The Warning Track: David Price Dazzles in His Blue Jays Debut
Posted Aug 4, 2015 10:33:39 AM.
Last Updated Aug 4, 2015 10:36:34 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
8 innings – 11 strikeouts – 20 swinging strikes. Yeah, I think this David Price guy is going to do just fine in Toronto.
David Price put in a display in his Toronto Blue Jays debut in front of a sold-out crowd at the Rogers Centre yesterday. Price has been lauded as the savior for the Blue Jays’ season, and in his first trip to the mound, Price definitely did not disappoint.
In the grand scheme of things, it was only one start. Just one game from a guy who might only get the opportunity to make 11 or 12 more of them for the Blue Jays. But at the time, David Price’s start was the culmination of so many things that are finally starting to go right for the Toronto Blue Jays.
They had a very impressive week leading up to the trade deadline; acquiring Troy Tulowitzki, David Price, LaTroy Hawkins, Ben Revere and Mark Lowe. Then the Blue Jays followed that up by taking three of four games from the best team in the American League, the Kansas City Royals.
And they capped it all off with a stellar performance from David Price in his Blue Jays debut. For the Toronto Blue Jays and their fans, it was definitely one of the most exciting weeks in recent memory.
And that game from Price was precisely what the Blue Jays needed, and that’s likely why Alex Anthopoulos acquired Price in the first place. He’s a work horse who has the ability to throw well over 200 innings and make over 30 starts in a season.
Admittedly, the Blue Jays do have two other arms in the starting rotation that can do the same thing: R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle. But they don’t quite bring the clout to the mound that David Price does.
David Price is unquestionably an “ace” – he’s a number one starter – and he’s now a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.
I don’t think it was lost on the fans how important this game was, either. Not only did David Price’s debut on Civic Monday sell-out, but the crowd was electric from the very first pitch to the very final out. At one point, the fans rose to their feet to cheer David Price in a pivotal moment of the game.
That kind of reaction is typically only reserved for late-game situations, but David Price had these fans on the edge of their seats for most of the game. Even Price himself said that Monday’s game was hands-down the best atmosphere he’s ever pitched in during his eight-year career.
David Price’s debut was a testament to how excited the city of Toronto and Blue Jays’ fan base is about the potential for this Toronto Blue Jays team. Prior to trading for David Price, they were already a very talented team. But the addition of Price just makes them that much better.
