Derek Norris looks back at time with Nats as important to his MLB development

The Nationals are taking on the Padres this week and there has been talk about rookies Trea Turner and Joe Ross playing for the first time against the team that drafted them.

But San Diego also has a starting catcher/first baseman in Derek Norris who began his career in the Nationals system and was drafted by the team in 2007 as a fourth-round selection. Norris played five seasons (2007-2011) in the Nationals organization, reaching Double-A Harrisburg, before being traded to the Oakland A's in 2011 as part of the trade that brought left-hander Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals.

Norris spent three seasons with the Oakland A's and then was dealt to the Padres in December of 2014.

Norris has already played 114 games for San Diego after playing 127 all of last season with Oakland. He is batting .246 with 27 doubles, a career-high 13 homers and 54 RBIs. In his last 15 games, Norris is hitting .308.

He said this season has been a bit of an adjustment playing every day as the catcher or first baseman.

"Can't ask for any more out of my year," Norris said. "I struggled (for about a month). This is my first year playing every day. It's not a crutch, it's not an excuse. I found out it does wear on you a little bit playing everyday and being back there a lot behind the plate.

"But you know what, we've played good as of late. We still (have) the division in our sights. We just got to play really good baseball, we got to play flawless baseball. But overall, happy to be here, love the city of San Diego, love the team, love the coaches, couldn't of been any better."

Padres interim manager Pat Murphy, who came on board in June, has been impressed with how badly Norris wants to play and contribute.

"I think he's been great," Murphy said. "We've had to back him off. He wants to catch every day. He wants to go after it every day. He's a great competitor. It's well documented how hard this kid goes about his business. This kid works hard, he plays hurt, he cares. Anybody that's around him a long period of time (knows) this guy's a warrior.

"When he's not in the lineup or he's not catching, he'll be the first one in my office saying 'hey, I want to be in there.' He's got a bruise on his hand or on his leg or wherever and its bulging and he's hardly walking, 'hey, I'm in there tomorrow, skip.' It's not an act. He wants to play."

Murphy was the long time Triple-A manager at El Paso in the Padres system until Bud Black was let go in mid-June. But he has heard and seen the past three months of games what Norris can do in handling the pitchers and playing top defense.

"I don't know the history necessarily, but I know he's thrown everybody out and he's serious about his game calling and he's serious about his receiving," Murphy said. "He serves the pitchers, that's what its all about. He knows his first job is his relationship with the pitchers and relievers and he understands that."

Norris cut his teeth learning the professional level necessary for catching in the Nationals system from 2007 to 2011. He was selected the MiLB.com Class-A Best Hitter of the Year and Organization All-Star in 2010. In 2011, he was named to the Arizona Fall League All-Prospect Team.

The Nationals taught Norris core objectives of defense and managing his pitcher from behind the plate as critical to his success as a backstop. Norris said a lot of those coaches that molded his early career are on the Nationals staff at the big league level now.

"No doubt," Norris said. "And I think a few guys that had a big impact on my career are on the coaching staff with Washington right now. (Third base coach) Bob Henley was huge for me, he was our catching coordinator. (Bench coach) Randy Knorr was huge for me, (bullpen coach Matt) LeCroy, who is the bullpen coach, he was my A-ball coach. (First base coach) Tony Tarasco was my A-ball hitting coach. (Hitting coach Rick) Schu was my minor league hitting coordinator. There's a lot of them. They were all instrumental in my development and who I am today."

"Looking back on that, I credit them a lot to some of my major league success and development of my personality today."