2007 Free Agent: Greg Norton
I must admit that I have never followed the Devil Rays that closely. My familiarity with the team and its players is limited to what I experienced in their games against Toronto over the years. This might explain why I am not familiar with Greg Norton, but apparently I should know exactly who he is.
MLB Trade Rumors has a dissected the 2007 free agent hitters market and Greg Norton finds himself in the thick of the running for top slugger and walker. In 294 games this season, Norton posted a .520 slugging percentage and managed to acquire a 10.5% walk rate. The big names on either side of Norton's respectable stats? David Delucci and Rich Aurilia, and Carlos Lee and Frank Catalanotto. I suspect that Norton's relative obscurity won't command him the same salary as his peers, but this could be a very good thing for a team on the lookout for an affordable slugger.
So, who might be a good suitor for Norton in 2007?
At first, the Jays came to mind but Norton is primarily a corner infielder, something that the Jays have mightily covered in Glaus and Overbay (plus a solid 1B rookie in Adam Lind). If Norton had more experience in the outfield, he might have been a suitable replacement for Catalanotta, who will likely not return to Toronto next season.
Todd Walker has performed very well since coming over to the Padres this year. He's been that "professional hitter" the team was looking for while providing some solid defense at third. But will he be back? Other than Walker, San Diego has Russell Branyon and the light-hitting, Mark Bellhorn to man the third bag. Norton could be a good fit here.
In Houston, Morgan Ensberg could be on the move, so they might be advised to take a look at Norton as well.
Big free agent signings always attract a ton of ink in the off-season, but I often find myself more attracted to the quieter deals, the ones that appear to be smaller but turn out to be significant acquisitions. Greg Norton just might be one of these surprises in 2007.
