Hardy provides update on back spasms

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy spent about 3 1/2 minutes at this locker updating the media on the condition of his lower back. He hasn't done any baseball activities since the spasms started.

"Backs spasms," he said. "Had them for a couple weeks now. We're running a bunch of tests to make sure we can rule everything out. I've done an MRI, I've done a CT scan. I've got one more, bone scan, coming up here. And then when we get all those tests back, we'll kind of know what's going on.

"It feels similar to everything I've had in the past. It was just kind of those spasms and they go away and I'm normal until I take time off and start swinging again next spring. When we get these tests back we'll be able to evaluate."

On level of concern: "Not too concerned, just because I've dealt with this pretty much every year. I don't think it's a big deal, but spring training has started early this year, so I feel like we got enough time to not push it and get it right."

On when spasms started: "It actually happened the day before I flew out to FanFest. I was getting ready to work out, and it started spasming up. The flight out to Baltimore probably didn't help too much, and then the flight back from Baltimore probably didn't help too much. That's why I think I'm still dealing with it a little bit now."

On comparing the spasms to 2014: "Compared to 2014, I think it happened the first week of the season, it started spasming and then I was able to stay off the DL, but I came back way too soon and it lingered kind of the whole year. It's nice it happened now and we can kind of get ahead of it before the season actually starts, so that's a good thing.

"It feels similar. The only difference is that this has taken a little longer than the times in the past. I think that's why we're doing all the tests."

On whether he would be slow-played without the spasms: "I could be connected with this, but I think that was his plan anyway because spring training is so long this year. It actually works in our favor to be able to take our time and get ahead of it and not worry about it the whole season like in 2014."

On importance of spring training: "It's definitely important. Every spring training, I've been able to do everything, get my repetitions in, get my ground balls, batting. There's a lot that goes into it to get ready for April 1, so I definitely want to be doing baseball activities by early March and then (still) be able to get into games. We haven't set a timetable because we have no idea what's going on, but that would be ideal for me."