J.J. Hardy says left foot pain-free as he readies for Sarasota

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy said his left foot feels the same as it did the day after he sustained a hairline fracture.

In other words, no pain is viewed as a significant gain.

Hardy continues to wear a boot on the foot, though he removed it at his locker this afternoon while changing clothes. He still hasn't applied any pressure and continues to walk with crutches.

Hardy said he may be allowed to ditch the crutches early next week.

The current plan calls for Hardy to fly to Sarasota and stay there while the Orioles are engaged in a nine-game road trip to Anaheim, Houston and Cleveland that begins next Friday. He expects to return on May 29 when the team also heads home.

Hardy may undergo another CT scan on the foot while he's in Sarasota and also could apply pressure to the foot after first performing exercises geared more toward his cardio. The Ed Smith Stadium facility has a treadmill in a pool that Hardy will be using at some point under the supervision of Dave Walker, the organization's minor league medical coordinator.

"It's hard to even really give it a grade just because I have no idea what it's going to feel like," he said. "It doesn't hurt and it hasn't hurt since basically the second day. I don't know how to grade it on how it's doing because it's not like every day I can go, 'It's getting a little better,' because we're not testing it or anything.

"Just waiting. That's it."

The Orioles are 7-2 since Hardy went on the disabled list, compared to their 17-33 record last season when he didn't play.

"There's nothing I can do but just hope that when I am ready to come back that we're still in first place. That would be nice," he said.

Manager Buck Showalter, searching for a silver lining, has pointed out how Hardy will be fresher when he returns.

"That's definitely a positive way to look at it," Hardy said. "You can see it as really bad luck and just kind of sucks, but if you want to try to find some positives, you can. But you don't see too many positives for missing a month or two months. 'Oh, it's early. It's good that it's early.' It sucks that I'm missing any time at all. But you can look at it however you want. Try to stay optimistic and the glass half full and go from there."

Will the Orioles need to pry Manny Machado off shortstop once Hardy is activated?

"I don't think I could play third like he can play third," Hardy said.

Meanwhile, Orioles pitching rehabilitation coordinator Scott McGregor will fill in as pitching coach over the next four games while Dave Wallace attends to a family matter. Wallace will return on Thursday.