Could David Price be in the Rays 2008 plans? What role would he have? And is it in the best interest for him and the team to explore such an idea? Or should they just let him progress at the minor league level?
Coming into the 2008 season, everybody was just chomping at the bit to see Price pitch at some capacity. After a heavy work load at Vanderbilt and the fact that he signed a little later than hoped, the Rays decided to shut down Price last season and he did not pitch in any minor league games.
Price then reported to big league spring training camp this year and there was brief talk that Price could make the team out of camp. That was basically the extent of that idea, talk, because from the beginning it was clear the Rays had no intentions of Price starting the season in the Majors. After being held out for a week with a minor injury Price made two impressive, but brief, Spring Training appearances before he was sent out to minor league camp. Once there, Price re-aggravated his elbow strain and would spend the better part of the next two months rehabbing and throwing in extended spring training.
All healthy now, Price has made two dominating starts for Advanced Class A Vero Beach and there are already whispers and hopes of seeing Price at the major league level this year. Publicly there has been no word on the what the Rays have planned as far as a projected path to the Major League level. It was believed the Rays planned to have Price pitch at least 10 games at Vero Beach, but with the level of success he?s already having that would seem like a waste of time.
If Price continues to pitch well over the next 3-4 starts I could see the Rays making the move and promoting Price to the next level, which is Double-A Montgomery. From there its anyone?s guess as to what the Rays would do. Depending on his success at that level, and the Rays status in the standings and team needs, it wouldn?t be out of the realm of possibility by any sorts for Price to make the jump from Double-A straight to the Majors. Just look at Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers. If the situation calls for it the Rays could also promote Price to Triple-A for a few games, similar to what the Yankees did with Joba Chamberlain last season.
Here?s where another question comes into play. What role would Price take on if such a move was made. Obviously, the plan is for David Price to be a front line starter for the Rays for many seasons to come but, like Chamberlain, the Rays could opt to use Price as a late inning reliever this year to limit the use of his arm, break him into the Majors slowly and add a dominate left handed fireballer at the end of games.
If Price makes another 15 appearance between now and say September 1st, he will have the same number(17) of minor league appearances that Chamberlain had when he was called up. Like Price, Chamberlain was a college pitcher who started his pro career in the Florida State League. Chamberlain had 32 college appearances(all starts) and logged 208 innings at Nebraska. Price made 43 appearances while at Vandy with 34 of them coming in starts. Price also threw a lot more innings than Chamberlain with 254.1.
Chamberlain started his minor league career in 2007 with seven starts(4-0, 2.03 ERA) and 40 innings at the FSL level. He then made eight appearances(seven starts, 40.1 innings) at Double-A Trenton, before making three more appearances(eight innings, including one start) in Triple-A Scranton. From there Chamberlain was a key member of the Yankees bullpen late last season and post season.
Given the number of innings Price threw at the collegiate level, it is very possibly he could make a few less starts than Chamberlain did in the minors and make it to the majors in a similar time frame. He then could be used in a similar role to Chamberlain, as a late ining reliever to limit the number of innings and pitches he throws, but also maximize his impact.
Will it happen? Is it even a possibility? Nobody knows. The Major League season is still very new and Price has only made two starts in the minors. The Rays won?t rush Price if they don?t feel he?s ready, but it?s hard to think Price is going to struggle much along the way.
A lot is going to depend on the success of the Major League ball club as well. If the Rays have a few hiccups along the way and fall to the middle of the pack at around .500 then there is a small chance that we seen Price this season. But if the Rays were contending into mid and late September, and the organization feels Price is ready physically and mentally, I?d find it hard for them to not toy with the idea of having a 6′6 lefty coming out in the 8th inning throwing a 98 MPH fastball mixed in with an upper 80?s, and down right nasty, slider.
........this is merely speculation, but as the season goes by and the Rays keep winning, these ?pipe dreams? may start to become reality in the minds of Rays fans and team officials alike. It?s pretty good to be around the Rays right now, and Jonny Gomes was right ?I?ll tell you what, it doesn?t suck.?
Coming into the 2008 season, everybody was just chomping at the bit to see Price pitch at some capacity. After a heavy work load at Vanderbilt and the fact that he signed a little later than hoped, the Rays decided to shut down Price last season and he did not pitch in any minor league games.
Price then reported to big league spring training camp this year and there was brief talk that Price could make the team out of camp. That was basically the extent of that idea, talk, because from the beginning it was clear the Rays had no intentions of Price starting the season in the Majors. After being held out for a week with a minor injury Price made two impressive, but brief, Spring Training appearances before he was sent out to minor league camp. Once there, Price re-aggravated his elbow strain and would spend the better part of the next two months rehabbing and throwing in extended spring training.
All healthy now, Price has made two dominating starts for Advanced Class A Vero Beach and there are already whispers and hopes of seeing Price at the major league level this year. Publicly there has been no word on the what the Rays have planned as far as a projected path to the Major League level. It was believed the Rays planned to have Price pitch at least 10 games at Vero Beach, but with the level of success he?s already having that would seem like a waste of time.
If Price continues to pitch well over the next 3-4 starts I could see the Rays making the move and promoting Price to the next level, which is Double-A Montgomery. From there its anyone?s guess as to what the Rays would do. Depending on his success at that level, and the Rays status in the standings and team needs, it wouldn?t be out of the realm of possibility by any sorts for Price to make the jump from Double-A straight to the Majors. Just look at Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers. If the situation calls for it the Rays could also promote Price to Triple-A for a few games, similar to what the Yankees did with Joba Chamberlain last season.
Here?s where another question comes into play. What role would Price take on if such a move was made. Obviously, the plan is for David Price to be a front line starter for the Rays for many seasons to come but, like Chamberlain, the Rays could opt to use Price as a late inning reliever this year to limit the use of his arm, break him into the Majors slowly and add a dominate left handed fireballer at the end of games.
If Price makes another 15 appearance between now and say September 1st, he will have the same number(17) of minor league appearances that Chamberlain had when he was called up. Like Price, Chamberlain was a college pitcher who started his pro career in the Florida State League. Chamberlain had 32 college appearances(all starts) and logged 208 innings at Nebraska. Price made 43 appearances while at Vandy with 34 of them coming in starts. Price also threw a lot more innings than Chamberlain with 254.1.
Chamberlain started his minor league career in 2007 with seven starts(4-0, 2.03 ERA) and 40 innings at the FSL level. He then made eight appearances(seven starts, 40.1 innings) at Double-A Trenton, before making three more appearances(eight innings, including one start) in Triple-A Scranton. From there Chamberlain was a key member of the Yankees bullpen late last season and post season.
Given the number of innings Price threw at the collegiate level, it is very possibly he could make a few less starts than Chamberlain did in the minors and make it to the majors in a similar time frame. He then could be used in a similar role to Chamberlain, as a late ining reliever to limit the number of innings and pitches he throws, but also maximize his impact.
Will it happen? Is it even a possibility? Nobody knows. The Major League season is still very new and Price has only made two starts in the minors. The Rays won?t rush Price if they don?t feel he?s ready, but it?s hard to think Price is going to struggle much along the way.
A lot is going to depend on the success of the Major League ball club as well. If the Rays have a few hiccups along the way and fall to the middle of the pack at around .500 then there is a small chance that we seen Price this season. But if the Rays were contending into mid and late September, and the organization feels Price is ready physically and mentally, I?d find it hard for them to not toy with the idea of having a 6′6 lefty coming out in the 8th inning throwing a 98 MPH fastball mixed in with an upper 80?s, and down right nasty, slider.
........this is merely speculation, but as the season goes by and the Rays keep winning, these ?pipe dreams? may start to become reality in the minds of Rays fans and team officials alike. It?s pretty good to be around the Rays right now, and Jonny Gomes was right ?I?ll tell you what, it doesn?t suck.?
