Just buy that David Price jersey already.
The $217 million man is actually acting like someone who the Red Sox paid $217 million to over the next seven seasons. And that is because he arrived in Fort Myers for Spring Training yesterday, over a week before he needs to be there. He arrived the same day as Red Sox manager John Farrell.
And it was not just Price getting acclimated to the sunny weather. He got straight to work and had nothing but praise for JetBlue Park.
First day at #JetBlue was great!! Wow what a complex we have here!! #redsoxnation
— David Price (@DAVIDprice24) February 9, 2016
Part of the reason why Price made it down there so early might simply be the weather. At the moment, it is colder than usual in his native Nashville, so perhaps he just wanted to get out of those conditions.
Even if that is the case, it puts him on the right track from a Red Sox standpoint. Say it only was the weather that got him down there, it has him working out and prepping for the big season the Red Sox have ahead, a season where he is projected to be their ace and the Red Sox are projected to win the American League Pennant.
Last year was a lights out year for Price as he went 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA. If he can come close to that, then certainly the Red Sox will be happy with his production.
While in Florida, Price played catch with knuckleballer Steven Wright. But he said that is a pitch he plans to leave to the expert –Wright, who is projected to crack a spot in the team’s bullpen as a long reliever — finally.
Luckily or the Red Sox, Price has been a guy who really has not sustained any major injuries in his career, so they can be confident that he can go out and give them 200 innings in a season. Last year, Wade Miley was their only pitcher to do so. But now Wade is a Seattle Mariner.
On top of it all, he had that generous donation to charity last week that should help put him on Red Sox fans’ good side.