Red Sox: What if Boston never overpaid to sign David Price?

2016 Regular Season Final Numbers & 2016 Post Season

Price finished the season going 19 – 7 with a 3.99 ERA and had 228 strikeouts in 230 innings pitched. The 230 innings were a league high. Price gave up 30 home runs in 2016, a career worst for him. He also led the league by allowing 227 hits. Was Price showing signs of slowing down from being overtaxed during the regular season? In 2014, Price threw 248 1/3 innings and struck out 271 batters. Price was 28 then and 30 in 2016. Could that be the difference?

In Price’s lone post season appearance of 2016, he registered a loss giving up five runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings. His ERA for the game was an ugly 13.50. No way does that justify his mega contract. He hasn’t done enough to deserve it. The best part of the season for the team was finishing 93 – 69, good enough for 1st place atop the American League East. What was supposed to be a sure bet victory for the Sox turned out to be another loss.

With morale down the team needed more from their $217 million dollar man. Getting $30 million annually for the performance they got was not acceptable. While Red Sox skipper needed to have that type of innings eater out there every 5th start, they might have cost themselves a chance at 2017 unless Price could fully recover. There are definitely a few months of vacation but some players rarely relax during the off-season. 2017 would be a new year, one where Price had better come ready to rock.