Here’s the latest from around the AL East…
- David Price insists that his seven-year, $217MM contract with the Red Sox isn’t playing any part in his struggles this season, the star lefty told reporters (including the Boston Herald’s Evan Drellich). “Every 14 or 15 days when we get paid, I don’t know what my paycheck looks like,” Price said. “I’m not going to ask my agent. I’m not going to sit down and do the math. I don’t spend money. I don’t live a lavish lifestyle….I’m the same guy. I’m not going to let my struggles affect me. The amount of money that I make, I’m not going to change.” Price’s Red Sox career is off to a rough beginning, though he feels he may have discovered a mechanical reason for his problems thanks to a tip from Dustin Pedroia.
- Boston manager John Farrell said it’s possible Eduardo Rodriguez’s next outing could be with the Red Sox, Stephen Hewitt of the Boston Herald writes. Rodriguez is still working his way back from a knee injury that sidelined him for around a month during Spring Training and greatly set back his offseason training. The southpaw tossed his third rehab start in the minors today, and Farrell said the club will speak to Rodriguez tomorrow to gauge whether he’s ready to escape the DL.
- Catcher has been an area of need for the Rays throughout virtually their entire franchise history, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes in a look at how the Rays have tried many methods of acquiring or developing a solid everyday catcher with little success. While Tampa is far from the only team who has struggled to find consistent help behind the plate, the Rays’ decision to take Tim Beckham ahead of Buster Posey in the 2008 draft looms as perhaps the franchise’s biggest what-if scenario. “To me, there’s no draft miss like the Posey miss in the last decade….Anyway, no one with the Rays ever has admitted it, but it feels like the organization has been trying to make up for it ever since,” Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel tells Topkin.
- The Blue Jays suffered another late-game breakdown today, and bullpen help could soon become a need for the club unless the relief corps improves, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith writes. Drew Storen and Brett Cecil, expected to be Toronto’s chief setup men, have instead struggled badly — Storen has an even 9.00 ERA over 11 innings after allowing two runs today, while Cecil has a 5.59 ERA over 9 2/3 frames.
Don’t believe it, Price knows that he’s making roughly $10,000 every pitch he throws.
Try adding 2 more 0’s behind that
I really don’t think he makes $1,000,000 for every pitch.
“I don’t know what my paycheck looks like,” says Price – that must be nice. I have the same problem, just that mine is spent on bills before I can see the darn thing. Nice to know David and I have the same problem … sort of.
you’re both basically the same guy! lol
Any owner that gives that kind of guaranteed money for that many years deserves to be committed to an institution. Price is right as he has NO pressure as he gets paid no matter what! And if history has taught us anything pitchers are continually blowing out their arms. I have no sympathy for the owner. The fans pay his exorbitant salary anyway. The average fan doesn’t produce in the workplace he’s shown the door. The players should anoint Marvin Miller for Sainthood
I don’t believe a word Price says. How can a person not know how much their pay is? The way he describes it, the cheque goes to his agent. Than what happens? Price doesn’t get it put in his bank account? Like pulleease! You must be living very frugal if you don’t need your pay cheque either.. One wonders how he bought all the scooters and bath robes in Toronto if he never saw how much he got paid. Maybe he just got lucky and his debit card never got declined.
Want to talk about the stars aligning? The Giants were a 12th hour decision away from moving to Tampa in 1992, then Tampa gifts them 3 titles and their leader in Posey a decade later. Maybe the worst draft decision ever. No way do the Giants get their titles if they get literally anyone other than Posey and the Rays probably get a lot more postseason appearances, not to mention how they haven’t had a regular catcher ever.
I recall the late Lyman Bostock giving to charity his 1st 2 paychecks after having terrible start of the season when signing as a FA with the old LA Angels. You don’t see today’s ball players making gestures like that however, they want ever nickel and right when it’s due.
Tampa could have had at least a catcher playing 50% of it’s games in Hannigan a cpl years back, he’s still a solid defender and occasional offensive player. That team hasn’t had anyone nearly as good as Hannigan in years, yet they got rid of him as soon as acquired him, probably because were too cheap to pay his 3.5-4m salary for 3-4y.
I’d be inclined to give Price a pass for the first small segment of his deal. He was the best pitcher available, the Red Sox can certainly afford to pay him, and he’s going to be just fine in the intermediate term. Long term, it’s going to be too much money, but that’s the nature of the beast. Very few long term contracts for pitchers work out as well as Mike Mussina”s did. But given Price’s excellence over his career, it’s a little crazy to be thinking he’s going to be a disaster, absent some injury.
pedroia is going to make a good manager in the future
Price puede que suene chocante pero el sigue siendo David Price (con dinero) y además el es muy inteligente para dejarse llevar por su chequera. Hay que recordar que el tiene una opción para salirse del contrato…