Jonathan Lucroy said his belief in the Brewers' organization made it easy for him to decide to sign a contract extension. Credit: Associated Press

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Phoenix - Right player. Right organization. Right time.

That was the equation that led to the Milwaukee Brewers' five-year contract extension with catcher Jonathan Lucroy, which includes a club option for 2017. Both sides decided it was in their best interests to do a deal now and worked out the details quietly and quickly over the past three weeks.

"It came together very nicely in the last couple of days," assistant general manager Gord Ash said Tuesday after the club announced the deal, worth at least $11 million and possibly $13 million.

"For me, what's most impressive about Jonathan is the preparation that he does away from the field, and the video room. He's probably the first player that's ever called in the wintertime for homework. We sent him video that first winter and he studied everybody, so he's dedicated to what he's doing."

In essence, the sides had to work out two different deals, depending on whether Lucroy achieves "Super 2" status this season and gets an extra year of salary arbitration. If so, his deal will be worth $13 million. Otherwise, the value is $11 million.

Lucroy, 25, enters 2012 with 1 year and 136 days of major-league service. The top 22% of players with two to three years of service merit "Super 2" status, with four years of arbitration instead of three.

"That complicated it," said Ash. "It's a difficult procedure. You do projections on this and one projection says that he is (Super 2) and one says he isn't. We're not going to know until September because the September call-ups could alter the top percentage. He's right on the cusp."

If Lucroy becomes a Super 2, he receives a $500,000 signing bonus and a $500,000 salary this year; $1.9 million in 2013; $2.3 million in 2014; $3.3 million in 2015; $4.25 million in 2016; and a club option for 2017 for $5.25 million with a $250,000 buyout.

Without Super 2 status, Lucroy receives the same $500,000 signing bonus and $500,000 salary this year, but the other salaries drop to $750,000 in 2013; $2 million in 2014; $3 million in 2015; and $4 million in 2016; with the same $5.25 million club option for 2017 and $250,000 buyout.

The club option would buy out Lucroy's first year of free agency. He also has partial no-trade protection.

"It's not really all about the money to me," said Lucroy, whose agent, Doug Rogalski, negotiated the deal with Ash. "It's more about that I believe this organization gives me the best chance to get better. You're playing with people that care.

"For me and my experience and what I hear, and playing against other guys, this is where it's best for me and my family. You can't ask for anybody better to work with other than these guys and this coaching staff. It's easy to play; it really is."

Lucroy's life has changed dramatically over the past two or three years, professionally and personally. A third-round draft pick in 2007, he became the Brewers' No. 1 catcher early in 2010. Along the way, he also got married and had a baby daughter.

"I remember after being drafted," said Lucroy, recalling his rookie-ball season with Helena. "We were in Casper, Wyoming, on a road trip at 3 o'clock in the morning, in the middle of nowhere. I'm awake and thinking, 'What am I doing here right now?' I never thought five years from then, I'd be sitting here. It's definitely a blessing, a lot of fun."

Lucroy is noted for being hard on himself so there are no worries on either side that he will ease up now that he has financial security.

"My motivation to get better is being hard on myself," he said. "No one is ever going to be as hard on me as I am myself. That negatively affects me at times but it's a motivation for me. All you can do is try to work at it and get better."

General manager Doug Melvin said it was important to lock up his starting catcher for years to come.

"We're pretty excited about it, to have someone come through our system that we drafted and developed," said Melvin. "For him to reach out and understand that this is a good place for him to play at this time in his career. He has developed and matured into a front-line catcher.

"To know we have someone who's going to be here for a while is real important to us in putting a ballclub together, year after year. Anything like this has to be an agreement between the player and the club. We just felt this was something we wanted to address. He's got a chance to grow and get better and better each year."

Lucroy said he consulted with Ryan Braun, who signed a multi-year deal after his rookie season, then a $105 million extension a few years later.

"He was the first person that said to me, 'The first time you get guaranteed money, really strongly consider it,' " said Lucroy. "Just the fact that something could happen. I got hurt last year (broken finger) by a freak accident.

"You just never know what can happen, especially being a catcher. I don't want to play scared; I want to play secure. The more comfortable you are, the better you play."

Ash said he also has been talking with Dan Horwits, who represents closer John Axford, about a multi-year extension but gave no indication a deal is near.

Melvin was asked if he could give any updates on talks with right-hander Zack Greinke, which have been kept secret.

"No," he said, and left it at that.