12/21/24
December 01, 2015
David Price signs largest pitching contract in MLB history.:
The Boston Red Sox needed an ace, so they went out and got the best free agent on the market. David Price has reportedly come to terms with the Red Sox on a seven-year contract worth $217 million, according to The Boston Globe.
Price is a proven ace who can be counted on for 15 plus wins a season.
Stroman is a talented young pitcher with a whole lot of confidence and an arsenal of pitches. He needs to stay injury and substance free and the sky is the limit.
Jays lose a key piece on a squad built to win today.
Not sure Price is enough to turn around the Red Sox.
posted by cixelsyd at 10:22 PM on December 01, 2015
Toronto should not be handing out the largest pitching contract in history. David Price is not worth the largest pitching contract in history. Boston are not one starting pitcher away from relevance.
posted by deflated at 11:05 PM on December 01, 2015
Many are questioning the dynamic that will exist between David Ortiz and David Price in the Red Sox dugout. Both have had some interesting things to say about each other, and Price has thrown at Ortiz in retaliation for Ortiz slow-walking some of his home run trots. Can they coexist? My guess is that the two will form a strong bond, and if either is threatened, the other will be there for him. It doesn't matter what went on before. When two players of the high caliber of Price and Ortiz get together on the same side, the past is forgotten.
It is quite unlikely that this will ever happen, but if Price is ever caught for DUI or a marijuana bust, could one say that the Price was indeed too high?
posted by Howard_T at 11:52 PM on December 01, 2015
As a regional sports fan, it's hard to watch the Sox do deals like this while Belichick has spent his career wringing optimum value out of his crew of overachievers, retreads, and underpaid stars. I'd rather that Brady was being paid more than Andy Dalton and Price was being paid less than Kershaw.
posted by beaverboard at 08:13 AM on December 02, 2015
As a Sox fan I'd be totally ok with this if we could be assured Price will opt out after 3 years (feels less than 50/50) or if Dombrowski's press conference included the line, "We know he will suck for the last 4 years relative to his pay, we just don't care, we're so stinking rich." I definitely do think a healthy Price could be enough to turn around the Sox given the trade for Kimbrel. I just hope they don't get into a vicious cycle here and wind up mortgaging the future forever. No one has done that successfully.
posted by yerfatma at 09:06 AM on December 02, 2015
or if Dombrowski's press conference included the line, "We know he will suck for the last 4 years relative to his pay, we just don't care, we're so stinking rich."
I feel like that is just taken as read in all megacontracts these days, especially from the super-rich teams.
posted by Rock Steady at 03:52 PM on December 02, 2015
As a Rangers fan I always felt good about facing Price in the postseason. He's 1-4 against us with the Rays and Jays and only 2-7 lifetime against all teams. He's going to have to be much better when it counts most to be worth the massive financial commitment the Sox just made in him.
posted by rcade at 08:46 AM on December 03, 2015
He's going to have to be much better when it counts most to be worth the massive financial commitment the Sox just made in him.
I have to hope that a GM/team/fan doesn't decide if a contract is "worth it" based on playoff performance. Playoffs are an extremely small sample size luck result. In David Price's case, I'd rather pay him the big bucks for the work he does in 1400+ innings compared to the work he does in 60+ innings. You can't do well in the playoffs if you can't help your team GET to the playoffs.
The amazing thing is that you can be "clutch playoff performer" until you aren't (Derek Jeter, 2007), and you can be a "playoff choker" until you aren't (Barry Bonds, 2002).
posted by grum@work at 01:12 PM on December 03, 2015
As a Jays fan, it hurts that Price is going to pitch for an arch-rival in the AL East, especially since it sounds like Toronto didn't even make an offer to him.
However, I then read what former Blue Jays teammate and fellow pitcher Marcus Stroman posted on his Instagram page:
"Even though our time together was limited, you took every opportunity to take me under your wing and teach me your ways. For that, I am forever thankful. Watching and critiquing my bullpens. Treating everyone with class and respect. Putting your teammates first. Showing up early, and staying late. Forming a bond with every single guy on the team. I could go on forever. Thank you @davidprice14. Thankful and lucky to have been your teammate and to call you a friend. You deserve every single penny. More than deserving. Going to miss you at the top step after every inning. With that being said, I can't wait to compete against you. Excited already thinking about it. Thank you for everything CHAMP. Look forward to beating you every chance I get for many years to come! #TylenolPM"
You can have Price, Boston, as long as we can keep Stroman for the rest of his career.
#HDMH