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| Mike Norris | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Norris in 2009 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1955-03-19)March 19, 1955 (age 70) San Francisco, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 10, 1975, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 4, 1990, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 58–59 |
| Earned run average | 3.89 |
| Strikeouts | 636 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Michael Kelvin Norris (born March 19, 1955) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball for theOakland Athletics from 1975 to 1983 and in 1990. Norris is a two-timeGold Glove Award winner and he was anMLB All-Star in 1981.
Norris attendedBalboa High School in San Francisco and was drafted by theOakland Athletics in the first round (24th overall) In January 1973. He made his major league debut in 1975. He struggled mightily during his first five major league seasons, recording a 4.67 ERA and a 12–25 record.
Norris had a breakout season in 1980, going 22–9 with 24complete games, a 2.53earned run average and an AL-low .209batting average against, while also earning his firstGold Glove Award. However, he was not awarded theAmerican LeagueCy Young Award;Steve Stone of theBaltimore Orioles, who had a record of 25–7, was given the honor. Norris pitched more innings, gave up fewer hits, walks, home runs, and runs, and had a much lower ERA than Stone, but at the time, wins were a primary focus of voters. Norris placed 15th in the MVP voting.
In1981, Norris posted a modest 12–9 record, earning his second Gold Glove Award and also earning an All-Star berth. Norris spun a complete-game shutout in the first round of the playoffs against theKansas City Royals and pitched well in theAL Championship Series against theNew York Yankees despite getting hit with a loss there.
However, Norris never even approached his 1981 form again. A number of baseball historians and statisticians have blamed this on managerBilly Martin overworking him and the other members of the 1981 staff. In 2006, baseball writerRob Neyer estimated that Norris threw 131 pitches per complete game in 1981–a heavy workload for a young pitcher even then.[1] He was sent to the minors during the 1983 season. After spending parts of the next five years in the minors, he made a brief comeback as arelief pitcher in 1990, posting an ERA of 3.00 in 27 innings. He is the only player to win at least one game with Oakland in three different decades, as well as the only player with at least a 10-year career to spend his entire career with the Athletics during their tenure in Oakland.
In 1999 he was diagnosed withcervical myelopathy, and he had surgery in January 2000 at theCalifornia Pacific Medical Center. After recovering, Norris took upgolf as a hobby. In 2007, he appeared withDave Stewart,Mudcat Grant, andVida Blue in apre-game ceremony before a regular season game between theTexas Rangers and theOakland Athletics.[2]
Norris was well known for his distinctive green fielding glove.
