On Tuesday afternoon, the Detroit Tigers signed catcher Derek Norris to a minor league contract. By most accounts, a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training should only merit one or two lines in a news release.
However, in the case of Norris, there is a giant asterisk next to his signing, something that has left a sour taste in the mouths of many. Norris, who most recently played with the Tampa Bay Rays, was suspended in September and placed on the restricted list as a penalty from the MLB Joint Domestic Violent, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy.