When David Price signed a seven-year, $217 million contract to play for the Red Sox last offseason, fans were split on what to make of it.
Many were thrilled at the idea of a legitimate ace in Boston. As a former Cy Young Award winner, Price has consistently put up outstanding numbers throughout his career. However, many other fans were concerned that if the Red Sox were to qualify for the postseason, Price would be a liability.
Price pitched poorly for the Blue Jays in their postseason appearance last year. All Sox fans remember is his horrendous performance in the ALDS in 2013 against Boston. Price’s playoff performances certainly deserve to be in question, just as you really can’t argue with how dominant he’s been in the regular season.
That being said, what should we expect from the hard throwing lefty, now that he calls Fenway home?
Price has put up tremendous numbers in his career. Over the first nine years, Price has gone 105-56, an almost 2-1 win to loss ratio, and his career ERA of 3.09 is outstanding as well.
So, why would Red Sox fans be so worried about signing Price?
On the surface, he sounds like an ace and type of pitcher you would want at the top of any rotation. Well, the sad truth is that his numbers in the postseason are… questionable. Compare his regular season numbers to what he’s done in the postseason and the drop off is tremendous.
In postseason appearances in his career, Price owns a 2-7 win-loss record, and a career ERA of 5.12. When you think ace pitcher, you think somebody who is money in the postseason. Those numbers certainly aren’t that.
That being said, there is still a lot to be excited about with Price.
Price has not had success in the postseason; that much is documented. However, you can grow as a player and are allowed a few stumbles. My personal baseball hero is Pedro Martinez; he is the greatest pitcher I have ever seen, period.
However, even he is not exempt from a postseason stumble, like the one he suffered against the Yankees in Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS. Instead, we remember his six innings of relief, shutting out the Cleveland Indians to win Game Five of the 1999 ALDS. The point is that not everybody is going to be a “lights out” postseason pitcher like Andy Pettite, Jon Lester, or Madison Bumgarner.
Just because Price has yet to have a memorable postseason performance doesn’t mean he isn’t due for one, and who’s to say that it doesn’t come in Boston for the Fenway Faithful to see.