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Red Sox: Four must-watch players in Spring Training

By Stephen Coelho

FT. MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 19: David Price of the Boston Red Sox runs stretches while blowing a bubble at a spring training workout at Fenway South on February 19, 2016 in Ft. Myers, Florida. (Photo by Cliff McBride/Getty Images)
FT. MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 19: David Price of the Boston Red Sox runs stretches while blowing a bubble at a spring training workout at Fenway South on February 19, 2016 in Ft. Myers, Florida. (Photo by Cliff McBride/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 08: David Price (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 08: David Price (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

David Price

Much like Hanley Ramirez, David Price has faced the challenge of living up to a monster contract. Price’s 7-year, $217 million contract makes him the highest paid pitcher in history. The pressure of living up to a contract worth so much, especially in Boston, is not easy. In terms of value, Price has underperformed with the Red Sox. That being said, he still has been a valued part of the pitching staff. His 2016 campaign created a poor first impression, but  His 2017 performances showed promise, but a lingering elbow injury kept him off the mound.

Red Sox fans have a right to be concerned about Price. With five more years committed to him, they are depending on Price to return to ace form. That being said, his numbers don’t accurately reflect general fan and media perception of him. There is no denying Price can do better, but he has still been valuable to the Red Sox.

Last Two Years

2016: 17 W | 9 L | 3.99 ERA | 230.0 IP | 228 SO | 112 ERA+ | 3.60 FIP | 4.4 WAR
2017:6 W | 3 L | 3.38 ERA | 74.2 IP | 76 SO | 135 ERA+ | 3.64 FIP | 1.5 WAR

Analyzing Price’s Value

When compared to Chris Sale‘s $12 million annual value, Price seems like the most overpaid player not named Sandoval. However, an analysis of the 2016 free agent market suggests Price is not as overpaid as it seems.

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For the past few years, baseball researcher Matt Swartz has conducted extensive free agent market research. Swartz is a consultant for the Washington Nationals, and a writer for FanGraphs, and MLB Trade Rumors. His research estimates that 2016 free agents were worth about $9.6 million per WAR. This estimate suggests that Price’s performance is nearly living up to its high cost. WAR is a bit of a controversial metric, and it’s worth noting that a player’s value has numerous immeasurable elements. However, WAR is still an effective tool for estimating player value.

Price probably could care less about his WAR, and he’ll be the first to admit he expects better of himself. He came to Boston to be an ace, not just a good pitcher. That being said, if the Red Sox could go back to the 2016 off-season, they would probably sign him again.

2018 Outlook

Determining whether Price is worth the money is a bit irrelevant. He’s probably not going anywhere, and the Red Sox need him to step up this year. With questions about the lineup, the need for dominant pitching is more present than ever. Even if J.D. Martinez signs, the pitching staff will determine how well the Red Sox stack up against the Yankees.

2017 was a stressful year for Price, but when he was on the mound, it didn’t show. His ALDS game 3 appearance is another reason to be optimistic about the future. His relief appearance showed that his fastball can still reach the upper 90’s and that he can still be a big game pitcher.

If David Price is healthy, expect a passionate, and motivated 2018 season. Despite having a Cy Young Award, and a $217 million contract, he will pitch like he has something to prove. Watching Price this March will be important, as the health of his elbow will be the difference of a good, or dominant Red Sox pitching staff.

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