NEWS:

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have agreed to terms with AL Most Valuable Player Dustin Pedroia on a six-year contract worth $40.5 million, The Associated Press has learned.

A baseball official familiar with the deal, speaking on the condition of anonymity because it was not yet announced, told the AP that Pedroia would remain with the Red Sox through 2014, with a club option for 2015.

The deal was first reported by ESPN.com.

NEWS:

Contract-extension talks between the Orioles and star right fielder Nick Markakis have broken off and likely will not be revisited for at least six weeks.

Club president Andy MacPhail and Markakis' agent, Jamie Murphy, confirmed that the sides exchanged proposals last week for the first time this offseason and, after several discussions, an agreement could not be reached.

It's the second time since July the two sides have temporarily walked away from the negotiating table - the first coming at the All-Star break, when the Orioles made an offer that one industry source called "low ball."

This time, the sides moved closer but are still considered millions of dollars apart.

What does the first have to do with the last?

Well, a little context is in order. We, the Orioles Village, have had our collective panties in a bunch* over the perceived lack of progress of the signing of Nick Markakis past the three years of team control already in place. If Evan Longoria got a contract after just one month on Desperate Housewives, sorry, the Tampa Bay Rays, doesn’t Darling Nicky deserve the same?

Well, the Pedroia contract, apparently reached today, presents a rather convincing piece of evidence that yet again, maybe Andy MacPhail knows what he’s doing. The current AL MVP signs away two of his free-agent seasons for 6-year, $40.5 million dollar contract that includes 3 of his arbitration years as well. All of a sudden, 6 years at $10M-$12M per for Markakis seems a bit much, doesn't it?

As good as Nick is, he hasn’t won the AL MVP in his first 3 seasons. And yet, the reigning MVP, who’s a season behind Markakis in service time (he only played in 31 games in 2006), is now going for significantly less than $10 million a season in his physical prime.

Now, 2B isn’t RF. And Peds is never gonna hit 25 HR in a season (I think). But do we think Andy MacPhail smiles a little bit when he read Peds’ new contract numbers? I bet he did. And I bet that’s why Nick’s agent just walked away from the table, in hopes that the subsequent market moves up, not even farther down.

So tell me – what effect do you think Peds’ contract will have on the Markakis negotiations, if any?

*And is it just me, or wouldn’t men’s underwear being too constrictive present a much more painful problem than women’s? Just asking.