Bautista’s blast draws first blood in Bronx
NEW YORK— Jose Bautista exited the trainer’s room with an ice pack strapped to his shoulder and a reason to boast about his game-winning home run.
After all, it wasn’t just another homer. The blast, in the 10th inning no less, vaulted Toronto to a 2-1win over the New York Yankees in the opener of a weekend series that has gripped Toronto ball fans with playoff fever. A statement? Yes, but not about the Blue Jays slugger himself.
“The home run is not what I’m concerned about,” Bautista said about his 25th of the season and, arguably, the most important of the season to date, which came off reliever Branden Pinder on a 1-2 pitch.
“Winning the first game in this series, on the road, that’s the statement, I think. Everyone knows what our offence is capable of, and we have David Price going tomorrow (Saturday). I don’t think they (Yankees) feel good right now. I’ve been in that spot before so trust me, it doesn’t feel good.”
NEW YORK— David Price’s comfort level with the Blue Jays speaks volumes not only about the pitcher’s professionalism but his new team as well.
Price sat in the Jays’ dugout Friday, about 90 minutes prior to the highly anticipated series with the New Yankees here this weekend, speaking free and easy about what is the team’s most important three-game set of the season so far.
Price will have his say in it too, pitching the Saturday afternoon game here in what will be a watershed moment for the team’s fans.
“It’s very big . . . this is the team that’s in front of us in the standings,” Price said. “If we win (Friday night) that’s a full game in the standings, but take it game by game here. You can’t go out and say you need to the sweep. Just go game by game.”
Price comes by his confidence via a strong Jays team boasting baseball’s top offence, but also by excellent stretch runs and post-season appearances with Tampa.
Since he joined the Jays at the trade deadline, the team’s clubhouse has been a beehive of fun, with players rolling around on Segways and scooters and different music on the clubhouse sound system each day.
What Price enjoys is talking to younger players and his advice for this series is sound.
“Just go out and have fun . . . if you apply more pressure than the pressure that’s already applied it will be extremely tough to do your job. Go out and give everything you got, you won’t lose because of lack of cooperation or work ethic that way,” he said.
He’s obviously excited to be a part of his new team but doesn’t buy into the theory he is any saviour.
“I’m happy to be viewed as part of it,” Price said.
“That team (Jays) was already good enough, and when I saw (Troy Tulowitzki) batting on top of the order I said that’s unfair. Then to be traded to that team, to the Toronto Blue Jays, going from that lineup in Detroit to this team, it’s the team that scores more runs than anyone in baseball.” So if he doesn’t pitch well Saturday? “If I don’t throw well I’ll go out in five days and be ready to pitch against the next team,” Price said.
“It’s not that I don’t care, I care a great deal about this, as much as anyone in the . . . but it’s not the end of it. So just go out and enjoy it, this is the biggest stage in baseball — none are bigger than the Yankees and Yankee Stadium. Beating the Yankees is a bigger confidence booster.”