0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
For the moment, though, Norris is far more concerned about his defense than his bat -- and he's convinced that improving his catching will key his rise through the system. After the 2007 draft, Norris picked pro ball over a scholarship to Wichita State only when he learned the Shockers didn't do much one-on-one instruction with their catchers. This offseason, he hired a personal strength coach to work on his lower body strength, all to endure the grind of catching a full season. Norris now keeps a mental checklist of catching to-dos: Keep the chest square; don't fall forward when blocking balls. Asked about his goals for the rest of the season, Norris said this: He wants to see an improvement in the Hagerstown staff ERA."I know I can hit, but I want to play defense," said Norris, the only Nationals' minor leaguer listed among Baseball America's latest ranking of the top 50 prospects. "That's really my key goal. That's really is what is gonna move you up. Every team needs a good catcher, and if you don't have a good catcher your team your team is screwed. You'll save more runs behind the plate than you'll ever drive in."
