He replaces Prado, who went on the DL with a thumb sprain; his hand is in a cast. I have no idea why the Braves can’t figure out that you need a backup shortstop. I guess I’ll write Norton up at some point, but I am concerned with the roster construction. They probably aren’t giving up anything of note, a player to be named or cash considerations — I’m guessing the latter.
Moylan went to the 60-day DL to make room for Norton. This can pretty much serve as confirmation that he will have Tommy John surgery.
Greg Norton Statistics – Baseball-Reference.com
UPDATE: Frank Wren LOVES Greg Norton.
Braves acquire Norton in trade with Seattle | ajc.com
“We’ve been talking with Seattle off and on since the middle of spring training about Greg,” Braves general manager Frank Wren said. “We tried to acquire him at the end of spring, but they still had plans for him.”
I think Frank needs help. I also think DOB is being sly:
“He can hit,” Wren said of Norton, who has a .253 average with 82 home runs and and 300 RBIs in the majors, including 17 homers for Tampa Bay in a career-best 2006 season. He also has 544 strikeouts in 2,163 at-bats.
Translation: “He can’t hit much.”
But, Mac, he played six games at SS in 1996–doesn’t this count? -end sarcasm-
Mac, isn’t Infante a SS. Is it possible that they didn’t want to acquire another SS backup when they should have one ready in the near future. He is due back soon, isn’t he???
Jon Jr. should have held out for another year.
Please stay healthy, Mr. Escobar.
Infante is certainly supposed to be back soon. He’s on extended spring training, but apparently he hasn’t remembered how to hit yet.
On the plus side, Greg Norton has a terrific middle name. Gregory Blakemoor Norton. Honestly, with a middle name like that, he should have been named something suitably Gothic, like Heathcliff Blakemoore De Vincent, or something.
I think I’m just gonna call him Ed, though. And the next time he butchers a play like Prado, bang, zoom, to the moon, Blakemoor!
Who the hell is this guy?
Of course, to me, Greg Norton will always be the bass player of Hüsker Dü, one of the great indie-rock bands of the 1980s.
I always liked his Geraldo Rivera mustache.
http://tinyurl.com/6hanqu
Question: is Corky Miller still on the roster? And if so, why? Wouldn’t another relief pitcher or even a right handed fourth outfielder be more useful than a 3rd catcher who can’t field, can’t hit, and never gets in games?
Ed Norton is a great name. If he gets involved in a scandal a la Clemens, you can say he has really been in the sewer.
#6
Smitty,
He’s the guy who’s gonna save the Braves the next time Chipper goes down.
Best name of all time:
Mickey Mantel
Remy,
Pray for Chipper Jones.
Ballplayer names?
I’m kinda partial to Van Lingle Mungo.
no doubt someone like Heyward is the PTBNL
just kidding–please save the stuff about negativity
the comment about Corky Miller not playing makes me wonder–will McCann or Boyer break down first? sounds like a poll topic
Van Lingle Mungo’s one of the all-timers. I always liked Cookie Lavagetto.
My favorite I ever saw: the immortal Archi Cianfrocco.
Mobile’s own Drungo La Rue Hazewood.
What’s the point of this?
If the Braves give up anything of value for this never-was, I will throw up.
Wow. We gave up Cole Rohrbaugh:
http://tinyurl.com/34qdfz
Don’t do that.
DOB: For the next week (until Infante arrives) Gotay is the backup infielder. Stay strong, Yunel.
Stu,
That’s plain mean! 🙂
@12,
How about a little John Irving here;
“A Prayer for Chipper Jones” instead of “A Prayer for Owen Meany”?
Re Corky Miller. Can someone explain the rationale for having a good field, no hit catcher to play once a week? It seems to me you would be better off having a good hit, no field catcher because the drop off offensively from replacing McCann with Miller has got to be much more than the drop off defensively you would unless the guy just plain catch catch at all and the balls all go to the back stop (as Casey Stengel once noted in talking about needing a catcher). Even if Miller is Johnny Bench defensively, the guy that pitches to him really gets screwed because he knows there is a black hole in the lineup.
Stay man-strong.
Well, McCann has had three off days in the last eight.
You’re breaking me, Stu.
If Infante is only a week away, why make a move at all? Why not Lillibridge since he’d only be used for emergencies?
And they’ll have to make another move when Infante comes back. Sending Miller down, maybe. Or they could go with only 11 pitchers.
Nah.
only 11 pitchers–fat chance!
This Yankee-Red Sox thing has gotten sinister.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=338264
Fat chance? Did we re-sign Chad Paronto?
That’s a dead link Marc.
no, Wickman 🙂
Norton?
Bench security?
Suite.
It’s here:
With her automobile, a Yankee fan runs over a Red Sox fan.
http://tinyurl.com/4kh3co
pena is barely being used. what’s the point of having him on the roster? do you guys think the braves have tried to trade him and have been unsuccessful? he seems to be as valuable as a young estrada and that was worth something at one point.
Pena’s played in 14 games, nearly half of the total. And he’s hit .286. Now, it’s a fairly empty .286, but batting average is a lot more important for a pinch-hitter, which is all he’s been. (He hasn’t played an inning in the field.) Abe Miller, meanwhile, is 1-9 and has played in only five games. Given the choice, it’s easy to see who to keep.
Biff Pocoroba for the Name Team!
Who would you rather see at shortstop: Prado or Gotay?
(You may only choose one of those two. You’re only allowed to crack wise and give a joke answer after you’ve actually picked one of them.)
#37
I choose Gil Garrido.
Greg Norton?!
uhh.. you lost me there, Wrennie.
what, bavasi thinks Hampton has something left?
#37
Prado–but only because he can hit.
AAR, I like the image for the Prado/Norton post at C-in-C.
Thanks, Mac — I designed it myself. I’m thinking of having more icon designations like that. Apparently graphics are all the rage with the kids these days on the internet.
I’m not sure what Frank’s strong suit is, but it sure as hell ain’t roster management.
I was going to say that Frank’s previous GM experience was with the Orioles, so he probably figured he didn’t need a backup shortstop, but he took over after Ripken had moved to third. Still, the Orioles’ starting shortstop in 1999 (the legendary Mike Bordick) played in 160 games and his backup was Jesse Garcia, about whom enough said.
That Yankees/Red Sox thing reminds of me a Garth Brooks song:
“(S)he never hit the brakes and (s)he was shifting gears…”
Was a writeup on Jorge Campillo ever done? I know this guy is a junkballer from Mexico, but that’s all I know. The guy has a lights out ERA to date. If no writeup was ever done, you should combo the Greg Norton-Campillo writeup.
I don’t know anything other than “junkballer from Mexico” and what I’ve seen of Campillo. The Norton writeup should be up in the next half hour.
Fair enough. Thanks.
Norton thing is up.