How much do you enjoy having David Price on the Red Sox roster? How much do you enjoy rooting for him?
On a scale of Dante Bichette to David Ortiz...
- Thread starter Kenny F'ing Powers
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My only problem is that it's upside down, and that's confoosing.
I went with a 9. He's really good at throwing baseballs and that's what the Red Sox need. Developing pitching is no walk in the park, so backing up the Brinks truck for a proven commodity is fine by me. He seems like he wants to be here, and though the results weren't there last year, the peripherals were, so I have faith he'll come around. Plus he's got a cool dog.
I went with a 9. He's really good at throwing baseballs and that's what the Red Sox need. Developing pitching is no walk in the park, so backing up the Brinks truck for a proven commodity is fine by me. He seems like he wants to be here, and though the results weren't there last year, the peripherals were, so I have faith he'll come around. Plus he's got a cool dog.
Rate his on-field performance over the course of his contract and that's my answer. So far, I'd say he's an 8. I'm hoping by the end of it, he'll have been a 9.
What czar said. I loved adding Beckett and Pedro and Manny and Eckersley and any other good player.
I am one of those guys who is all annoyed about the post 2013 strategy and was hoping with the strong farm system we would be Tampa with a budget instead of more Yankees North. (I understand those that think Yankees North is just fine, and I'm not here to argue about team building strategies and risk). To me Price represents that strategy, therefore while he is way better than people credit, I don't necessarily enjoy rooting for him - but the same thing goes for Kimbrel, et al.
Czar hit the nail on the head. If he has a great postseason we will all (mostly) love him. See Lackey, John.
A dog that can't reproduce on its own, has to be birthed via c-section, and has trouble breathing qualifies as cool?!My only problem is that it's upside down, and that's confoosing.
I went with a 9. He's really good at throwing baseballs and that's what the Red Sox need. Developing pitching is no walk in the park, so backing up the Brinks truck for a proven commodity is fine by me. He seems like he wants to be here, and though the results weren't there last year, the peripherals were, so I have faith he'll come around. Plus he's got a cool dog.
I gave rooting for him a 4. Totally fine with hired guns, but his lack of personality and playoff shortcomings keep him from a 6 for me.
I generally can't stand players/people who desperately want to be liked. David Price seems to be that type of guy. He's probably a good person and his teammates seem to love him, but yeah....I'm not a big fan. But I couldn't stand Jonny Gomes or John Lackey either and those guys worked out (for a season at least). And hey, at least he's not collecting Nazi memorabilia.
Minus points for the TB legacy, the Ortiz kerfuffle, and obviously the playoff problems, but I still voted '7-8' because he should help us get back to the playoffs a few more times. I'm not positive how much surplus value he will provide over the contract, but he probably won't be a horrible signing (fingers crossed).
I can't reproduce on my own, was birthed via c-section, and sometimes have trouble breathing, so yes, I do think that dog is freaking cool.
The guy tweets at his haters. He mugs with his ugly mug. He signed a 7 year deal. Say what you want about the playoffs, the guy at least has a personality and is not a hired gun.
So he wants to be liked, and is liked, but that's not ok? You would prefer he...?
I agree 100% with the bolded, but I do like watching him try to hit the corner with that cutter and I like players who aren't afraid to be human beings, so I'll say 7.
90% or so will be his performance.
I wasn't a big fan of when they brought Lackey on board because of his blowing up Fenway comments and general mound demeanor, but by his next to last year he was a likeable big lug. Pretty much because he was a beast who scarfed innings like Joey Chestnut.
I feel the same way about Price, but once he has a Lester-eque post season run, I'll love him. I do not care about his dog unless it learns to hit for power.
I wasn't a big fan of when they brought Lackey on board because of his blowing up Fenway comments and general mound demeanor, but by his next to last year he was a likeable big lug. Pretty much because he was a beast who scarfed innings like Joey Chestnut.
I feel the same way about Price, but once he has a Lester-eque post season run, I'll love him. I do not care about his dog unless it learns to hit for power.
No problem if he wants to be liked. My post said, I have a problem with people who desperately want to be liked. He's like a needy girlfriend/boyfriend who wallows in self pity. He's defensive about everything. And from a pitching perspective, I can't imagine it's the best mindset for him. Obviously I'm rooting for him because of his laundry, but if I'm being honest, I don't like him. I don't think my opinion is so crazy.
Edit - And full disclosure, I admit that I initially liked the signing and thought his personality would be a great fit here. I've done a 180.
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7-8.
I'm not a fan but don't hate him; it's mostly that I think "hired guns are fine if we win" deserves a 7-8.
I voted before I saw the dog picks, which bump him up at least a point: 8-9.
I'm not a fan but don't hate him; it's mostly that I think "hired guns are fine if we win" deserves a 7-8.
I voted before I saw the dog picks, which bump him up at least a point: 8-9.
Disagree on the bolded part. Strongly.
I'm not sure where you're coming up with the analogy of the needy girlfriend or boyfriend, I mean this sounds like Bill Simmons circa 2002. What sounds "needy" to you, sounds like honesty to me.
And the guy has been an above-average, All-Star pitcher in the American League. I think that his mindset is just fine.
The guy's been a very good pitcher but the whole, "oh, yeah, I didn't realize I was throwing from a slide step motion and cutting down on the velocity of my fastball" thing was stunning to me. How can a Cy Young winner not realize what the hell he's doing out there to that extent?!
Neither like nor dislike him, overall. He's a good pitcher, and we always need more pitching. He's wicked expensive. I wanted to keep Lester and did not like that paying Price top-of-the-market money was the end result of that screw-up by Sox management. That's not really on Price, but the question is how much I "enjoy" having him on the roster. I went with 4-6.
I can't reproduce on my own, was birthed via c-section, and sometimes have trouble breathing, so yes, I do think that dog is freaking cool.
I loved that we signed him, trying to ignore the sticker shock. So my expectations and therefore wanting to like him were high Let's say 8. But his sporadic start to the season became increasingly frustrating. Much like Dice-k's. I dropped to a 4-5 by October.
So, in sum, I'm fickle, and if he deals this year, I'll love the big lug.
edit: Bichette's career WAR?
5.5. A lot lower than I thought.
So, in sum, I'm fickle, and if he deals this year, I'll love the big lug.
edit: Bichette's career WAR?
5.5. A lot lower than I thought.
I hated him as a Devil Ray. Partly because of his amazing work against the Sox in the '08 ALCS, but the real hate was galvanized because of the BS with Papi in '13. To me, that showed a lack of respect more than it showed gamesmanship or competitiveness.
I also loved Lester, and feel that Price is not an equivalent substitute. So, for now, I'm sitting at 4-6. Hoping that will improve by a playoff run this fall.
I also loved Lester, and feel that Price is not an equivalent substitute. So, for now, I'm sitting at 4-6. Hoping that will improve by a playoff run this fall.
Wasn't that David Wells?
Anyway, David Ortiz is maybe the most beloved player in Red Sox history so its fitting he's the top end of this scale. But he's also one of the whiniest, most entitled players of our time as well. He threw bats at umpires, interrupted a Francona press conference because of an official scorer and his personal stats, and wildly swung a bat in the dugout with his teammates a few feet away and even Pedroia got in his face for it because of what a pathetic display it was. But all the fans and everybody wanted him on the team all the way through because he's productive, a winner, and at the top of this scale.
Except they didn't. When he stopped being David Ortiz! for 2-3 years everybody wanted him benched vs. LHP or designated for assignment and got sick of the theatrics. Price will be fine with the fans if he pitches well enough for the Sox to make World Series runs.
Lester is a home-grown guy who was considered an ok prospect who then overcame cancer and grew into an absolute stud who pitched great in two Red Sox World Series and doesn't get hurt and is only getting better. Price was a 1/1 for a division rival who whines about David Ortiz and sucks in the post-season and is getting worse with weird elbow swelling for 50% more money. What's not equivalent?
He's been kinda disappointing so far, and hasn't seemed like he's having much fun. All that could change, but right now I'm giving him a 5.
Wasn't Pedro insecure? Or at least had a chip on his shoulder.
I mean I think he's kind of a dink but all that matters is if he plays hard. He was annoying to watch when he sucked last year, but he made/ makes the team better. Trying to interpret whether a kind of irritated interview means he's going to fall apart or go full chip-on-his-shoulder-dominate-the-league mode seems kind of silly.
I'm glad this good player is on our team though.
I mean I think he's kind of a dink but all that matters is if he plays hard. He was annoying to watch when he sucked last year, but he made/ makes the team better. Trying to interpret whether a kind of irritated interview means he's going to fall apart or go full chip-on-his-shoulder-dominate-the-league mode seems kind of silly.
I'm glad this good player is on our team though.
Full disclosure - I've disliked Price for years. I've heard all the stuff about him being a great teammate and a great competitor, and there's no doubt he's talented.
But here's the thing for me - what goes in hand with "plays hard" and "makes the team better" is giving himself the best opportunity to maximize his contributions. And that's where he falls short to me. The Twitter stuff and some of the things he says in interviews leaves me thinking he's his own worst enemy. And that works against making the team better.
He seems way too in his own head to me - in kind of a Derek Lowe of the Derek-Lowe-face way. I wish he had more Josh Beckett in him.
I'll see your Mike Benjamin and raise you a Mike Lansing.
7-8 here. He doesn't seem to have quite enough personality (or perhaps the right kind of personality) to ever become a personal favorite of mine, but he seems like a smart, decent guy and he's a hell of a pitcher and I'm glad we signed him.
I'm going to go full on curmudgeon for a moment here--and as a disclaimer--he does seem like an intelligent and reasonable guy.
But did he really just say in an interview (with Stan Grossfeld of the Globe) that Boston won't like him as a person, because he buys coffee for the staff, but it's Starbucks not DD? And then to say that he could recite John 3:16, but Boston fans would somehow have a problem with him for that too?
That seems insane.
But did he really just say in an interview (with Stan Grossfeld of the Globe) that Boston won't like him as a person, because he buys coffee for the staff, but it's Starbucks not DD? And then to say that he could recite John 3:16, but Boston fans would somehow have a problem with him for that too?
That seems insane.
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I've got nothing against the guy personally. It really all comes down to his contract, and what that means in terms of opportunity cost to the Sox. He's being paid to be the best on the staff and he had a good year with some bad bits, including burdening the bullpen in a terrible first month. He choked in the post season.
I'm neutral, about a six. If Price delivered a great performance, I'd feel more positive toward him. If he gave up some of his contract money so we could extend other players, I'd also feel more positive. Bottom line, the guy needs to deliver on his contract, no matter what his personality.
I'm neutral, about a six. If Price delivered a great performance, I'd feel more positive toward him. If he gave up some of his contract money so we could extend other players, I'd also feel more positive. Bottom line, the guy needs to deliver on his contract, no matter what his personality.
I've got nothing against the guy personally. It really all comes down to his contract, and what that means in terms of opportunity cost to the Sox. He's being paid to be the best on the staff and he had a good year with some bad bits, including burdening the bullpen in a terrible first month. He choked in the post season.
I'm neutral, about a six. If Price delivered a great performance, I'd feel more positive toward him. If he gave up some of his contract money so we could extend other players, I'd also feel more positive. Bottom line, the guy needs to deliver on his contract, no matter what his personality.
I'm neutral, about a six. If Price delivered a great performance, I'd feel more positive toward him. If he gave up some of his contract money so we could extend other players, I'd also feel more positive. Bottom line, the guy needs to deliver on his contract, no matter what his personality.
I voted 7-8. I like the guy on our team waaaaay more than Papelbon and Schilling and those guys directly won us 2 world series! I'm happy to have had them pitching for us... but crikey they were troglodyte shit bags.