Huntington, Hurdle Signed Through 2017

The Pirates announced today that they've signed three-year extensions with GM Neal Huntington and Manager Clint Hurdle, along with 2018 options. NH's old contract ran through this season, as did Hurdle's, which had an option year (2015). No financial details were made public. The agreements were finalized during the off season, but not made public until today, per the FO's usual MO.

"Neal and Clint have led a team of baseball professionals, in the front office and on the field, that has transformed the Pittsburgh Pirates into a club that again must be reckoned with in the National League," said club president Frank Coonelly. "We are extremely pleased that they will continue to lead this team in Pittsburgh."

"I have a tremendous amount of personal respect and appreciation for the impact that Neal, Clint and their staffs have had on our organization," said Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting. "My expectation has been and remains that they, led by Frank, will continue to play a lead role in our success for years to come."

Huntington, 45, has been the Bucs' general manager since September, 2007, and Hurdle, 56, was hired to skipper the club in November, 2010. Huntington inherited a 68 win club that he rebuilt from scratch with a media-grabbing losing streak of forever looming over his head while Hurdle took over a 57 win team from 2010 and rolled up 94 victories last year.

With the quick starts in 2011 and 2012 that were eventually short-circuited by a lack of depth followed by a playoff run last season, both extensions were a matter of when, not if. Huntington has helped put together a highly rated farm system and kept the payroll in check while Hurdle has outperformed his Pythagorean record in each of the past three seasons.

The two also work together well, something that was missing in the John Russell era when there was little communication between the on-and-off field staffs. Hurdle not only has NH's ear, but has a working knowledge of the farm system and has become the face of the Pirates, living in the city and attending the endless gamut of off-season events.

The Pirates are working on deals with senior staff members now that Huntington and Hurdle are locked up and the staff knows there will be continuity in the organization. Connelly is not one them; he said during the press conference that he was working without a contract as a sort of "at will" employee.