Left-handed pitcher Paul Maholm could be a free agent as soon as the end of the 2011 season is complete, and he’s open to spending more time with Pittsburgh, Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

“I’d definitely talk to them,” Maholm said. “I said that in the spring. They control everything. They have the option. They have the ability to trade me. They have the ability to wait and see what happens …”

The option that Maholm is referring to is the $9.75 million team option that the Pirates hold for 2012.  It’s a big chunk of change for the small market team.  If they decide against keeping him on for a year, they would owe him a $750,000 buyout.

“I’m not going to beg for [a new deal], but I’d be open to what they have to say. I enjoy the guys here. I enjoy the staff. The fans are great. I like the city. Why wouldn’t I talk to them? I haven’t heard anything from them yet and I don’t know that I will. I just hope they come to me soon if they are going to do it. I don’t want them to come to me the week of the trade deadline and hit me with everything right then.”

GM Neal Huntington doesn’t publicly discuss contracts in the media, so whether or not he’s willing to extend Maholm will have to wait until the winter.  In the meantime, Cook reminds us that Maholm has made more starts (167) than any other left-hander in the National League since 2006 and has the second most innings pitched for a lefty during the same time.  These stats alone will open eyes come the July trade deadline.

Image by Claire Schmitt under the Creative Commons License.