Orioles and Bud Norris avoid arbitration with one-year, $5.3 million deal

By D.J. ShortJan 16, 2014, 10:31 PM EDT
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Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles and right-hander Bud Norris have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.3 million contract.

Norris made $3 million last season while posting a 4.18 ERA and 147/67 K/BB ratio over 176 2/3 innings between the Astros and Orioles, so he’ll nearly double his salary in his second year of arbitration. He remains under team control through 2015.

Norris has been mentioned as a possibility to fill the Orioles’ vacant closer role, but it appears that he’ll remain in the starting rotation to begin 2014.

Video: Starling Marte refuses to take first base after being hit by pitch

Tim Warner/Getty Images
By Bill BaerJul 16, 2019, 9:31 PM EDT
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Pirates outfielder Starling Marte was hit on the hand by a Jack Flaherty pitch in the fourth inning of Tuesday night’s game against the Cardinals. Rather than take first base, Marte — who came to the plate with a runner on first base — insisted to home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman that the ball hit the knob of the bat, not his hand. Marte was allowed to continue his at-bat, though manager Clint Hurdle came out to discuss the ruling with Dreckman. Marte eventually grounded into a fielder’s choice. He then got caught attempting to steal second base and the Pirates scored zero runs in the inning.

According to Baseball Prospectus, a team that has runners on first and second with no outs is expected to score 1.55 runs. Having a runner on first base with one out yields 0.56 expected runs. Marte essentially cost his team a run by rejecting first base. Oops.