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J.J. Hardy hopes for extension

MLB, Baltimore Orioles

Since joining the Baltimore Orioles, J.J. Hardy has collected two Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger award and has played an integral part in the franchise's return to respectability. But the veteran shortstop is still without the one thing he really wants -- another contract.

Hardy, who came to Baltimore in 2011, is looking for an extension from the Orioles, and said that while he's not trying to make a big deal about it, he had expected for talks to have already begun and is confused why they haven't taken place.

"I don't know. I don't know what to say because no matter what I say it's going to cause some controversy, a story that I really don't want to get involved with right now," Hardy told CSNBaltimore.com. "There's been no talk. There was going to be talk, and then there wasn't. That's kind of the way it's been left."

After coming to the O's from the Minnesota Twins, Hardy inked a three-year contract extension with Baltimore and wants to stay.

"It just makes me curious. I don't understand what happened within the month or two that there was going to be talk, and all of a sudden there's not. It just makes me curious," Hardy said.

Hardy, a career .259 hitter who has hit over 20 homers in each of his three full seasons with the Orioles, has been troubled by back spasms this year that forced him to miss six games, he also left Sunday night's game against the Red Sox with a strained hamstring. Despite the missed time, Hardy believes he's still the same player.

"I don't feel like I'm off to any different kind of start, other than missing six games," Hardy said. "That's frustrating to me, that I missed those games with the back spasms that came out of nowhere. It's getting back to normal."

A possible reason for the Orioles' decision to drag their feet may be any future plans involving injured third baseman Manny Machado.

Machado's natural position is shortstop and he has proven to be a dynamic player for Baltimore in his young career.

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