Pirates, Gregory Polanco put extension talks on hold

Gregory Polanco and the Pirates have agreed to stop discussing an extension until after the season, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman writes. The two parties have discussed an extension on and off since last May. Heyman writes that the Pirates offered a bit more money this time than they did last year, and that the deal would have been a very long one. The issue seems to have been the salary Polanco would have received during the option years added to the contract.

That the Pirates continue to negotiate a huge long-term deal with such an unproven player suggests they believe in him quite strongly. I'm very much in favor of an extension for Polanco, so it's a shame that talks have broken down -- if he has a big year in 2015, or even a reasonable one, signing him will become more expensive. But it isn't surprising. Many players prefer not to discuss extensions in-season, believing them to be a distraction.

Waiting next year to sign Polanco does reduce the Pirates' risk somewhat. We'll see if he proves himself worthy of a deal, and if so, the Pirates can discuss one with him and his agent come October.