Price starts with 3 2/3 innings

Indicative of the caution the Rays will use, LHP David Price was limited to 3 2/3 innings (74 pitches) in his season debut for Triple-A Durham on Saturday.

Price allowed four hits, including a two-run homer by Nolan Reimold, walking two and striking out four.

Durham was ahead 3-2 at the time.

Price rained out in Durham

LHP David Price's season debut was rained out in Durham Friday. Price, the game's top pitching prospect, was to face Norfolk and catcher Matt Wieters, the game's top position player prospect.

Price is scheduled now to start Saturday's 5:05 game.

Price finalist for ESPN the Mag's "NEXT" athlete

The national notoriety continues for the Rays.

Rookie lefthander David Price has been nominated as one of ESPN the Magazine’s four finalists for this year’s NEXT athlete; Ricky Rubio, Joey Logano and Matt Ryan are the others. Price, the 2007 top pick, made a meteoric rise through the three minor league levels this season before getting called up in September and becoming a key part of the Rays postseason run. Price picked up his first win in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Red Sox and then closed out Game 7, getting the final four outs to eliminate the defending world champions.

The next day, he introduced president-elect Barack Obama at a Tampa rally.

Voting for the NEXT athlete begins Monday on espn.com

Price to make first big-league start Monday

LHP David Price will make his first major league start on Monday in Baltimore, manager Joe Maddon said Sunday.

Price, the 2007 top pick, has made two relief appearances since getting called up from Triple-A Durham, and was thought to be a top candidate to start the second game of a doubleheader on Tuesday, but Maddon liked how both Price and rookie RHP Mitch Talbot matched up against lefties, and so Talbot will start in Tuesday's late game.

In doing so, RHP Matt Garza - Monday's scheduled starter - will have his next outing pushed back until Saturday (he pitched on three days rest in his last start, so this could get him that extra rest).

RHP James Shields will still start the first game of the doubleheader Tuesday.