Derek Norris focused on job, not uncertain future

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Derek Norris knows the math doesn't favor his long-term presence in the Nationals clubhouse. But instead of being an unhappy square peg in a round hole, the veteran catcher has adopted a workmanlike approach while his unique situation plays itself out.

For the most part, that means doing what he's used to doing: strapping on his catcher's gear and working with pitchers, taking his turn at the plate. It most definitely doesn't include adding to his stress by worrying about what comes next.

Norris crushed his second homer of the spring on Thursday, a seventh-inning shot to center field off Justin Nicolino that gave the Nationals a 2-2 tie with the Marlins. He did what he could to send the crowd of 4,004 at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches happy, trying to ignite a walk-off rally with another drive in the ninth, but center fielder Isaac Galloway tracked down the loud out.

"I thought it might have been a nice little double or something, but wind so far this spring hasn't really been favoring the hitters too much," said Norris, whose 1-for-2 afternoon upped his Grapefruit League average to .455. "But it is what it is - spring training (and) I put a good (swing) on the ball and the guy ran it down and made an out."

When Norris was acquired from the Padres in exchange for minor league pitcher Pedro Avila on Dec. 2, the assumption was that he was reuniting with his original organization to take over the catching duties from departed free agent Wilson Ramos. Then the Nationals signed free agent catcher Matt Wieters on Feb. 24, and Norris was plunged into baseball limbo.

The Nats already had backup José Lobaton and promising backstop Pedro Severino waiting in the wings - not to mention a plethora of catching depth growing in the low minors. Suddenly, Norris seemed like the odd man out.

Only you wouldn't know it from how he's approached spring training.

"Yeah, you don't have a choice," Baker said of Norris. "He's a professional. You go out there on the field, there's nothing you can do about the external things that are out there. You have to be able to block it off and block it out and do your job. So he doesn't seem bothered at all. He knows that we're watching him (and) other people are watching him. And he looks pretty good."

Norris is doing just what he promised to do before the arrival of Wieters, who is scheduled to catch his first Grapefruit League game of 2017 on Sunday against the Astros: work to correct the flaws in his swing that caused him to slump to a .186/.255/.328 slash line with the Padres last season.

"Really, it was just a matter of just fixing something at the start," he said. "Just getting everything working forward instead of trying to create an angle to where I'm trying to get more loft on the ball and trying to drive the ball more. Really just going back to the basics and just hit real hard line drives and not trying to be too complicated. Just trying to be on time and make good contact."

It would be easy for Norris' focus on fixing his swing path to take away from his defense, but Baker is seeing the same catcher he thought he was getting. Norris is staying low to the ground, presenting a clear target and calling a good game. The pitchers are raving about working with him.

"No complaints as of now and just keep pressing forward," Norris said.

Even if he doesn't know whether he'll be a National.

Norris is blocking more than just balls in the dirt.

"I don't know if easy is the proper word to use, but whether I'm wearing red and blue or I'm wearing purple and gold or whatever color makes up all of MLB, you're still going to be coming out here and you're still going to be doing the same thing," he said. "You're going to be catching 'pens, you're going to be blocking balls, you're going to be throwing, you're going to be hitting. So virtually, just come out here and doing my work, getting my at-bats and prepping for a season, whether I'm in Washington or elsewhere."