Price can’t wait for J.D.
All negative even before mate arrives
FORT MYERS — David Price went on a public relations mission last week, telling a gang of media types he doesn’t regret signing with the Red Sox, that he wishes he had done some things differently last year, that he has no plans to opt out of his deal after this season.
Great advice. It just makes sense that a happy, healthy, problem-free David Price would be better equipped to win games and rack up impressive strikeout totals.
All of which makes it a mystery as to why Price is delivering a bumpy, running-off-the-road Welcome Wagon to slugger J.D. Martinez, who has agreed to a five-year, $110 million contract with the Red Sox.
The Red Sox haven’t even suited up for the annual cobweb-clearing twinbill against Northeastern and Boston College and already Price is playing a round of Turn Back the Clock with a reporter from USA Today. Speaking with Bob Nightengale for a piece in which it is posited that Price played a role in convincing Martinez, his former Detroit Tigers teammate, to sign with the Red Sox, the veteran left-hander said, “It is tough here. There’s just so much more negativity. I’ve never been one for negative stuff. I like surrounding myself by positive people. Even if my wife starts talking negatively, I let her know. I just can’t stand it.”
If you’re assuming Price was limiting his observations about negativity to the barking dogs of the press box, well, guess again.
“Oh yeah, he’ll get booed,” Price told USA Today, referring to Martinez. “I told J.D. he will love the guys here in this clubhouse, but also told him he’ll get booed. He’s a quiet, soft-spoken guy, but he’ll handle it. Besides, everyone gets booed. I heard Big Papi booed many times in Fenway.”
There’s so much wrong with this I don’t even know where to begin. So let’s limit the discussion to Ortiz, and, yes, absolutely, Big Papi heard some boos during his days with the Red Sox.
But many times?
Price certainly didn’t hear Ortiz get booed during their one season as Red Sox teammates. The entire 2016 campaign was one great, big love fest for Ortiz, who had already announced it would be his final season. It didn’t hurt that it was one of his best seasons, inspiring fans across the nation, friend or foe, to stand up and cheer.
And if Price is recalling episodes from his days with the Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers, perhaps J.D. Martinez should know that nobody booed Ortiz louder in those days than Price himself.
Price, you’ll recall, was forever falling to pieces over the specter of Big Papi stylin’ on his home runs.
Remember the Sox’ 7-4 Division Series victory over the Rays in October 2013, when Ortiz electrified Fenway by socking two home runs off Price, the second one a moonshot over the right field foul pole?
Ortiz did some big-league stylin’ on that second home run.
This was also the game in which Price, who can sniff out negativity a mile away, complained about comments by analysts Dirk Hayhurst and Tom Verducci on the TBS postgame show.
Tweeting on his @DAVIDPrice14 handle, Price said, “Dirk Hayhurst... COULDNT hack it... Tom Verducci wasn’t even a water boy in high school... but yet they can still bash a player... SAVE IT NERDS.”
But Price has, in his words, “never been one for negative stuff,” right?
It’s important to note that though Price didn’t like Ortiz’ stylin’, the two made their peace. Ortiz told reporters, “We talked and we straightened things out. I have a lot of respect for David, and he’d do the same thing for me ... I’m not going to make a big deal out of this thing. I understand his frustration.”
The next season, the first time Price faced Ortiz, he drilled him in the back.
“It’s a war — it’s on,” Ortiz told reporters after the game. “Next time he hits me, he better bring the gloves. I have no respect for him no more.”
Price’s comeback to that was as follows: “For as many people as I quote-unquote lost respect for, I gained respect from a lot more people. And I know that’s a fact.”
Price also said this: “He was mad, I get it. You say stupid stuff when you’re mad. Been there. I’m sure.”
And this: “Nobody is bigger than the game of baseball.”
Look, we all know Ortiz could be a pill during his days with the Red Sox. But not because of stylin’. Baseball needs more of that, not less. Price disagrees, even though the two men made their peace (again) and co-existed during their season as Sox mates.
But their history disqualifies Price from saying Ortiz “was booed many times in Fenway.” Again, the customers grumbled plenty during the dark days of 2008 and ’09 when Ortiz often seemed to be losing it, but, well, let me put it to Red Sox fans: Is it fair for Price to paint such as negative image of Ortiz being booed just as J.D. Martinez is pulling into town?
This is nuts. Martinez hasn’t even posed for photos in his crisp, new Red Sox jersey and already he must be wondering if he will be “booed many times in Fenway” if he slumps.
If Martinez wants to follow David Price’s advice and avoid the negativity, then perhaps he should avoid David Price.