David Price – Hulk
This one comes to me as I think much like Hulk, David Price is a tale of two people. There is the quiet and reserved Bruce Banner and then there is the big guy. Price is similar to Banner in that on most days he is quiet and very unassuming in his actions and temperament. But when it comes time to change, he has no problem going green.
During much of this season, Price was the number two to Sale in the pecking order and was a reliable hand on the mound. We all knew what he could and would do and he delivered on just that. We also knew that for all of his regular season success he hasn’t been able to Hulk up in October. That monkey is absolutely off of his back after 2018.
For the longest time Banner would try anything and everything to keep the monster at bay until he realized that he IS the monster. I see a similar mindset with Price. Not that he was afraid or unsure of what would happen if he went to that next level but if he could ever come back from it. Welp, Price hulked up and it was a sight to see.
Price embraced his inner Hulk this postseason and teams paid greatly for what the monster did. The price that showed up in the ALCS and World Series was a pitcher like we’ve never seen before. He got focused, he got angry and he was tired of people doubting him on the big stage. He took the ball and made sure that never came back.
As soon as the World Series was over, Price returned back into Bruce Banner and his reserved self. But we all know now that the monster does live inside of him and can come out whenever he’s ready to unleash it.