The Pittsburgh Pirates locked up their star center fielder, Andrew McCuthen to a six-year, $51.5 million deal on Sunday.  Details have begun to emerge about McCutchen’s extension which will keep him in Pittsburgh through the 2018 season.

He will go from making half a million this season (with a $1.25 million signing bonus) to $14.75 in the final year of the deal.  If you’re a parent who is encouraging your kid to play lacrosse over baseball, that little diddy should be enough to change your mind.

Here in Baltimore, Orioles center fielder Adam Jones eagerly awaits a contract extension and I couldn’t help but wonder if he should receive a similar deal.

Both Jones and McCutchen will be 26 this season and they are both former first round draft picks, but Jones has three more professional seasons under his belt.

Both guys have had similar numbers with their respective ball clubs.  In McCutchen’s three seasons with Pittsburgh, he has a .276 career batting average and has hit 20 home runs, 37 doubles and 77 RBI on average during this career.  Jones has a .278 batting average in four seasons with Baltimore and has 19 home runs, 26 doubles and 76 RBI on average throughout his big league career.

Baseball analysts have predicted that Jones would be seeking at least a five year extension, but it sounds as though the Orioles will be holding off until at least mid-season to get a deal done.

While the rest of the city is comparing Arian Foster’s contract with the Texans to Ray Rice, I think we should be comparing McCutchen’s to Jones.  Make the guy an Oriole for six more years, please.