RAYS’ NORRIS DENIES ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

After Tampa Bay Rays catcher Derek Norris on Wednesday denied allegations by his ex-fiancée that he physically and emotionally abused her, Kristin Eck, in a post to her personal blog, detailed an October 2015 incident in which she says Norris placed her in a chokehold and pulled her by the hair during a domestic dispute. Norris, 28, strongly denied Eck’s allegations, made in an Instagram post, of physical and emotional abuse in a statement released through his agency. Shortly after the statement was released and Norris indicated he’d have no further comment on the matter, Eck detailed on her blog a specific incident that occurred after she discovered Norris having a phone conversation with another woman late at night. Major League Baseball confirmed Wednesday that it was investigating allegations against Norris, and Eck indicated she soon would meet with MLB investigators. Eck wrote that on the night of Oct. 20, 2015, she grabbed Norris’ phone after growing suspicious of his conversation. Eck attempted to converse with the woman on the other end of the line, and shortly thereafter says she was grabbed from behind in a chokehold by Norris, who she says had been drinking. Norris could face a suspension from MLB, which has a domestic violence policy that stipulates a criminal conviction is not necessary to discipline players.