Bud Norris on his outing at Bowie

BOWIE, Md. - For the first three innings tonight, Bud Norris looked more like the pitcher that went 15-8 with a 3.65 ERA last year than the one that is 1-4 with a 9.88 ERA for the Orioles this season.

On the Orioles disabled list with bronchitis retroactive to May 11, Norris started for Double-A Bowie tonight against Erie. He did not allow a run or hit through three innings, but then Erie got to him for six hits and four runs over the last two frames of his five-inning outing.

After losing 14 pounds, Norris is still regaining strength and endurance. He also hopes he can soon regain a pitching spot in the Orioles rotation.

"It was good," Norris said of tonight's outing. "Felt like I had my legs a lot more under me. My fastball was there, velocity good and worked inside and out. Tried to stay down, slider was there. Couple runs there in the fourth inning, which was fine. Made some good pitches. Once the ball leaves your hand, that's all you got. Glad to get through five. Been working hard to get my energy back and get my weight back on. I'll take it."

Norris allowed six hits and four runs with no walks, seven strikeouts, a hit batter and a wild pitch. He threw 92 pitches, 66 for strikes.

"I'm pretty tired right now," he said in the Bowie clubhouse. "Was a hot night. That is something I'll have to keep working on. When you lose as much weight as I did, that is what I'm fighting right now, getting back to spring training shape. Get back in the gym tomorrow and keep building up.

"That outing in Triple-A my legs were not under me and tonight I felt they were there whole time. That gives me confidence I can pitch six, seven, eight innings."

Over the first three innings Norris faced just one batter over the minimum, fanned four and hit the mid 90s often on the stadium radar gun.

"Felt really good. My fastball was there and was throwing the ball through the target. Was on top of my sliders. When I can control the outer half of the plate and the bottom half, that is the kind of pitcher I am," he said.

So what is the next move? Back in the O's rotation?

"That is out of my hands," Norris said. "Buck (Showalter) and I will sit down with Wally (Dave Wallace) and talk it through. I just want to do what is best for the team.

"I do feel a lot better. If they want one more down here, that's fine. We'll talk it through and make the best decision for everybody."

On Friday, pitching for Triple-A Norfolk, Norris went 2 2/3 innings allowing 12 hits and nine runs, including two homers. Was this outing much better than that one?

"I don't think so," he said. "The boxscore probably said that. But from the feedback that I got, I competed and I threw the ball over the plate. I'm fine with my mechanics and once I get my strength back I hope to be the same guy that I've always been."

Erie batters went 0-for-9 against Norris in the first three innings tonight and then 6-for-11 in the fourth or fifth. That might indicate he really needs to regain strength more than just regaining the quality and command of his pitches, which he had in the early innings tonight.

"It's a little of both, but primarily the strength part for me," he said. "That will give me the most confidence. I need to be strong to give everything I have every fifth day."

Before each inning tonight, Norris would walk to the back of mound, turn his back to the plate and take several seconds to gather himself.

"Trying to catch my breath one and trying to get myself in the best mental state to compete. This pitch clock is something I've had to work with this year. I've felt myself rushed to the mound a couple of times and I don't want to do that anymore. Want to get my eight warmups in and take my time," he said.

Norris is eligible to come off the O's disabled list at anytime. He seemed to take a step forward tonight, especially with how he looked early in the game. Soon we find out if it was enough to get him back on the Orioles 25-man roster.

As for tonight's game, Erie won it 6-3 over Bowie as the Baysox fall to 23-23 with Norris taking the loss.