Its a big night for Bud Norris

[Redskins Rick]

I'm guessing less then five.

Would certainly prefer if you were right.

He went more than 5, but not 7-8 either.

Might have been better, if it had only been 5.

[Aristotelian]

I thought Norris pitched very well tonight. The sixth inning was full of bad breaks. Not only were there three defensive misplays (and partly his own fault), but the ump squeezed him on a couple of strike calls, and Pedroia hit a really good pitch for a two run single. My only real gripe was I thought he got rattled after that and didn't maintain his poise during the Ortiz at bat.

Even the Ortiz AB, it was clear to everyone watching that Bud was in trouble. On top of the prolonged inning that was gassing him physically, he was clearly frustrated mentally. Buck could have removed him at that point and it would have been an OK start.

As it turned out, Buck had to bring in Matusz anyway, and the bullpen had to get the same number of outs as it would have if Matusz was brought in to face Ortiz.

Everyone watching saw the Ortiz homer coming from a mile away.

[Can_of_corn]

He went more than 5, but not 7-8 either.

Might have been better, if it had only been 5.

I would think that someone who is considered a "bulldog" on the mound wouldn't wilt so quickly under adversity.

[Redskins Rick]

I would think that someone who is considered a "bulldog" on the mound wouldn't wilt so quickly under adversity.

I was thinking the same thing.

[glenn__davis]

I don't think it's fair to say Bud wilted.

He battled Pedroia hard, and Pedroia - a good hitter - hit a good pitch.

He got behind Ortiz and challenged him with a fastball. Not a bad attempt since Ortiz hasn't been able to catch to much of anything lately. He got burned.

Honestly I thought it was an extremely encouraging outing from Bud.

[Frobby]

I don't think it's fair to say Bud wilted.

He battled Pedroia hard, and Pedroia - a good hitter - hit a good pitch.

He got behind Ortiz and challenged him with a fastball. Not a bad attempt since Ortiz hasn't been able to catch to much of anything lately. He got burned.

Honestly I thought it was an extremely encouraging outing from Bud.

I don't blame him at all for the Pedroia hit. That was a very good pitch. I think he clearly got rattled during the Ortiz AB.

[bpilktree]

He DID pitch well. But remember this. The pitcher is the only person who can control the game. He has the ball.

When Norris got into trouble some of it his doing, HE IS STILL IN CONTROL OF THE GAME.

Norris never seems to remember that when things start to spiral. The good pitchers know how to limit the damage. Norris cant seem to do it. Even Ubaldo can do it. DOD can do it, Britton too. Norris is one who cant seize control when things go wrong.

If yu look at the numbers from last year it shows he limite the damage all season and did not melt under pressure.

None on .272 .354 .439 .793

Runners on .204 .260 .341 .601

Scoring position .173 .237 .302 .539

The issue last night was the errors were to the bottom of he order and it turned it over to the top of the order with the hot hitters up and Bud in a tough situations.

[Reboulet'sStache]

I don't think Bud folded under the pressure. He just faced the order for a 3rd time, and that's about the limit of his stuff.

[bpilktree]

I don't think Bud folded under the pressure. He just faced the order for a 3rd time' date=' and that's about the limit of his stuff.[/quote']

Bud has been a better pitcher over his career as the game went along. He was very strong the third time through last season. I think right now he may still not be completely back to go 100 some pitches as he has missed a lot of time. His stuff is plenty good enough to go through the order a thridtime.

[Camden_yardbird]

I think the only conclusion you can draw from that start last night was: incomplete. There was good, there was bad, and there was an offense that was doing him any favors in a very difficult away ballpark to pitch in.

[Nevermore]

I agree. I dont deny he made progress tonight.I just think when things started to get out of hand,he couldn't limit the damage. He lost control of the game.

And he lost control of himself. This sort of meltdown not only hurts him, it hurts the team. If he wants to be a MLB pitcher (other than pitching mop-up or batting practice), he needs to learn how to keep control of himself and his emotions. Otherwise, it's demoralizing to the teammates around him.

You can probably tell that I'm not happy with him. I'm disappointed. I thought that he was better than this.

[glenn__davis]

And he lost control of himself. This sort of meltdown not only hurts him, it hurts the team. If he wants to be a MLB pitcher (other than pitching mop-up or batting practice), he needs to learn how to keep control of himself and his emotions. Otherwise, it's demoralizing to the teammates around him.

You can probably tell that I'm not happy with him. I'm disappointed. I thought that he was better than this.

How did he lose control of himself?

[glenn__davis]

If yu look at the numbers from last year it shows he limite the damage all season and did not melt under pressure.

None on .272 .354 .439 .793

Runners on .204 .260 .341 .601

Scoring position .173 .237 .302 .539

The issue last night was the errors were to the bottom of he order and it turned it over to the top of the order with the hot hitters up and Bud in a tough situations.

It was also his second start back after missing a month with bronchitis. Takes a while to get fully back from that. And while his pitch count had been low to that point he was clearly laboring that inning having thrown a lot of pitches.

Just not in total agreement with this narrative that he totally lost his composure, or even that he's the type of guy to do that. I know that his stuff looked as good last night as it's looked all year, and to me that gives me much more confidence in him moving forward this year.

[Nevermore]

How did he lose control of himself?

It appeared to me that he totally let his pitching go by the wayside once things started to get bad. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he's a long reliever, unable to pitch more than 5 innings, and he's stuck in a starter's role which he is unable to achieve.

[bpilktree]

Here are the stats last season based on times throgh the line up.

1st. .266 .349 .414 .764

2nd .218 .284 .377 .661

3rd .247 .305 .395 .700

4th .167 .286 .417 .702