.

With a real chance to keep some of their most promising talents in Pittsburgh for an extended period, the Pirates fans should hope that Nutting finally cracks open the wallet. But knowing how things tend to work within the organization, the fans at PNC Park might not be holding their breaths.