Red Sox David Price Doesn’t Need Jonny Gomes’ Advice
The Boston Red Sox new ace starting pitcher David Price got some advice from former Red Sox player Jonny Gomes. Yet, Price shouldn’t need to worry about it.
Rob Bradford of WEEI.com spoke with Jonny Gomes, David Price’s teammate on the Tampa Bay Rays, and he had some advice for the new Boston Red Sox ace: “There’s no hiding … If you have nothing to hide, it’s a cakewalk. If you let the ball go between your legs, roll out the golden sombrero (4 strikeouts) or have a bad outing, you better be in front of your locker.”
Whether that was off the top of his head or a shot at Bill Buckner, Gomes’ advice seems obvious and unnecessary. Being “accountable” was all that Price had to deal with through the 2015 postseason in front of an entire country.
The Toronto Blue Jays and their playoff-starved fans were ravenous for glory this fall, only for their hopes at another World Series championship since 1993 to be dashed by the eventual champions, the Kansas City Royals. For his career, Price is 2-7 with a 5.12 ERA in the postseason. It is a far cry from the 9-1 record and 2.30 ERA Price posted for the Blue Jays, living up to all of the hype that he brought with him when Toronto traded for him in the summer.
Never once did Price hide from the media when he lost a heartbreaker against the Texas Rangers and the Royals in his starts. He faced the disappointment in the faces of every Canadian who was hoping for him to bring the Blue Jays to the promised land. In four games, three starts, Price gave up four home runs and 16 total runs, being quite humbled but very accountable.
For Gomes to need to warn Price of how Red Sox Nation would react to any faltering performances on the mound in Fenway, it seems a bit jaded.
Price has played 11 games in his eight-year career in Fenway Park. In those starts, Price went 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA. Two of them were complete games. His walks-to-strikeout ratio is 21-60. Not exactly the numbers of a struggling newcomer to the Boston pressure cooker.
On the other hand, Gomes played a season and a half in Boston, pretty much as a rent-a-player. He batted a slash line of .246/.334/.410 with 56 RBIs and 113 strikeouts in 133 games in Fenway Park. Not terrible, and in fact very valuable in his best moments, but not stellar numbers either. Compared to Price’s dominance, Gomes looks very average in his career in Boston’s cathedral.
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Maybe Gomes should be concentrating on his own game, and his MLB status, instead of worrying about giving advice to an ace pitcher in Boston. Especially a five-time All-Star and Cy Young Award winner who is used to the pressure, no matter where he has played.