The Pittsburgh Pirates are willing to consider a second significant contract extension for Andrew McCutchen.

Talks are not active currently, but sources claim the Pirates are "willing to go to great lengths" to work out a new deal if they engage McCutchen. That could mean offering a deal worth $25 million annually.

McCutchen's current contract keeps him under team control through 2018 for a very affordable $38 million.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are studying the success of the NBA's Golden State Warriors as the 2015 season approaches.

"I read an interesting article a while ago on the Golden State Warriors, how they get maximum production with their players," Clint Hurdle said. "They're actually playing less, and they're playing better collectively as a group."

Neal Huntington told ESPN the Pirates noticed this trend in a study of the Warriors by a member of their front office.

"We're always looking collectively as a group ... just watching different models of behavior," Hurdle said, "whether it's the NFL or the NBA or hockey. They're the perfect example of maximizing ice time and shifts and things like that.

"We're not in that same mode. But how do you maximize all the ability that you have and the abilities that you have? What's the right amount of reps for a guy? What are the at-bats you want to carry through at certain times, the innings that are played? You've got to keep an eye on everything.

"But it caught our attention," Hurdle added, "just for the fact that they have found a rhythm and a rhyme, through the coaching staff and the player pool that they have. And at the point in time of the article, they were playing the best basketball they have in a long time. And actually, minutes per game were down for some of their key core players."

Pedro Alvarez has defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in salary arbitration.

Alvarez was awarded a $5.75 million salary by Robert Herzog, James Oldham and Dan Brent, who heard arguments on Wednesday. Pittsburgh had argued for $5.25 million.

The second overall pick in 2008, Alvarez made $4.25 million last year.

Vance Worley has defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in his arbitration case.

The right-hander will earn $2.45 million this season, besting Pittsburgh's submission of $2 million.

Worley, 27, was eligible for arbitration for the first time as a Super Two.

The order for the 2015 Major League Baseball draft is set now that James Shields has reached a deal with the San Diego Padres.

San Diego will part with the 13th overall pick because the Kansas City Royals issued Shields a qualifying offer earlier this offseason.

First Round

1. Diamondbacks
2. Astros
3. Rockies
4. Rangers
5. Astros
6. Twins
7. Red Sox
8. White Sox
9. Cubs
10. Phillies
11. Reds
12. Marlins            
13. Rays
14. Braves
15. Brewers
16. Yankees
17. Indians
18. Giants
19. Pirates
20. Athletics
21. Royals
22. Tigers
23. Cardinals
24. Dodgers
25. Orioles
26. Angels

Compensation Picks

27. Rockies          
28. Braves
29. Blue Jays
30. Yankees
31. Giants
32. Pirates
33. Royals
34. Tigers
35. Dodgers
36. Orioles

Competitive Balance Round A

37. Astros    
38. Rockies
39. Cardinals
40. Brewers
41. Padres
42. Indians

Pirates second baseman Neil Walker is getting a raise, just not the one he wanted.

An arbitration panel sided Saturday with the Pirates in their case against Walker, who was seeking a pay bump to $9 million in 2015. The 29-year-old Walker will instead receive $8 million. He made $5.75 million last year.

Walker led all National League second baseman with a career-best 23 home runs in 2014.