News
Price set to square off with Red Sox
Tampa Bay (59-48) vs. Boston (62-43), 7:08 p.m. ET
By Zach Schonbrun / MLB.com
08/05/09 1:08 AM ET
ST. PETERSBURG -- It's been 10 months since David Price officially stamped his name on the baseball map, and the 23-year-old rookie can tell you all about the bittersweet sensation of being smothered at the bottom of a pile of players on the mound after Game 7 of the 2008 American League Championship Series. But ask him to relive the moment of beating the Red Sox that night? He can only tell you by memory. Ten months later, he still hasn't seen the film or a replay of the game. "I'm sure my parents have [a copy]," Price said. "But I don't." There's no superstition or mysticism about it -- Price said he simply never asked anybody for a copy and has never caught a rerun. The image remains freshly tattooed in his mind as his official welcome-to-the-spotlight moment. Price pitched 2 1/3 innings in the ALCS without allowing a run, earned a win in Game 2 and a four-out save in Game 7, the latter of which became iconic of the Rays' magical 2008 season. It also represented the seemingly boundless talent of Tampa Bay's prized young left-hander. "It's kind of where I put myself on the map last year, it was against these guys," Price said. "It was fun, it was awesome. I wouldn't change anything that happened for the world." Price's 2009 season, however, hasn't evolved as smoothly as hoped. He has struggled with command and consistency, pitching to a 5.10 ERA in 12 starts since being called up on May 30. Rays manager Joe Maddon has insisted the talent and mentality is there, but Price is merely feeling the brunt of a rookie season. Price faces Boston on Wednesday after shutting down Kansas City in one of his best starts of the season. He matched a career high with seven innings and allowed five hits and one run. He is 4-1 with a 2.67 ERA at home this season. And he'll be on the same mound he was 10 months ago, which might make for more than a few mental -- not digital -- flashbacks. "I've had some success [against Boston], yeah," Price said. "It was good. But this is going to be difficult. It's a new year, it's a new game. We've got a little bit of a different team, they've got a different team -- it's got a different feel. It's going to be fun." Pitching matchupTB: LHP David Price (4-4, 5.10 ERA)
Price looked sharp Friday night and earned his first win since the All-Star break. Though he's maintained he has felt good all season long, his velocity and command were visibly better against the Royals than in his previous two starts. Price has pitched remarkably well at home this season, improving to 4-1 with a 2.67 ERA, compared with 0-3 and an 8.20 ERA on the road. He's obviously much more comfortable pitching at home at this point in his career, something Maddon said is to be expected. Against the Red Sox, Price will have a test, but he didn't appear too fearful of them last October. BOS: RHP Brad Penny (7-5, 5.07 ERA)
Penny was tagged for seven earned runs last Wednesday against Oakland, the most he's allowed since April 17. The burly right-hander threw 100 pitches in just five innings of work, walking four and striking out three in an 8-6 Red Sox loss to the A's at Fenway Park. He had yielded three runs or fewer in each of his previous five home starts. In six career appearances against the Rays, Penny is 2-3 with a 5.06 ERA and a 20:9 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Tidbits
Carl Crawford stole his 50th and 51st bases of the season in the first inning Tuesday, reaching the 50-steal plateau for the fifth time in his career, most among active players. He is the sixth player in AL history to have five 50-steal seasons. ... Crawford also turns 28 on Wednesday, and has 353 steals, 90 triples and 1,244 hits in his career. His 353 steals are the seventh most by a player before the age of 28 since 1900, and his 90 triples are the most by a player before the age of 28 since Stan Musial. ... Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura did agility drills and ran the bases before Tuesday's game, and he looked good as he continues to rehab from knee surgery. "He looks to me like there's no hesitation," Maddon said. "I can see the brace kind of impacts him a little bit, but I don't see any kind of concern that he's going to do anything bad or wrong that's going to mess it up." Tickets
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• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Rays (Jeff Niemann, 10-5, 3.62) at Mariners (Felix Hernandez, 12-4, 2.78), 10:10 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Rays (James Shields, 6-8, 3.75) at Mariners (TBD), 10:10 p.m. ET
Zach Schonbrun is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
