Welcome back to the 2015 Last Word on Fantasy Baseball Guide. Over the next several months we will be releasing player profiles, projections, position rankings, and a number of other articles that will help you dominate your fantasy league this season. Whether you play rotisserie or head-to-head; whether you have a standard draft, a snake or an auction league, and whether its keeper league or a one-year deal; we have all the fantasy information you need.
For the rest of our fantasy baseball profiles and articles, please check out our Fantasy Baseball Guide Page.
Fantasy Profile: Derek Norris, C, San Diego Padres
Pos. Rank: 13, Captains Values $ 2.00
One of Billy Beane’s many trades this offseason involved Derek Norris going to San Diego for a pair of pitchers. Many people were surprised, and didn’t expect the 25 year old All-Star to be dealt even with the catching depth the A’s had.
Norris should succeed with the Padres, moving from spacious O.co Coliseum to spacious Petco Park. He’s only 25 and could easily beat his home run total from 2014 (only 10). Not to mention in the minors he was a power threat (23 home runs in A, 20 HR in AA). Last year he showcased that he could be threat when at bat, whether it be a home run or a walk (12.2% walk rate last year). While Norris is a liability behind the plate (oh that Wild Card game) he seems to be growing as a bat improving his home-run, average, on-base percentage and walks each of the past three years. Also worth mentioning is that he stole 10+ bases twice in the minors, and 5 twice the past two years, so he could potentially steal 5-10 bases. Norris could be a breakout catcher this year, and should get most of the starts with Yasmani Grandal slotting in at 1B. He mostly batted 5th in the A’s lineup last year and could potentially stay there. With a revamped Padres lineup he should repeat last years results and potentially get better.
Next year I expect an increase in power and along the same average. Something like 12 home runs, .270 average.
| Year | Team | Pos | G | PA | AB | R | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | SLG | OBP | OPS |
| 2012 | OAK | C | 60 | 232 | 209 | 19 | 7 | 34 | 5 | 21 | 66 | 0.201 | 0.349 | 0.276 | 0.625 |
| 2013 | OAK | C | 98 | 308 | 264 | 41 | 9 | 30 | 5 | 37 | 71 | 0.246 | 0.409 | 0.345 | 0.754 |
| 2014 | OAK | C | 127 | 442 | 385 | 46 | 10 | 55 | 2 | 54 | 86 | 0.270 | 0.403 | 0.361 | 0.764 |
| 2015 Projection | OAK | C | 400 | 349 | 45 | 11 | 50 | 3 | 49 | 80 | 0.258 | 0.350 | 0.408 | 0.758 |
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SAN DIEGO, CA – JANUARY 6: Derek Norris #3 of the San Diego Padres poses for photographs at Petco Park on January 6, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Andy Hayt/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)
