Norris provides update on his injury

Orioles pitcher Bud Norris remains optimistic that he can start the second game of Friday night's doubleheader against the Rays. If he's pushed back to Saturday, that also works for him. As long as the tightness in his right groin subsides and he's able to stay on his current roll. Norris will have a better idea about his availability after Wednesday's bullpen session. "I'm feeling a little bit better," Norris said. "I'm just going to take it a day at a time, another day of treatment. I'm pushed back one day this week and I'll throw on Wednesday and go from there." Asked whether he's encouraged, Norris replied, "Yeah, definitely. A lot encouraged. I should be just fine." "Either that or Saturday," he added. "Buck (Showalter) is going to make that ultimate decision, which he needs to make. He's going to give me a couple extra days to monitor it and get my bullpen in on Wednesday." Norris has sustained injuries to his left groin in the past and knows the dangers of rushing back to the mound. He's glad that Showalter removed him from Saturday's game at Yankee Stadium after five innings. "I kind of pushed it too hard (previously), so for them to get me out of there when they did was great," Norris said. "Obviously, I wanted to keep pitching, but the bullpen picked me up and we won the game, so that was my No. 1 priority. And a big series win, too. "Like I said, in retrospect I'm really happy that I got off it and got an opportunity to take care of it and nip it in the bud." Norris resisted the temptation to rush back while he's pitching so effectively. He's allowed two runs over 19 2/3 innings in his last three starts. "I'm here for the long run," he said. "I want to play games in October and I think that's the ultimate goal for this team. I'm just going to go out there when I'm ready and when Buck and everyone else decides. "It's been a great month, but we've all been pitching real well. We're just running off each other and I'm going to run off the guy before me."