HOUSTON – This was the inning Daniel Norris was supposed to fall apart. The inning his youth would show. The Detroit Tigers had seen it so many times in the past.
After three OK innings, a leadoff walk. A double. Soon, manager Brad Ausmus had a reliever warming up in the bullpen.
“There was two directions it could have gone,” Ausmus said. “He could have gone south or he could have re-gathered and re-composed himself and turn it around.”
This time, the young Tigers left-hander chose the second option. He did not try too hard. He said he was sick of nibbling around the strike zone.