Price a competitor in everything he does

James Shields wanted to blow a major-league bubble, so he asked David Price for a couple pieces of bubble gum. Make it four.

"I wanted a good bubble," Shields said.

Price, sitting next to the bucket of gum that night in the visitor's dugout at Fenway Park, decided if Shields could chew four pieces, he could chew five.

"I started messing with him," Shields said. "I know how competitive he is, so I went six pieces. The next thing you know he's going 10, so I'm going 10."

Ten became 15, 15 became 20.

The game of "I can chew more gum than you" ended with each pitcher trying to work their teeth around 25 pieces.

Impossible.

"I thought I was going to throw up," Shields said.

"I almost choked," Price said. "It was terrible."

But, if you're David Price, it had to be done.

It's his nature to be all in, whether he's facing major-league hitters or playing center fielder B.J. Upton in the "FIFA World Cup" video game; whether the game is pool or bowling; whether Price is passing time in the dugout with a round of 20 Questions with the other starting pitchers or seeing who can chew the most pieces of gum at once.

"He doesn't like to lose," shortstop Reid Brignac said, "no matter what."

It's that competitive nature that not only earned Price a spot on the American League All-Star team in just his first full season in the big leagues, but also the honor of starting tonight's game in Anaheim, Calif.

That makes the 24-year-old Price the youngest pitcher to start an All-Star Game since a 23-year-old Dwight Gooden in 1988.

"(Price) sets the bar so high it's almost unreachable, but that's the way he is," second baseman Sean Rodriguez said. "He's not shooting for the moon, he's shooting above the moon, and he'll land on the moon."

Price said he knows no other way.

"Just growing up, I guess, I was always playing with my brothers, who are older than me, and they were better than me at everything until I hit a certain age," Price said. "I just got tired of losing. I never wanted to lose."

Damon and Jack are both in their 40s, so you can see where little David didn't stand a chance.

The thought of losing motivated Price to find ways to win, and playing against brothers nearly 20 years older helped develop his athletic skills and his competitive nature.

When he was 8, Price found himself pitching against 12-year-olds. The top travel teams in the Nashville area all wanted Price, because the top travel teams in the Nashville area all wanted the same thing: wins.

"We won all the time, so that's probably where it comes from," Price said.

Price is halfway through his first full season at the major-league level. He's tied with CC Sabathia of the Yankees for the American League in wins at 12 and leads the league with a 2.42 ERA. Price is three wins shy of setting the Rays' all-time record for victories in a season. He's on pace for 20 wins.

He can dominate a lineup with his fastball and can throw three other pitches for strikes. And all that talent is sparked by an internal blast furnace that places him among the top pitchers in the game, lefty or righty; young or old.

"He deserves to start the All-Star Game," Shields said.

Price said he takes the mound before each start with idea of throwing a perfect game.

It's an unrealistic goal, but it's an example of how much Price expects of himself.

"That's what my college coaches (at Vanderbilt) really hammered to me. Whatever I expect from myself, expect even more," he said.

On May 7, Price allowed three hits and an unearned run in 72/3 innings in a 4-1 against the A's in Oakland. He was upset with his outing. For one, he walked two batters in the eighth, which led to a run and denied him the chance of throwing a complete game. And, he was upset he allowed that many hits. He felt he got away with too many hittable pitches. Do that against a more potent lineup, Price said, and he would be in for a rough night.

"That's just part of his gig," Shields said. "He's a very competitive guy. He's a perfectionist at everything he does. I think that has a lot to do with the way he is on the mound."

Off the mound, it's the same story.

Price and Brignac rented a house in Port Charlotte during spring training. There was a pool table in the middle of the living room. Price, Brignac, Upton, Desmond Jennings and Tim Beckham nearly wore out the green surface.

They played almost every night.

Price won almost every game.

"Yes, David is very good at everything he plays," Brignac said. "You name it, the guy can do it. Golf, pool, bowling. He's very talented. If we're playing anything, I'd put my money on Price. He wins. A lot."

Reliever Randy Choate, a former Yankee, said Price has a competitive fire identical to Roger Clemens. He and Price once were walking together toward the team bus. Price noticed Choate was a half-step ahead, so he moved a half-step ahead of Choate. Choate countered. Price countered.

"We ended up running," Choate said.

"We're all competitive," Upton said, "but he's ultra-competitive. He definitely takes it to the next level."

Price has the smarts to go along with all that talent, Brignac said.

Take the "FIFA World Cup" video game. Price not only learned how to play the game, he practices it so he can beat his teammates. Same with pool and golf and, of course, baseball.

"David doesn't like to lose in anything he does," Brignac said. "He takes it personally, no matter what it is. If you're throwing rocks to see how many times you can skip it across the pond, he wants his to skip more than the rest of us. That's his mentality, and that's a great mentality to have."