Strong results in spring training don’t necessarily mean much in the big picture, but the specific circumstances of Bud Norris’ first start for the Braves made it impressive.
Norris allowed no hits and issued no walks in two innings against the Pirates on Saturday in a Grapefruit League exhibition game. He did so while throwing fastballs and change-ups for 26 of his 27 pitches never faced a three-ball count.
The Braves signed Norris to a one-year contract with the expectation that he would rebound from a poor 2015 campaign. He added strength during the offseason after losing weight while battling a bout of bronchitis while with the Orioles and Padres last season.
“The first inning I had some spring-training jitters I guess you can say,” Norris said. “Second inning I went back out there my fastball was there in warm ups. I had my legs under me. I did feel that added strength, and that’s what you need to be a big-league starter for sure.”
Norris easily worked his way through the first six slots of a Pirates lineup that featured regulars Gregory Polanco, Starling Marte and Michael Morse. Polanco’s line-drive out to second base was the only ball hit hard against Norris, who retired all three batters in the second inning on ground balls.
Norris threw 17 strikes among his 27 pitches. Norris said he normally doesn’t throw breaking balls until later in spring training, so he and catcher A.J. Pierzynski were focused on commanding his fastball.
“I didn’t get away to the arm side the way I would like to against some of those lefties,” he said. “But when we needed to execute and make a pitch, I did. That’s what A.J. and I talked about each half inning.”
The Braves signed Norris to a one-year, $2.5 million deal in November. He lost his rotation spot with the Orioles last season and ended up in the Padres’ bullpen. Overall he was 3-11 with a 6.72 ERA in 38 games (11 starts).
That came after Norris had a career-best season in 2014 with the Orioles. That year he was 15-8 with a 3.65 ERA over 165 1/3 innings and 28 starts.
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