Pirates general manager Neal Huntington has been given a three-year contract extension through the 2014 season. The deal includes a team option for 2015. Pittsburgh has finished with a losing record for 18 consecutive seasons, a record for major sports leagues in North America, but they have shown promise this year. "Neal was hired to take on the difficult task of building an organization that can compete on a consistent basis," Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement. "While there is still much work to be done, Neal and his staff have done an exceptional job of overhauling the scouting and development systems while building a strong foundation by aggressively acquiring talent through all possible avenues. We have begun to see that positive impact on the major league level this season and expect that improvement to continue as we execute our plan in building a winning organization."