CINCINNATI -- If Bryan Reynolds was bugged in any way by anything at all, it sure wasn't evident.
He went about his business Wednesday, all through the Pirates' pre-opener workout at Great American Ball Park, with the standard smile and sense of humor, betraying not the slightest sign of being distracted by his agency, CAA, continuing to have talks through the day -- and into the night -- regarding a long-term contract extension.
Heck, when I approached to offer a hello, he began excitedly asking me about my reporting experiences at Boston's Fenway Park, where he and the team will be next week for the season's second series. As if nothing else was happening that might mess with the mood in the interim.
He then participated in the full workout and, aside from a long-ish talk with Derek Shelton at the side of the batting cage -- though Shelton had similar talks with Andrew McCutchen and several others on the field or in the dugout -- all looked normal.
It's known that CAA doesn't want to carry a negotiation into the season, a sentiment Reynolds himself has echoed. That, per our beat writer Alex Stumpf's sources, means the agency's seeing the 4:10 first pitch of the opener Thursday as the de facto deadline to cut off talks and simply let the season play out from there. Reynolds is signed for this season at $6.75 million, after which the Pirates would still hold his rights for another two years through arbitration.
The only known offers to date: Six years and $75 million-$80 million from the Pirates, eight years and $134 million from Reynolds.
It's our feeling, between me and Alex, that a deal of this magnitude -- which almost certainly would be the first in franchise history to cross into nine-figure guaranteed money -- is a long shot, if only for that reason. Bob Nutting's made public and made clear personally to Reynolds that he'd like to do a long-term deal. But Nutting's come about his spendthrift reputation honestly and, as team officials acknowledge in private, they can still have Reynolds' services for three more full seasons, through his age-30 season, through arbitration alone.
Robert Murray, a veteran reporter with FanSided.com who's long had deep connections with agents, tweeted this late Wednesday night: "As of tonight, major hurdles remain in extension talks between Bryan Reynolds and the Pirates. The two sides have been talking recently, but plenty of work remains."
For what it's worth, Ke'Bryan Hayes' eight-year, $70 million extension, still the Pirates' biggest contract, was signed on opening day last year in St. Louis.
There'll be answers on all this soon enough.
MORE FROM THE WORKOUT
• JT Brubaker, who'll open the season on the Injured List, didn't accompany the team on the trip. Shelton said he's still undergoing tests for the elbow/forearm pain that shut him down late in spring training.
• After Mitch Keller vs. Hunter Greene in the opener, the rest of the series' probables are Rich Hill vs. fellow lefty Nick Lodolo this Saturday, then Vince Velasquez vs. Graham Ashcraft in the finale Sunday. The next series in Boston should see Roansy Contreras, then Johan Oviedo, then Keller again. If that holds, Hill would have the home opener next Friday against the White Sox at PNC Park.
• Andrew McCutchen's right elbow is encased in a big ice pack away from the field, but he participated in all drills, including a full session in the batting cage. "Nobody knows Andrew's body better than he does," Shelton said.
• Much noise here about adding a lefty reliever from the outside in advance of the opener.
• Reynolds will be in left field for the opener, Shelton disclosed, without going further with his first lineup. That was the setup through most of the spring, as the Pirates seek improved defense in center, which probably will go to Jack Suwinski for the opener in facing the right-hander Greene.
• Second base will be split between Rodolfo Castro and Ji Hwan Bae, Shelton also disclosed, with no one else imminently working into that mix.
