Besides yesterday being Valentine’s Day, it also happened to be Derek Norris’ 24th birthday.
Norris was the Nationals’ 4th round selection out of high school and posted a slash line of .210/.367/.446 with 20 home runs and 13 stolen bases his 2011 season in Harrisburg.
That off-season Norris was part of the package that Washington sent to Oakland to acqure Gio Gonzalez. The change of organizations proved to be a breakthrough as he made his MLB debut on June 21st and became part of the catching platoon for the playoff-bound A’s.