MLB Trade Deadline: Norris to the O’s

Bud Norris’ life is a lot easier today than the subjects of most trades in sports. Often times when a player is traded travel schedules have to be abruptly fixed, and guys have to rush to join their new team. Norris is in no such spot, as he simply needs to change clubhouses. His old team, the Houston Astros, is in town playing the Baltimore Orioles, to whom he was traded just moments ago. The O’s sent LJ Hoes, minor leaguer Josh Hader, and a compensation B pick to Houston in exchange for Norris, who will now help to fortify an Orioles rotation and an Orioles team that’s looking to make a playoff push.

In Norris, the Orioles are getting a pitcher with sub-4.00 ERA who’s admittedly only 6-9 on the year. However it’s presumed that Norris’ numbers will improve with the Orioles’ stellar defense behind him. Another key for the O’s is that while Norris will be arbitration eligible this coming off season, he’s under team control until 2016. On the flip side, Hoes is a prospect with whom the Orioles probably had a tough time parting. However while he was currently on the big league roster, he probably was a fourth outfielder at best with the Birds. This will give him a chance to potentially play everyday, or at least have more of a chance to play everyday than he would in Baltimore. Weighing all of these options are all part of making these trades, and ultimately I think that the Orioles are now more of a force with a pitcher like Norris in the mix as opposed to before.