The six-time Gold Glove winning third baseman of the Oakland Athletics, Eric Chavez, is contemplating his future as he recovers from two bulging disks in his neck, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

“I’ve pondered retirement,” Chavez said. “I’d lie if I said I didn’t. The truth of the matter is that I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

The 32-year-old has been limited to designated hitter duties this season. He is in the final year of his six-year, $66 million contract, and the A’s are unlikely to pick up his $12.5 million option for next season.

In his e-mail, Chavez wrote, “All that I can say is that the A’s have dealt with me with the utmost respect and class. … I can’t say enough about what it’s meant, the way they’ve treated me.

“I’d love to come back and play the last month of the season with the team. I just don’t know if that’s going to happen, but it would mean the world to me to be in uniform when the season ends. Either way, I’ll be in Oakland one way or the other, to come back and play, or to say goodbye.”

Chavez has kept tabs on the A’s, and he said, “It’s been fun watching the team battle all year, there are so many great guys and so much young talent to build around, I just wish I could have been there for them.

“Anyway, I still would love to play this game, whether or not I can and whether or not my body can go through any more is yet to be determined.”

There were rumors back in May that indicated that he was retiring. At the time Slusser found out via text message that Chavez was not retiring.

Chavez originally injured his neck during a Spring Training drill. He underwent an MRI exam earlier this season and the results were bulges in the C6 and C7 disks.