In the wake of Wade Davis' four-year extension, left-hander David Price says that he would be open to signing a long-term deal with the Rays, writes Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. The former No. 1 overall draft pick said that such a deal would have to be under the right terms, though he declined to specify.
"If it's realistic, absolutely, that is something I would definitely do," the 25-year-old said. "I love it here, absolutely. Everyone here knows that I'm a huge fan of this organization and all the people that are in the clubhouse. I feel like it's the right place for me."
Price is under team control until 2016, when he can hit free agency. Topkin suggests a starting point dollar-wise that is somewhere between Tim Lincecum's two-year, $23MM deal and Cole Hamels' three-year, $21MM contract. The left-hander will already be looking at a considerable raise for 2012 when he reaches Super Two status.
Can’t believe the Rays got swept.
I was at the game today, you can tell missing Crawford is already hitting them hard and not having Longoria today didn’t help either.
For their sake, hope things get better
If he’s looking for a big longterm paycheck, unfortunately Tampa will not be the place for him. I just hope he doesn’t end up with the Yankees. Him staying with Tampa will keep things interesting in the AL East for years to come
Or the Red Sox for that matter.
I would like to see him pitch for the sox personally!
Their strict payroll limitation sucks. Selig and all the other owners should just kick the Mets owners, FO, management and players out and have the entire Rays organization take their place.
As a Yankee fan, I’d be glad to have that team as a rival and root for in the playoffs.
So you want to contract the NEW YORK Mets, you know, the one’s from NEW YORK, and replace them with the Rays? Huh?
I’m not even sure what he’s trying to say other than taking the opportunity to knock the Mets.
I thought this was a Rays post.
Maybe we should contract the Yankees so that the Rays financial limitations wouldn’t matter so much?
What he is saying is contract the Rays, but give the Mets to Andrew Friedman and company.
I know what his statement meant. I’d just be happier if I didn’t have to be reminded that the Wilpons have ruined the Mets franchise in every post…even if non-Mets related artilces.
You should be proud, in all honesty it takes talent to field a losing team with a 125mm payroll
To me it’s so hard to really appreciate how good or bad the Rays would be if they DIDN’T have the benefit of all of those high picks. I mean, would the the Orioles have been any better/worse than the Rays had they been able to pick Hamilton, Baldelli, Upton, Young (traded for Garza), Neimann, Longoria and Price, all within the 1st six picks of their individual draft classes?
I’m not knocking them at all because I understand their limitations, but it would be interesting to see, beyond this upcoming draft where they can literally throw 12 darts at a list of the top 75 draft prospects and pick winners, how well their future draft classes will be IF they remain competitive and are picking in the 20-30 range rather than the 1-8.
Hamilton and Baldelli sure have been key cogs to their success the last 3 years.
Hamilton was induced in drugs and Baldelli had a muscular disorder..
Great comment. I’m well aware that neither has played for the Rays (at all) or during their stretch. Does it not still support my point that they have drafted some excellent talent in the early 1st round of a decade’s worth of drafts?
And just to put it out there, I’m not knocking them at all. Just wondering if there draft classes, beyond this upcoming one, will be as good down the road w/o the benefit of a top 6-8 position.
It’s also worth noting that they’ve done pretty well finding quality outside the first round — Carl Crawford, Jeremy Hellickson, Wade Davis, Desmond Jennings.
No doubt picking early has helped but they’ve done a great job for the most part not wasting the opportunity. I mean the Pirates pick in the top 5 every year, too.
And to answer your question on the Orioles … not a chance. The year the Rays took Longoria, Tim Lincecum went the pick after the Orioles drafted Billy Rowell. So I doubt the O’s would have done as well with those picks.
Longo, Price, Upton, Young (Garza), Neimann > Crawford, Davis and two guys that figure to be great but have done anything at the mlb level. Just saying..
I do agree with you that others teams have whiffed at the top of the draft albeit for different reasons.
I wasn’t meaning to imply that those guys equal Longoria, Price, ect., (although Crawford certainly fits in the group) just that they still tend to find talent with picks outside of the first round. So I think they’ll still do a good job evaluating things in the lower half of the first round. I just think their draft success is more than just the byproduct of having top 5 picks.
Also I don’t know how strictly they follow the slot system on bonuses — someone who follows the Rays more closely might be able to shed some light on it — but I’d assume they don’t go way over slot too often. If that’s the case, it just adds more credibility to the job their front office has done.
As I pointed out in another thread where you made similar comments, you are dead wrong!!!. The Rays’ success has been slightly due to high first round picks, but only slightly. I will not provide the information again, but I think you really ought to examine the facts before making false assertions.
If the Rays clear some payroll, like say, trade Shields and Upton, I can see a 4 year, 30-35 million dollar deal working pretty well.
Price is open to an extension as long as Evan Longoria’s agent isn’t negotiating it.
Pretty sick, Hamels hasn’t even thrown a pitch yet this year.
It’s sunny.
The Mets will rock him tomorrow. /end sarcasm.
I am not sure how this has any relevance to David Price’s possible extension. Phillie fan begging for attention?
Hamels was mentioned at the bottom of the article about how he should get a raise after this season… Maybe you should’ve read the article before taking a shot at someone.
Price is in line for a deal similar to Jon Lester’s if one is to be made at all. The guy is a stud and if he was a free agent he’d get at least 7 years/$126MM, I think. So given that, I would behoove him to ask for at minimum 4 years/$45MM because I think that’s pretty much the maximum the Rays could afford and the maximum number of years he’d be willing to give up at reduced pay.
If I’m the Rays I need to get at least 2 free agent years included. That’s really the main benefit that a small market team should look for. For the most part there haven’t been too many examples of arb eligible starters getting in excess of an amount that the Rays would be hard pressed to afford for a one or two year stint.
Good point. I’m looking more at Price, though. However, since he is under team control, then maybe I’d lower the rate to 4 years/$32MM guaranteed with 3 club options totaling $45MM a year that have to be exercised by the end of the off season of 2015, with a $4MM buy out.