Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina said Sunday that his agent, Melvin Roman, had engaged in recent talks with the Cardinals about extending the four-time Gold Glover's contract but that those discussions had ceased for now. Molina further told reporters that if the Cardinals' eventual offer wasn't right, he would leave as a free agent.

"We stopped talking about it. For now, I think," Molina said Sunday after the first official workout for pitchers and catchers at the Cardinals' spring training site.

"For now, we've stopped talking. For now, I don't want to talk about it. Hopefully, when the season starts (something could be done)."

Asked if he would give a hometown discount, Molina said, "I don't know about that. Like I say — I always say this — I like the town. I like the city. At the same time, I have to think about my family ... like they worry about their team. This is business. If I get good money, I'll take it. If not, I go away."

Molina said he did not want his unsettled contract to overshadow his focus in preparing for the season. He was careful to point out that he wasn't closing the door and walking away from preseason and in-season negotiations as former first baseman Albert Pujols did with a deadline a year ago last spring. Molina did not rule out agreeing to a deal during the season.

Last year, Roman worked out on an extension for another client, Cardinals lefthander Jaime Garcia, during the middle of the season.

Molina is playing on the final year of an extension that paid him $21.5 million over five years. He will make $7 million on the option portion of that deal this season.

General manager John Mozeliak said the negotiating process was "more open-ended, at this point. Our desire would be to find a way to sign him.

"If we can do something early, we'll try to do something early. If not, there's always the offseason."

Mozeliak said he hadn't been told that the Molina camp would rule out in-season negotiations.