I remember watching Andrew McCutchen play when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ AAA affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians in 2008. Even then, at the tender age of 21, it was clear McCutchen was going to be good.

Apparently, the Pirates saw some of the same things I did. Today, they announced a six-year extension with McCutchen. That’s six years for $51.5 million, with a $14.75 million club option. This buys out all of McCutchen’s arbitration-eligible years, plus two free agent years–three if the option is picked up.

Pat Lackey of Where Have You Gone, Andy Van Slyke? is excited about the deal.

One of my favorite aspects of this deal is the commitment that it requires from both sides. That seems like an obvious statement when we’re talking about 6-7 years for the player and $51.5-$66 million for the team, but I mean on an even deeper level. The Pirates have been saying since even before McCutchen arrived in 2009 that they were going to be willing to break out the checkbook when the young players on the team warranted it. There was no real reason to not believe them — they’ve certainly kept their word when it comes to spending on the draft and spending internationally — but there was also no evidence to back them up. McCutchen is the first real star that this management team has had from the beginning of his career, the first real test of the promise to pay to keep young players in Pittsburgh beyond their league-mandated six years. When it came down to it, the Pirates could’ve tried to use McCutchen’s age relative to [Jay] Bruce and [BJ] Upton to negotiate him down. They didn’t. They came through.

And he’s right. The Pirates under general manager Neal Huntington have been making slow, incremental progress. It takes many, many seasons to rebuild what was decimated over almost 2 decades. Now they have a genuine star player in the making. Not only did they correctly assess that McCutchen is worth investment, but McCutchen also wanted to continue being a Pirate.

I know the team is full of holes and still has a long road ahead before contending, but it’s moves like this that make me think there’s a chance McCutchen might be a part of a Pirates’ playoff game before this contract is up.

The long-talked about wild card expansion has finally been announced. Both the National League and the American League will both be getting a second wild card team. This expansion is the first since 1994 and brings the total number of playoff teams to 10, which is the largest number in major league history.

The playoff series are changing in a way that actually puts the wild card team on a lesser status than division winners, which is something long overdue. I’m tired of seeing the lowest-seeded wild card team not playing the highest-seeded team simply because they’re in the same division. That will no longer be the case.

The three division winners in each league will await the survivor of a one-game playoff between the Wild Card teams in each league. Both games are slated for Friday, Oct. 5, two days after the end of the regular season. Barring weather disruptions, the Division Series field of four teams in each league will begin the following Saturday and Sunday.

With the two wild card teams facing off in a one-game playoff, neither team is likely to have their best pitcher available for the division series, which puts them at a distinct disadvantage. And I’m very okay with that.

Of course, this does increase the Cincinnati Reds–and every team’s–chances of making the playoffs this year. There’s one more spot available! Hopefully, the Reds will win their division this year, but the playoffs are still the playoffs. And so far, I like the expansion.

I bet you thought that I was going to make some sort of jab about how Molina ought to be locked up, seeing as he’s a fight-starting, Brandon-Phillips-hating thug. But I’m not, and shame on you for assuming.

The St. Louis Cardinals, pocket nearly burned through with all the money they didn’t have to give to Albert Pujols, signed Yadier Molina to a 5-year, $75 meeeeeellion deal, the club announced today. From StLCardinals.com:

The Cardinals announced the contract extension during a press conference Thursday at the team’s Spring Training facility. A new five-year deal, which will begin with the 2013 season, will pay Molina $15 million per year. The contract also includes a mutual $15 million option that would extend the length a year further.

This new contract does not buy out the final year of Molina’s current five-year deal, meaning that the catcher will still earn $7 million in 2012. Molina would have become a free agent next winter had an extension not been reached.

Now, Yadi Molina is good. Like, maybe the best active catcher in the game. Like the kind of catcher that makes the manufactured Ryan Hanigan v Devin Mesoraco debate seems even more pointless than it already seemed. But $15 million a year for a catcher who will be 36 at the end of the deal? There’s no way that’s not overpaying at some point before 2018 is over.

But I guess they’ve got to spend their money somewhere, and someone needs to be the team’s identity now that Pujols is soaking up the California sun and Carpenter will be applying for Social Security. Might as well be Molina. Might just want to hold on to a little of it for fines, is all.

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.

Cincinnati Reds general manager Walt Jocketty confirmed today that the team is close to a multi-year extension with reliever Sean Marshall.

“That’s one of the things we said we wanted to do when he traded for him,” Jocketty said. “We want to get it done sooner than later. We’d like to get it done before games start.”

Jocketty would not say how many years.

“It’s not done yet,” he said.

After the trade was confirmed shortly before Christmas, an extension was said to be something that was desired, but further news of it kind of faded away. Of course, what team wouldn’t want more than one year of Marshall? He’s one of the best relievers in the majors. I’m glad to see that the team has continued working on it.

I haven’t seen any details released, but I’d guess it be in the neighborhood of 3 years at $5-7 million per year.