Don’t get me wrong, it is early in the season. Except, after a stumbling Thursday defeat one of his former teams, the Tampa Bay Rays, David Price is looking for support from the Fenway faithful.
The Boston Red Sox newly acquired starter, who signed a seven-year $217 million contract, got shelled for eight earned runs with eight hits and two home runs. He only pitched 3 2/3 innings, his worst start to date in a Red Sox uniform. Are you worried? I would be a little bit.
Ultimately, the Red Sox faltered on Thursday and have been inconsistent throughout, gravitating to a .500 record at 9-9. This comes after winning two of three on the road against the Houston Astros this past weekend.
First and foremost, as I said, it is early and there are months of baseball left. But with a struggling ace getting paid one of the largest contracts in baseball history, there are some signs for concern and Price admitted that. After the game, Price took to Twitter to promptly show Red Sox nation that everything would be alright.
“Tough day yesterday but I WILL get better!! Stick with me #soxnation I’m determined to make all of you love me!!” Price tweeted.
Well David, I know you can tweet and ask for support, but ultimately it comes down to your ability to carry the crippling pitching staff and this team to the playoffs. If you do that, it’s more likely that Red Sox fans will be praising you.
It is not all bad for Price as his first three starts were not as bad as the most recent one. On opening day against the Cleveland Indians, he pitched six strong innings only letting up two earned runs on five hits. Against his former team the Toronto Blue Jays, he also pitched a gem, which included two earned runs on seven hits through six innings. The lefty knows he can do better and has made a strikingly sincere promise, and I do believe him.
In the past, high-paid players that have come to Boston have been experimental failures. Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Edgar Renteria are some names that come to mind. Price has topped all of those with his high contract, but something seems different about the southpaw. Looking at his past performances even in those he lost, he has shown the charisma and competitiveness that stands out. I’ll take that any day of the week.
Overall, the Red Sox have proven that with a mix of young players such as Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Christian Vazquez, Xander Bogaerts, as well as veterans David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia, this team has the talent to make it to the playoffs. The offense certainly has showcased their ability to excel, averaging five runs per game that ranks them fourth in the MLB. They are also ranked third in team batting average that has eclipsed the .270 mark.
Most people expected this team to be powerful on offense, but so far it has been true that the defense has become a crutch already leading to nine losses so far.
They are ranked 25th in the MLB in earned-run average (ERA) as they have allowed 4.59 runs per game. Do you smell something that is stinky or is it just me?
Ultimately, the Red Sox have shown the will to win and that is something that this team has shown in the past that goes a long way. Comebacks have been a norm as of late and that could be crucial during the summer and fall months. No one wants to see that though and if their “pricey” ace can get it together then believe me, good things will come for the nation.
