Bud Norris

Bud Norris

Norris with the Baltimore Orioles
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1985-03-02) March 2, 1985
Greenbrae, California
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 29, 2009, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)
Win–loss record 62–78
Earned run average 4.51
Strikeouts 1,012
WHIP 1.41
Teams
Norris during his tenure with the Houston Astros in 2010

David Stefan "Bud" Norris (March 2, 1985) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Amateur career

Originally from Novato, California, Norris attended Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield, California, later transferring and graduating from San Marin High School in Novato, California, and later California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. At Cal Poly, Norris was a roommate as well as a teammate of fellow major league pitcher Casey Fien.[1]

Professional career

Minor leagues

Norris was selected by the Houston Astros in the sixth round (189th overall) of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft.[2] In 2009, Norris received an invitation to the Astros' spring training camp.[3][4] Baseball America ranked him as the number two prospect in the Astros' system.[5] In August 2009, he was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year after leading the league with a 2.63 earned run average.[6]

Houston Astros

In July 2009, Norris was called up to pitch for the Astros following an injury to pitcher Roy Oswalt.[7] He made his major league debut on July 29, pitching three innings of relief against the Chicago Cubs.[8] In his first major league start on August 2, 2009, he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and pitched seven shutout innings against the St. Louis Cardinals to earn his first career victory.[9] In his rookie season overall, Norris went 6–3 with a 4.53 ERA in ten starts. He was shut down near the end of the season to prevent potential injury.

Norris had a shaky start in 2010, with a 2–6 record and 5.97 ERA up to the All-Star break. After the All-Star break he was much better, posting a 7–4 record with a 4.18 ERA. He finished the 2010 season at 9–10 with a 4.92 ERA.

On June 8, 2011, Norris took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before former Astro Lance Berkman broke it up with his 14th home run of the season, and his fourth of the season against Houston. Norris was still able to earn the win. He finished 2011 with a win–loss record of 6–11, even though he actually pitched well, as evidenced by his 3.77 ERA. Houston's poor offense in 2011 resulted in many low-scoring losses.

Norris went 7–13 with a 4.65 ERA in 2012. He began the season well, going 5–1 and 3.12 through May 21, but as Houston's season went rapidly downhill so did Norris'. He proceeded to go 0–12 with a 6.34 ERA during a streak of 18 starts while he battled injuries and inconsistencies. He finally ended the streak of futility on September 26 with a scoreless start on his way to a win at home against the St. Louis Cardinals and wrapped up his season with another scoreless effort and win at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. Just before the deadline for clubs and players to exchange numbers for arbitration on January 18, 2013, Norris agreed to $3 million for the 2013 season.[10]

Baltimore Orioles

Norris was traded to the Baltimore Orioles on July 31, 2013 for L. J. Hoes and minor league pitcher Josh Hader.[11]

Norris was ejected on May 12, 2014, when he hit Detroit Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter in the ribs with a pitch at Camden Yards, prompting both the Orioles' and Tigers' benches and bullpens to clear. Norris had also had run-ins earlier in the season with Boston Red Sox catcher David Ross and Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Neil Walker, but the Hunter incident was his first major-league ejection.[12] At the time of his ejection, Norris was tied for second in the American League with 5 hit batters in 43 innings, an average of 1 hit batter every 8.6 innings. In his prior career spanning 740 innings pitched since 2009, Norris had hit only 27 batters, an average of one every 27.4 innings.[13]

On January 26, 2015, Norris and the Orioles agreed to a $8.8 million contract. Norris would get a $25,000 bonus for 180 innings and $50,000 more for 200 under Monday's agreement. He also would earn $50,000 each for making the All-Star Game or winning a Gold Glove.[14] Norris was designated for assignment on July 31,[15] and released on August 8.[16]

San Diego Padres

On August 11, 2015, Norris signed with the San Diego Padres for the remainder of the 2015 season.[17][18]

Atlanta Braves

On November 25, 2015, Norris signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.[19] He began the 2016 season in the Braves rotation, but had been moved to the bullpen by the end of April, as he had complied a 1–4 record and 8.74 ERA in five starts.[20][21] By May 20, Norris had made seven relief appearances for the team and recorded a 1.32 ERA.[22] He returned to the rotation on June 4, in a spot start, as Mike Foltynewicz was placed on the disabled list.[23][24]

Los Angeles Dodgers

On June 30, 2016, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers (along with minor leaguers Dian Toscano and Alex Grosser and cash considerations) in exchange for minor league pitchers Caleb Dirks and Philip Pfeifer.[25]

On July 26, 2016, Norris recorded his 1000th strikeout, in a 3–2 win against the Tampa Bay Rays.[26] He made nine starts for the Dodgers, and four relief appearances for a 3–3 record and 6.54 ERA.[27]

Norris was designated for assignment by the Dodgers on September 20, 2016[28] and he was released one week later.[29]

Pitching style

Norris throws five pitches, although against right-handers he uses only his four-seam fastball (91–94 mph) and slider (83–87). Against lefties, he adds a changeup (85–87). Especially against righties, the slider is his favorite two-strike pitch. It also carries a whiff rate of 38%. Norris also throws a sinker and a curveball.[30] Norris had a win-loss record of 38–49 at the end of the 2013 season. He allowed 1.1 home runs for each nine innings and a 1.411 WHIP ratio of baserunners. He also has a high strikeouts per nine innings ratio. He has finished in the top 10 among National League pitchers in 2011 and 2012.[31]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Bud Norris' college roommate looking to make splash with Astros". KHOU. February 7, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  2. ↑ Metcalfe, Ryan (June 8, 2006). "MLB draft: Three Marin players picked". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  3. ↑ Footer, Alyson (March 25, 2009). "Future full of possibilites [sic] for Norris". mlb.com. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  4. ↑ McTaggart, Brian (April 3, 2009). "How was camp? Not bad for these two: After making solid impression, Johnson, Norris are a phone call away from Astros". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  5. ↑ McTaggart, Brian (March 1, 2009). "This bud starts to bloom: Dazzling stuff makes Norris the system's top pitching prospect". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  6. ↑ "PCL announces postseason All-Star team". milb.com. August 31, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  7. ↑ McTaggart, Brian (July 29, 2009). "Astros set to call up highly touted Norris". MLB.com. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  8. ↑ McTaggart, Brian (July 29, 2009). "Norris soaks up scene in MLB debut". MLB.com. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  9. ↑ McTaggart, Brian (August 2, 2009). "Norris' gem in first start gives Astros lift". MLB.com. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  10. ↑ McTaggert, Brian (January 18, 2013). "Lowrie, Norris, Wright agree; Astros avoid arbitration". MLB.com. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  11. ↑ White, Paul (July 31, 2013). "Orioles deal for Bud Norris at deadline". USA Today. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Norris Ejected in Eighth as O's Fall to Tigers". MLB.com. May 12, 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  13. ↑ http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/norribu01.shtml
  14. ↑ "Bud Norris, O's agree to $8.8M deal". ESPN. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  15. ↑ Kubatko, Roch (July 31, 2015). "Bud Norris: "I was looking way too much into distractions this year"". MASN. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  16. ↑ Kubatko, Roch (August 8, 2015). "Orioles release Bud Norris (Chris Parmelee clears waivers)". MASN. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Padres sign former Orioles pitcher Bud Norris for relief role". Fox Sports. August 12, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  18. ↑ Lin, Dennis (August 11, 2015). "Padres sign Bud Norris to pitch in relief". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  19. ↑ Bowman, Mark (November 25, 2015). "Braves bolster young rotation with vet Norris". MLB.com. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  20. ↑ O'Brien, David (April 30, 2016). "After rainout, Braves don't need Norris replacement Monday". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  21. ↑ Bowman, Mark (April 29, 2016). "Braves' moves point to potential Folty promotion". MLB.com. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  22. ↑ Bowman, Mark (May 21, 2016). "Norris now late-inning bullpen option". MLB.com. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  23. ↑ Bowman, Mark (June 4, 2016). "Foltynewicz lands on DL with sore right elbow". MLB.com. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  24. ↑ Bowman, Mark (June 5, 2016). "Norris' effort provides a silver lining". MLB.com. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  25. ↑ Gurnick, Ken (June 30, 2016). "Dodgers acquire righty Norris from Braves". mlb.com. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  26. ↑ Duarte, Michael (27 July 2016). "Bud Norris Outduels Chris Archer as Dodgers hold on to beat Rays 3-2". NBC Southern California. NBCUniversal. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  27. ↑ "2016 Los Angeles Dodgers Batting, Pitching & Fielding Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  28. ↑ Stephen, Eric (September 20, 2016). "Dodgers activate Alex Wood from DL, DFA Bud Norris". SB Nation. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Bud Norris: Released by Dodgers". CBS Sports. September 28, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool – Player Card: Bud Norris". Brooks Baseball. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  31. ↑ "Bud Norris Statistics and History – Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
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