Rays Waiting for Price to Be Just Right

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- It has been nearly three years since the Rays drafted David Price No. 1 overall, and 16 months since he got the dramatic final outs of the 2008 ALCS, in just his eighth big-league (and 27th professional) game.

If observers or fans have been antsy waiting for Price to break out and into stardom, the Tampa Bay organization has been patient.

So too, is Price.

"This is the big leagues," the lefty said Tuesday. "Every player in this locker room [has] struggled. I'm no exception. Just because I was 1/1 (baseball lingo for first pick, first round) doesn't mean I'll come out here and be lights out my first year -- or my second year. This game takes time.

"It takes time, and I understand that."

A year ago he may not have fully understood. The Rays were determined to have him start 2009 in the minors, despite the postseason stardom and nasty stuff, to control his workload and have him develop even further. Price wasn't fully on board.

Now, manager Joe Maddon said, "He gets it. I think he's finally understood that maybe what they've been talking about was right. He's been very respectful through the whole process, but I know there's times when we kept him back that he probably was upset about that. He understands now that it probably was the right thing to do."

"Our starting five pitchers are the best starting five anybody could put together."
-- Evan Longoria Tampa Bay is now counting on Price, 24, for its rotation, of which third baseman Evan Longoria said, "Our starting five pitchers are the best starting five anybody could put together."

(Maddon tried to downplay the hype a tad, saying, "It's unusual to have this many good arms at this age capable of throwing 200 innings and feel comfortable about it. ... I don't know if we're going to be the best five or not, but I know that coming into it, we're capable of being the best five."

Price came up in late May and went 10-7 with a 4.42 ERA. And he is still a work in progress.

"Here's a guy that, whether people realize it or not, is developing at the big-league level," Maddon said. "He has not had the full opportunity to develop, minor-league-wise. I can't say he's been rushed here, but we got him here quickly. And because of that quick process getting here, there's still some things he's got to tighten up."

For example, Price didn't throw a curveball from his sophomore year at Vanderbilt through last spring training, when he broke it out late in camp. He began using it in games during in the season, and thus far in this spring training, it has the makings of an adequate pitch.

"It definitely has a lot of room for improvement," said Price, whose mainstays are a mid-90s fastball and sharp slider. "I feel comfortable with it right now, I do."

Said Maddon: "He could [tinker with a curve] in [Triple-A] Durham or [Double-A] Montgomery, where it doesn't really matter. But he's doing it here [in the majors] trying to win a pennant. So it's more difficult. But he's different. He's got a different makeup about him. He's unique. He's good and he's driven."

All Maddon wants Price to do is pick up where he left off last year. As his command improved and his velocity actually picked up, Price went 7-3 in his final 12 starts, with a 3.58 ERA and a .217 batting average allowed.

"I think I just got better as a pitcher," he said. "More in control."