Price settles back in
Leaves racist taunts of ’16 behind
FORT MYERS — At JetBlue Park, David Price already is working hard, preparing himself for his second season with the Red Sox, for whom he’s under contract to play for as many as six more years.
And during one of his first interviews from spring training yesterday, Price admitted that Year No. 2 already feels different.
“Now it feels normal, wearing this uniform, being around all these guys,” Price said. “It’s second nature to me now.” It wasn’t an easy first year. Price struggled at times on the mound, going 17-9 with a 3.99 ERA — decent enough stats, yet not in line with his standout 2015 campaign. And then there were the racist comments he said he heard from fans at Fenway Park, which he first talked about during an interview with the Globe in January.
He discussed his experiences further yesterday.
“I’ve heard (racist taunts) my entire life,” he said. “That’s nothing new to me. That’s part of it. I get it all the time. It’s nothing new. It’s nothing that’s going to hinder my work ethic or my thought process whenever I’m getting ready to do what I’m trying to do.”
Price, a product of an interracial marriage who grew up in Tennessee, said he wasn’t surprised the first time he heard the racist comments at Fenway.
“I absolutely can believe it,” he said. “Racism is still here. It’s not just in Boston, it’s everywhere.”
Asked if he and other Red Sox teammates discuss the racism, he said, “We talk all the time. We talked before this. It’s not something we . . . I don’t know the right word to use right now. I don’t know, but it doesn’t bother me.”
Price admitted he also received plenty of love from the home fans last year and felt like those spewing racist remarks were in the minority.
“I didn’t count them or anything like that, but yeah, for sure,” he said.
The only deserving criticism for Price was due to his performance, when he took a 5.11 ERA into June. He found pockets of success, but eventually took the loss in Game 2 of the Division Series against the Indians.
“I’m not sure what my record was, but I don’t feel like my record was the problem last year,” he said. “If you win 17 games in a big league season that’s a pretty good year. I just wasn’t consistent the way I normally am and had way too many bad games. That’s what I’m working on this year, being more consistent every fifth day.”
The Red Sox’ Opening Day starter last year, Price is not likely to earn that designation this year. But he’s already throwing with intensity, what he considers “letting it loose,” five days before pitchers and catchers are due to report.
“I feel good,” he said. “Everything right now feels really good. I’m just taking it day by day. Like I say in spring training every year, it’s not about feeling good today. It’s about making sure you feel good tomorrow as well.”
Price, Chris Sale and Rick Porcello are among the pitchers to have already been spotted in camp. Price said Sale has been great to be around.
“I think we have a pretty solid team right now on paper,” he said. “But that’s why we have to play 162 games. There’s a lot of stuff that can happen. We just have to go out there and have everybody do their job.”
Surely, stuff will happen. Price has a lot left to prove. But what shouldn’t happen is the vitriol he said he endured.
“Racism is a big deal,” he said. “It takes everybody to make a change. Not just one.”