Baltimore, MD - On the eve of their first American League Championship Series appearance in 17 years, the Baltimore Orioles have locked up one of their key contributors for next season and beyond. The 2014 AL East champions announced Thursday that they have signed shortstop J.J. Hardy to a three-year contract extension that contains a vesting option for the 2018 season. According to MASN.com, Hardys new pact is worth $40 million. The 2012 and 2013 AL Gold Glove winner was scheduled to be a free agent at the conclusion of this season. Acquired by the Orioles in a trade with Minnesota prior to the 2011 season, Hardy averaged 26 home runs and 77 RBI over his first three years with Baltimore. Though those power numbers slipped in 2014, as he hit just nine homers with 52 RBI along with a .268 average, the 32-year-old is still regarded as one of the games best defensive shortstops and would have been one of the top players at the position on the impending free agent market. An AL All-Star selection as well in 2013, Hardy is a .261 career hitter with 167 homers and 579 RBI over 10 major league seasons with Milwaukee, Minnesota and Baltimore. Hardy was in the final season of a three-year, $22.5 extension he signed with the Orioles in July of 2011. Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys .Y. -- A month ago, Syracuse was unbeaten, ranked No. Nike MLB Jerseys .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. https://www.cheapmlbjerseysjustwholesale.com/nike-nba-jerseys-2020.html .Y. - Sven Andrighetto scored once and set up two more as the Hamilton Bulldogs hung on to defeat the host Adirondack Flames 5-3 on Tuesday in American Hockey League action. Jermaine Marrow Jersey .com) - Matt Duchene picked up the deciding goal early in the third period and added an assist, as Colorado escaped with a 4-3 victory over Dallas at Pepsi Center. Nike NFL Jerseys 2020 . -- Ricky Romeros comeback bid hit another road bump Tuesday in an ugly 18-4 Jays loss to a Detroit Tigers split squad.Mack Brown denied a report issued Tuesday that he will be stepping down at Texas, though the embattled head football coachs future with the Longhorns remains swirled in uncertainty. The website Orangebloods.com reported that Brown, whose job security has been a heavy topic of speculation over the past few months, will announce his resignation by the end of the week. When contacted by website Horns247.com later in the day, Brown responded that he is currently on a recruiting trip and has not decided to leave his post. "Im in Florida recruiting," Brown said in the message. "If I had decided to step down I sure wouldnt be killing myself down here. I have not decided to step down." Sources also told Horns247.com that the university is expected to make a decision on Browns job status within the next 48 hours. ESPN reported that Browns fate will likely be tied to a meeting of the universitys Board of Regents scheduled for Thursday, during which the future of Texas president Bill Powers is also to be discussed. Powers has been an ardent supporter of Brown during his eight-year tenure at the school. According to Orangebloods.com, Brown is expected to formally resign at Texas football banquet on Friday, with the event to serve as a celebratiion of his accomplishments during his 16 years with the Longhorns program.dddddddddddd The site indicated that Brown will coach the team in the Dec. 30 Alamo Bowl, where Texas will face Oregon in San Antonio. Brown, who is under contract through 2020, will reportedly receive a $2.75 million buyout and be reassigned to an advisory role in the UT presidents office over the remainder of his pact. Taking over a floundering Texas program prior to the 1998 season, Brown restored the Longhorns back to national prominence by stringing together nine consecutive campaigns of double-digit wins from 2001-09. The highlight of that period came during the 2005 season, when the Longhorns capped a 13-0 performance with a victory over USC in the BCS Championship Game. Brown also took the Longhorns to the national title game in 2009, but the program has been in decline since. Texas has gone just 30-20 over the past four seasons and finished in the national rankings in just one of those years. Texas lost two of its first three games of this season, but rebounded to go 7-1 in Big 12 play prior to Saturdays 30-10 loss to league champion Baylor. Browns 158 wins at Texas are the second-most in school history, surpassed only by Hall of Famer Darrell Royals 167. ' ' '