Simplicity is the New Key For David Price

As David Price, the prophesied mega star of the Tampa Bay Rays starting rotation, took the mound for a Thursday day game against the Toronto Blue Jays, it became known that he had underwent absolutely no strategical preparation for the start. Price had ignored every scouting report made available to him and even chosen not to meet with his pitching coach and catcher before the game. 

It was all a part of his plan.

Since being called up from Triple-A Durham May 25th, Price has struggled with numerous issues. The most prominent of these troubles has been his inefficiency with his pitches and unwillingness to go after batters. This has consistently led to Price running up high pitch counts early and racking up massive walk totals. 

Many Rays fans have quickly grown concerned as they watch yet another star pitcher with great stuff try to pick around the corners and seemingly pitch scared. In St. Petersburg this is known as Scott Kazmir syndrome. 

The “Devil” Rays of the past were notorious for rushing top prospects through the minors and tossing unprepared, starry-eyed 20-year-old kids into the major league spotlight time and time again. The handful of people that make up the Tropicana Field faithful have seen it far too many times.  What with a teenage B.J. Upton stumbling around at shortstop for a season and Kazmir being rushed quickly to the majors, never receiving the last stage of development that he so badly needed.

This is why when the national media flipped out over Price starting the season in the minors, many Rays fans, myself included, were very content with the idea. If a couple of months with the Durham Bulls could keep him from being a Kazmiresque four inning specialist then bring it on. In his first start upon being called to the majors, Price would throw 100 pitches in just 3.1 innings and it would be a sign of things to come.

Before Thursday, Price’s recent outings had perhaps proven more than ever before that his call to the show had been premature. There was a 1.1 inning disaster in Texas where he managed to give up six runs and walk five. That came after a 4.1 inning, five run outing against the Phillies in which he gave up his five runs before the Rays recorded the game’s second out. 

The struggles were blamed on Price’s over analysis of his starts and excessive concentration on how to handle each individual batter. The coming suggestion was beyond basic yet a rare concept in a game that now focuses so heavily on studying your opponent. Joe Maddon, one of the game’s most technical and quirky managers, ordered Price to forget about the opponent and take the pitching game back to its most elementary form.

What Maddon and the Rays got in return was a six inning, one run performance that was highlighted by a vastly improved strikeout to walk ratio of 7:1. Maddon called the game plan a “primal method of pitching.” Rays fans called it a huge win to complete the sweep of the Blue Jays and a refreshingly splendid performance by Price. 

For the second time in as many weeks, a young rays pitcher (the other being the immortal Jeff Niemann) had out-dueled Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. There seems to be a pleasant aura around the Rays clubhouse these days as they return to their winning ways. Continual solid performances by the man who could become their future ace can only boost that sentiment. 

Whether or not his basic approach will continue to be used or whether or not it will continue to work still remains to be seen. 

One thing is certain.  With the phenomenal tools that Price possesses, anything that can push him to attack the strike zone is a well welcomed concept. If Maddon’s latest idea can instill more confidence in Price on the mound, his chances of becoming the dominating force that he has the potential to be will increase greatly.