A look at Bud Norris' struggles against left-handed batters

Remember that pitcher who threw that great outing in Game 3 of the American League Division Series last year? The one that got the win against the Detroit Tigers and David Price?

That was Bud Norris, but the Orioles have not seen Norris pitch this year as he did that day or for much of last season.

Norris went 15-8 with a 3.65 ERA last year. After giving up four homers in a loss to Texas last night, Norris is 2-7 with an ERA of 6.79 in 11 starts this year.

As some fans call for Norris to get booted from the rotation, the Orioles and manager Buck Showalter have shown public support for Norris and don't seem ready to give up on him just yet.

Catcher Caleb Joseph, in one sentence last night, may have hit on the real issue for Norris this year.

"They are stacking a lot more left-handed lineups against him, and we have to find a way to counter that," Joseph said.

Last night, all four homers against Norris were hit by left-handed batters or a switch-hitter batting left-handed.

Norris' numbers against lefty hitters are much worse this year than in 2014:

Norris vs. LHB in 2014: .255 batting average against, .422 slugging, .753 OPS
Norris vs. LHB in 2015: .336 batting average against, .621 slugging, 1.025 OPS

Last season, left-handed batters homered off Norris once every 27.4 at-bats. They are doing so once every 17.5 at-bats this season.

Can a right-handed pitcher that is a fastball-slider guy improve his stats against lefty hitters? Norris controlled lefties last year somehow and has to get back to doing that to turn around his season.

He threw his changeup a little more last year and probably with better quality as well. I don't know if that one pitch is the key here, but something better offspeed against lefty batters might make a difference.

After last night's game, Norris was asked if thinks about the young pitchers that the O's could turn to if he can't hold his rotation spot.

"I try not to. Buck has given me confidence to go out there and do my job," he said. "He knows what kind of guy I am and that says a lot. I can't worry about what is behind me. I want to help those guys. (Kevin) Gausmans, (Tyler) Wilsons and Mike Wrights. I don't know where my future is going to take me. All I know is I can handle what is in front of me right now, and trying to work through this is the No. 1 priority. I failed, but once I get (win) No. 3, I think I can really go from there and turn this thing around."

Norris has now allowed four runs or more in six of his 11 starts. Last season, he gave up that many or more in 11 of his 28 starts.

After the All-Star break in 2014, Norris was 8-2 with an ERA of 3.27. He pitched to an ERA of 2.08 in September and then had that excellent start in the ALDS.

Can he turn it around again? With his doubters seemingly increasing by the day, the key may be if he can improve his stats against left-handed batters.