Boston Red Sox: What Number will David Price Wear?
The Boston Red Sox backed up the money truck for David Price, but his usual number 14 is retired by the franchise. What jersey number will Price wear in Boston?
They needed an ace, and were determined to get their man. The Boston Red Sox made the ultimate power move earlier this week, signing star left-handed pitcher David Price to a massive seven-year, $217 million free agent contract.
The contract makes Price the highest paid pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball, and his $31 million average annual salary being tied with Miguel Cabrera as the most for any position of all-time. Simply put, Price got PAID, but the Red Sox needed an ace, and they were not afraid to do whatever it took to get the best one available.
Price has had an incredible career with the Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays. His success in the American League, and most notably the AL East, is part of the appeal of him for the Red Sox. Price has proved that he can pitch well against the Red Sox most important rivals.
Throughout his entire career, Price has worn the same number, 14. Unfortunately, Price is about six years too late to wear that number for the Red Sox, as the franchise retired number 14 in 2009 to honor legendary outfielder Jim Rice.
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I suppose Rice may give Price permission to wear number 14 if he were to ask, but I doubt that ends up happening. More than likely Price will have to change his number. What are the most likely options?
Buzz around the internet has mostly suggested simply switching the numbers around and Price wearing 41. Not bad, and we have certainly seen players do this in the past. In fact, Price did wear 41 for a short time with the Triple-A Durham Bulls in 2008 before making his big league debut with the Rays.
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Number 19 has also come up as a possibility, but I have no idea why. Koji Uehara probably wouldn’t put up much of a fight if Price really insisted on number 19. Another teens number would certainly make some sense, and 14 is the only one that has been retired. Dustin Pedroia is not losing 15, but besides that and 14, anything else from 11-19 should be up for grabs.
Price has not only worn 14 throughout his entire MLB career, he did so in throughout the minors (besides that short four start Durham stint in 2008), and as a college pitcher at Vanderbilt.
A quick “David Price High School” google image search brought up a photo of Price wearing number 23 as a pitcher in high school, and that seems like a reasonable option. Rookie catcher Blake Swihart wore #23 last season, but I cannot imagine him putting up too much of a fight. Swihart is great, but he is not winning any disputes against the Red Sox 217 million dollar man. If Price wants #23, he will get #23.
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All that matter is that Price steps up and pitches like the ace that the Red Sox have desperately needed, but this number talk is pretty fun. So, what do you think it will be? 41, 19, 23, something else in the teens, a completely different number all together? Let us know in the comments section below.