Rays take Vanderbilt's Price
The Devil Rays made Vanderbilt left-hander David Price the top pick of baseball's annual first-year player draft Thursday afternoon in Orlando.
Price, 21, finished his junior season 11-1, 2.63 with a school-record 194 strikeouts (and only 31 walks) in 1331/3 innings, allowing a .199 average.
His best pitch is a 95 mph fastball, and he has a nasty slider he can throw at any point in a count. The 6-foot-5, 215-pounder's changeup isn't as refined as he didn't need it much against overmatched college hitters.
The Rays' only concern could be Price's workload; he averaged 121 pitches in 11 conference starts, went as high as 137 and threw 130 Friday and came back to throw 14 more Monday in his first relief appearance of the season, giving up the game-winning, thus season-ending, home run.
Contract talks are likely to begin Friday, and the only deadline is MLB's new Aug. 15 cutoff.
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Price came in for relief and gave up the winning home run. He'll fit right in here.
Posted by: Chris | June 07, 2007 at 02:57 PM
You gotta hate some stupid idiot who reads this article and all he sees is that he gave up a home run in his 1 relief appearance. He's a starting pitcher and he shouldn't have even been in there. Look at the body of work instead of the tiny spot..Fool, I mean, Chris
Posted by: James | June 07, 2007 at 03:06 PM
James you had it right the first time, FOOL!! or IDIOT or JERK all are synonyms for Chris!
Posted by: Keith | June 07, 2007 at 04:23 PM
Now I hope the Rays will make a "pitch" for Tim Corbin!
Posted by: TonyC | June 08, 2007 at 10:47 AM
I'm happy he gave up the winning run that knocked Vanderbilt out. Now he can't get injured playing for a college coach who might have over used him.
Posted by: Carsvin | June 09, 2007 at 07:04 PM