Nutting wants McCutchen to retire a Pirate
BRADENTON, Fla. — Being disciplined financially has been part of the reason why the Pirates have gone from being a punchline — and punching bag — to one of the best teams in baseball.
General manager Neal Huntington believes in finding value at every turn. While all of his moves haven’t worked out, the only contract of any substance he has whiffed on was outfielder Jose Tabata’s six-year, $15-million deal.
That is why it is surprising that Pirates owner Bob Nutting wants to sign Andrew McCutchen to a contract extension that would ensure the star center fielder would spend his career in Pittsburgh.
It seems sentiment is creeping in to an organization that has made back-to-back postseason appearances following 20 consecutive losing seasons in no large part because of putting proper valuations on players.
McCutchen still has three years and $38 million remaining on his six-year, $51.5-million contract. The Pirates also hold a $14.75-million club option for 2018 that they will almost certainly exercise unless McCutchen experiences an unexpectedly steep drop off in performance.
A source with direct knowledge of the situation said the Pirates might try to engage McCutchen in contract talks before the conclusion of spring training.
At the end of the 2018 season, McCutchen would be just shy of 32nd birthday and seemingly in the decline phase of his career.
However, the Pirates feel McCutchen should age well because he stays in excellent physical condition. They also like that he has had no off-field issues.
“Andrew’s been a critical part of the team,” Nutting said when he visited the Pirates’ camp last month. “I love having him in a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform and I hope he is in it for a long, long time.”
The Pirates are perennially among the lowest-spending teams in the major leagues and McCutchen is likely looking at an extension in the range of five years and $125 million.
Yet, Nutting seems willing to pay up for a player who was the 2013 National League Most Valuable Player, then had an even better 2014 in which he hit .314 with 25 home runs, 18 stolen bases and a league-best .410 on-base percentage in 146 games.
McCutchen, for his part, says he isn’t thinking about an extension.
“Right now, I’m not too worried about it,” he said. “If it happens, that would be great.”
With the MVP, a Gold Glove, three Sliver Slugger awards and four All-Star berths on his last of accomplishments after six seasons, McCutchen is more concerned with winning a World Series ring.
The Pirates were last in the World Series in 1979 when they beat the Baltimore Orioles, and haven’t won a division title since 1992.
“We’re not here to try to win a wild card game,” McCutchen said. “We’re here to win the division and keep going from there to win a championship.”