TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Ending Game 7 Only The Start For Rays' Price

The Associated Press

The first pick of the 2007 draft made his spring training debut against the Yankees.

ADVERTISEMENT

By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 21, 2008

Updated: 10/21/2008 04:13 pm

ST. PETERSBURG - First, some housekeeping.

David Price introduced Barack Obama, not the other way around.

It happened Monday afternoon at Steinbrenner Field. Some 13 hours after he saved the pennant to help put the Rays in the World Series, 23-year-old David Price, who could run for mayor in St. Pete, told thousands at a Tampa rally to welcome the White Sox fan who might be the next president of the United States. Now, how was your weekend?

"Public speaking is my enemy," Price said later at Tropicana Field. "I'd rather come in with a 3-0 count and bases loaded in a tie game. Public speaking is tough."

But it's all part of riding the wave. Here's an early review:

"Wow," Price said.

In the other Wow, Price took the mound in the eighth inning of Game 7 of the ALCS. Rays up 3-1, two outs, but bases chocked with Boston Red Sox. Up stepped J.D. Drew. Price and his left arm had been in the big leagues for 35 days. Rays third baseman Evan Longoria offered encouragement.

"You've waited for this moment all your life," Longoria told Price. "You were born for this moment."

As Longoria walked away, Price thought:

Hey, I'm older than you.

Price struck out Drew (97 mph fastball) and then retired the Sox in the ninth for his first career save, you know, for the pennant. Now, back to Longo ...

"We're both 23," Price said. "But I'm a couple of months older."

"I've been up longer," Longoria said with a grin.

Watch out, world.

After Game 7, Price happily described the near-death experience of the people pile that buried him and Rays catcher Dioner Navarro after the final out.

"I couldn't breathe. It was great."

On the bottom, Price was crying.

"This is what you dream about."

The first pick of the 2007 draft made his spring training debut against the Yankees. Even veteran Rays howled in awe as Price hit the first batter, then struck out the side, hitting 100 on one speed gun. Rays pitcher and ALCS MVP Matt Garza, no slouch himself, remembers it.

"We were just, 'Wow,'" Garza said.

Wow.

Price buzz-sawed through the minors, hitting the Trop in mid-September. "It's been a whirlwind of a year," he said. And now he has saved a pennant. As Rays manager and true believer Joe Maddon calmly handed him the ball in Game 7, Price thought happy thoughts.

"Just of having a catch with my dad in the backyard," he said.

While Price spoke Monday, a Rays equipment man lifted the Rays cap from Price's head. The cap was later returned with a World Series logo stamped on it. Price looked at it.

"You don't dream about pitching a regular-season game. You dream about pitching in a World Series. You don't sell yourself short in your dreams."

Sen. Obama would concur.

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT