One of the emerging storylines coming from the Cincinnati Reds’ Spring Training this year involves the distribution of playing time for their two catchers.

The Reds have two catchers expected to break with the camp, veteran Ryan Hanigan and rookie Devin Mesoraco. Mesoraco played a bit in September last year, and is the team’s only excellent prospect left after their off-season trades.

“Hanigan was more than a one-out-of-five guy (last year),” Dusty Baker said. “Don’t assume he’s one out of five now. He would have been more, but he got hurt with his neck and back. . .

“I don’t know how it’s going play out. A lot depends on what kind of progress Mesoraco makes. If he continues on the path, he’s catcher-of-the-future. When that future is is undecided.”

What? You mean the team isn’t going to hand the starting job and 3/4s of the starts to a kid with 18 games of Major League experience? Shocking.

I know lots of fluff comes out of Spring Training, but this feels like the biggest non-story story so far. Of course, both catchers are going to play a lot. And of course, Mesoraco, the rookie, is going to have to prove he belongs.

Thankfully, Hanigan is wise enough not to worry about it.

“I’m looking forward to working with (Mesoraco) and being a team. You can’t worry about that stuff. When you’re out there, you do your job. When you’re not, you help the other guy when you can.

“If there’s any of that selfishness going on, it’s not going to work. That’s kind how I see it.”

Good. A team attitude from a member of a team in a team sport seems like the best way to be a team.

Even though he’s never thrown a pitch in an official capacity for the Cincinnati Reds, the team still liked reliever Sean Marshall enough to sign him to a 3 year extension worth $16.5 million.

This contract extension, which adds three years to Marshall’s current contract and will have him with the team through 2015, had been rumored since he was traded from the Chicago Cubs. And just earlier this week, it reappeared, almost as a done deal. Clearly, the team wanted him for more than the one year he was contractually obligated for.

“No. 1, he’s a quality person and he’s going to add a lot to our franchise and organization for these three years — actually we have him for four years now,” Jocketty said. “You look at the quality of his work. He’s one of the top setup guys in the game. We’ll have flexibility with him in the future if we want to use him as a closer. That will be determined as we go along.”

Yes, with Ryan Madsen on a one-year deal, the Reds could be in need of a closer next year. And Marshall has the skills to slip right into that role.

Given how good Marshall is, I don’t feel that the contract is too steep. I hope it leads to some wins, increased attendance, and a higher payroll.