Boston Red Sox: Evan Longoria teaches David Price about emojis

Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price learns a new use for the flame emoji on Twitter from former Tampa Bay Rays teammate, Evan Longoria.

For someone as active on Twitter as David Price, the Boston Red Sox lefty is a bit behind on his emojis.

Price recently stumbled upon the popular flame emoji, which has been used for a variety of uses on social media.

The cool kids these days like to say when they find something they strongly endorse that it’s “fire” (or so I’m told by those that are younger and for more hip than I am). This can describe anything from a new hit song to a trendy outfit. Any mention of these favorites on Twitter may be followed by the stamp of approval in the form of the flame emoji.

The flame can also used following a bold statement made on social media to emphasis it as a hot take. This has become fairly common among athletes, sports writers and analysts that may voice a strong opinion about a certain player or team.

This is all apparently news to Price, who is clearly a fan of the flame, despite that it’s unclear as to whether or not he knows any of the proper usages of the emoji.

Luckily his friend and former Tampa Bay Rays teammate has his back. Evan Longoria responded to Price’s tweet with an example of how to use the emoji in the form of lyrics to song befitting of the flame.

That’s right, Longoria is taking us way back to 1999 with a reference to the Backstreet Boys! I’m not entirely sure that this is what the creators of the flame emoji had in mind, but it fits.

The tweet from Longoria poses a number of pressing questions. Was he trolling Price to rib him for “discovering” an emoji that has actually been around for years? Is this song the first that came to mind involving the word “fire” or did he ponder several choices before ultimately landing on the perfect response? Are these former teammates secretly huge BSB fans that once sang along to the the boy band’s greatest hits in the Rays clubhouse?

The world may never know the true meaning behind this message, but at least Price now knows of a new way to incorporate his favorite emoji into his tweets.

Red Sox fans may be amused by Price’s interactions on Twitter, but would prefer to see fire coming from his fastball as he blows away opposing hitters next season. We’re all hoping to see a bounce back campaign worthy of being described with the flame emoji from the veteran southpaw in his second season in Boston.

Next: Josh Tobias has potential

A vintage season from Price potentially gives the Red Sox a trio of Cy Young candidates at the top of their rotation, making Boston the favorite in the American League. I can’t speak for the rest of you, but I know I want it that way.