By earning $3.3 million in the first of what will be four arbitration seasons, Neil Walker is well on his way to becoming a very rich man. FanGraphs suggests the Pirates, facing those years of payouts, make him a richer man sooner and in the process buy out some of his free-agent years. The price tag it suggests: five years, $45 million.


By Paul Swydan, FanGraphs.com
       
A lot of people wrote Neil Walker off as a bust before he even had a chance to prove himself in the majors. First, he was a failed catcher. Then, he was a failed third baseman. He needed two years at Triple-A, and didn’t stick in the majors until the age of 24, in his seventh professional season and at his third professional defensive position.

But then a funny thing happened — Walker started producing. Now, he’s one of Pittsburgh’s best players. Last year, when Andrew McCutchen signed his long-term deal, some wondered if Walker would get his as well, but the Pirates wisely waited to see if Walker would produce a similar season in 2012. Since he did,talk about an extension has resurfaced. Is Walker good enough to deserve such an extension? And just what would an extension look like?

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