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Pirates Aim To Extend Capps, Sanchez

According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the next Pirates GM will approach closer Matt Capps and second baseman Freddy Sanchez about multiyear contracts.

It certainly makes sense to lock up Capps.  The 24 year-old is having a spectacular season, his first as the Bucs' closer.  He's got a 2.04 ERA and 3.9 K/BB.  Kovacevic says the plan appears to be to throw him some extra bucks in '08 in return for a discount covering his three arbitration years.  I wonder whether the Red Sox will consider a similar contract offer for Jonathan Papelbon, who has the same amount of service time.

Sanchez turns 30 in December.  He's hitting .312/.352/.454 this year in 570 ABs.  Kovacevic believes the goal for him is to cover his final two years before free agency (2008-09).  However it's not out of the question that the Bucs try to tack on 2010 as well.  His current $2.75MM salary will definitely increase next year through arbitration if a multiyear pact isn't reached.  I could see an offer something like two years, $10MM or three years, $18MM.  

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