Oakland’s Mike Norris Gets an ‘A’ From Fans for Comeback Effort

Mike Norris was never speechless before, and seven years later he had plenty to say about his return to the major leagues.

“I just can’t say enough about the fans and that ovation,” said Norris, who was granted a thunderous ovation by the Oakland Coliseum fans Wednesday when he pitched two scoreless innings in the Athletics’ 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Norris, recovering from arm injuries and cocaine addiction that forced him out of baseball for three years, made his first major league appearance since Aug. 6, 1983.

“The most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced,” Norris said of the welcome. “Better than the 22 games, the first year in the majors . . . better than all of it.”

Norris, 35, says his battle against drugs is over and professes to be a devout Christian. Now he’s fighting emotion.

“What I’m battling right now is just an immense amount of adrenalin,” he said. “I’m just pumped up tremendously. I had to go into the bathroom after the first inning and just thank the Lord for giving me this chance.”

Norris was 22-9 with a 2.53 ERA for Oakland in 1980 and 12-9 in the strike-shortened 1981 season, but went 11-16 over the next two seasons, slowed by an assortment of injuries and addictions. He spent the 1984 season disabled, tried brief minor-league comebacks in ’85 and ‘86, then left baseball seemingly for good until deciding on one more comeback try last season.

Norris was 6-6 with a 3.18 ERA for the A’s AAA Tacoma farm in 1989, good enough numbers to put him on the A’s 40-man roster for 1990. And even though the A’s must trim the rosters soon, Manager Tony La Russa says Norris will have every opportunity to stay.

“The need for pitching is so important, so Norris will be here,” La Russa said. “He has a lot of composure, plus a lot of different pitches. He’ll help us. He won’t be affected by numbers as long as he plays.”

Norris, whose last relief stint was in 1979, says he’ll accept a relief role with the A’s.

“Just to be one of the 24 or 25 guys on the best ballclub in baseball means a lot to me,” he said.

Most teams have only a handful of veterans who remember Norris’ style of pitching. The Twins were the last major league team Norris faced.

“I saw Gary Gaetti going around the bench and telling guys about my screwball,” Norris said. “But I still feel like I can get them out, even if they know it’s coming.”

Kent Hrbek, the other Twin who previously faced Norris, said he didn’t remember much about him.

“I’m not a guy who believes in second chances like that,” Hrbek said, “but it’s nice to see guys who can come back.”

Norris knows that his new opportunity may come under scrutiny, but he’s on a staff that may be the best in baseball for reviving once-forgotten pitchers. The A’s signed Dave Stewart and Dennis Eckersley after each was given an outright release by his former team.

“No one’s forgotten me here,” Norris said. “Why keep hurting a guy for what he did five, six years ago? The Lord forgives us, so why can’t people?”