Baltimore Orioles signing JJ Hardy to contract extension?
By Bryan Rose
With the American League Championship Series set to begin in a day, the Baltimore Orioles have plenty of their plate right now.
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Thankfully though one pressing need is set to come off the table as it’s being reported that shortstop J.J. Hardy is set to agree on a contract extension.
Both Hardy and the Baltimore Orioles have been working on the alleged deal for quite some time though on the brink of the ALCS, it seems as if terms are being finalized and Hardy will remain with the Orioles for the next three seasons at minimum.
Sources: #Orioles close with shortstop J.J. Hardy on extension, believed to be three years with an option, north of $40 million.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 9, 2014
J.J. Hardy has proven himself to be one of the better offensive shortstops in baseball during the span of his career though has had a bit of a career resurgence with the Orioles after a few sub par seasons. On the defensive side of the ball, Hardy is pretty sure handed though doesn’t have the explosive talent or range of some of the younger players in the league. Still, finding a shortstop as reliable as J.J. Hardy isn’t very easy and the Baltimore Orioles don’t appear ready to do so. A career .261 hitter, Hardy hit a very respectable .268 this season though saw a massive dip in power numbers as he only hit nine home runs. Last season Hardy clobbered 25 out of the park, though the shortstop dealt with injury this season and played in twenty less games than 2013. It’s a bit of a costly deal for the Baltimore Orioles but one they likely needed to make given the very think market for shortstops and the fact the New York Yankees were lurking. Update:
jj hardy has a deal with orioles. about $40M for 3 years, according to source. @jeremyconn1057 was 1st with story.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 9, 2014
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