Price feature on E 60

"Young, Gifted And Black": Price profiled in Sports Illustrated

Do yourself a favor and buy a copy of this week's Sports Illustrated, if you're not a subscriber already. Lee Jenkins, who happens to be a Vanderbilt alum, has a terrific feature on David Price, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 MLB Draft, that you can read online here.

To give you an idea about the article, titled "Young, Gifted AND Black," here's the subhead:

The Best Story in Baseball gets better: Phenom David Price is closing in on the majors, which will not only give the remarkable Rays a stretch-drive lift but also help a city—and a sport—reconnect with its African-American heritage.

A few interesting tidbits from the story:

* After getting shelled in an intrasquad scrimmage in January of his freshman year, Price made a decision: drop out of school, quit baseball and work at McDonald's. "It was definitely kind of out there," Corbin said, "but I couldn't laugh because he was so serious." Good thing Corbin talked him out of it.

* Wrote Jenkins: "Today Price is the best African-American pitching prospect since Dwight Gooden."

* In 2007, only 8.2 percent of MLB players were black, the lowest total in more than two decades. In 1975, the number was 27 percent, an all-time high.

* How do you get more inner-city kids interested in baseball? By having visible role models like Price, along with the likes of Carl Crawford and B.J. Upton, who show that not only that baseball is cool, but that you can have a future in it.

"I hear a lot about how African-American kids don't play baseball anymore," said Hillsborough coach Kenny White. "But in Tampa they are still playing. I think kids here look at all the African-American players who have come out of this city—and now all the African-American players who are being taken by the Rays—and they see that it's still attainable, that baseball is still an option."

The bottom line, as Crawford points out, is that young kids often need to see players that "look like them" to become interested. Crawford grew up in Houston and said he didn't recall the Astros have any black players besides Derek Bell.

"I didn't really mind because I loved the Astros no matter what. But a lot of my friends, who were really good players, would complain," he said. "They would be like, 'Why should I care about that team? Why should I care about baseball?' And they stopped playing. It matters where you live. You have to be able to turn on the TV and see players who look like you."

* The article mentions Vanderbilt's partnership with Nashville RBI, which Price and Corbin spearheaded in the spring. I wrote an article about the partnership for VU Commodores that you can read here.

* Price has continued a postgame tradition that he started at Vandy. "After his team wins a game that he started," Jenkins writes, "he stands outside the clubhouse, congratulating everyone on their way inside, making sure to enter last."

* In the sidebar, which can't be read online, Baseball Prospectus' Joe Sheehan writes that Price will probably be called up as a reliever, filling the same role that Joba Chamberlain had with the Yankees last season.

* Added Sheehan: "Price has major-league-ready pitches that include a mid-90s fastball and a big, biting slider. He also has superior command, having struck out 68 wand walked just 19 in 71.2 innings through Sunday. As Chamberlain did, Price would most likely work off his two best pitches as a reliever, largely putting his above-average changeup away until next season...For the Rays, adding Price to their bullpen mix would be like a great trade-deadline pickup."

UPDATE: If you need another reason to buy the issue, two former Commodores are highlighted in the football preview. Jay Cutler, the 12th-ranked quarterback, is listed as a "sleeper," with SI writing, "after being diagnosed with and treated for Type I diabetes in the off-season, he has regained much of his stamina and arm strength." Meanwhile, Earl Bennett is listed as an "impact rookie," with SI noting that "the SEC's all-time leader in catches, at Vanderbilt, should rise quickly on Chicago's thin depth chart."

Photo [tampabay.com]

Price gets rave reviews from future Hall of Famer

David Price got the best of a future Hall of Famer tonight, pitching six shutout innings to lead Class A Vero Beach past Pedro Martinez's St. Lucie Mets 2-0.

The 2007 No. 1 overall pick gave up just two hits while striking out nine and walking none in his second professional start. Price has now pitched 11 scoreless innings to begin his career.

Martinez, meanwhile, gave up two runs on four hits, striking out six and walking none in six innings. Price said he found out he'd be going against Martinez the day before.

"You always have butterflies," Price said. "You're throwing against a former Cy Young winner. It's fun. It's a challenge. It makes you want to compete a little more. You know you can't give up one or two runs and get the win because he's that good.

"I want him to go home and one day tell his grandchildren about me. That's the impression I want to leave on everyone."

The way Price is pitching, there's no doubt that he will.

UPDATE: Afterwards, Martinez gave Price quite the compliment.

"He's amazing, that kid. He's amazing," Martinez said. "That kid is very mature for his time in [the pros], and very talented. Oh my God. God bless him and keep him healthy."

Martinez could not believe that Price was making just his second career start.

"Wow," Martinez said. "He's a big lefty with superb talent. At that age, I don't think I was like that. He seems far superior."

Wow is right. To be called "far superior" to Pedro Martinez?! It doesn't get much better than that.

"That kid did a hell of a job of throwing first-pitch strikes and pounding the strike zone and jamming hitters," Martinez said. "I was watching that. He did it like a big leaguer. He had such a command. Right there, I'm challenging you. I'm going to do what I gotta do without any fear. That's the kind of talent you love to see."

And the kind of talent that makes Vanderbilt fans proud.

Video of the Day: David Price is pretty good

Making his much-anticipated professional debut, David Price pitched five shutout innings and faced just two batters of the minimum to lead Class A Vero Beach to a 2-0 victory over Clearwater.

While Price begins his progression toward the Big Leagues, he's still very close with his former teammates. He watched Vandy's contest with LSU before his start and remains best friends with Pedro Alvarez, who he thinks the Rays should draft with the No. 1 overall pick. Check out this interview with the guys of CBS College Sports' "Going Yard."

A-Rod has high praise for Price

David Price pitched against the Yankees extended spring squad, which included three-time American League MVP Alex Rodriguez, who is rehabbing his strained right quadriceps, on Saturday. The results were promising.

Price struck out Rodriguez twice, allowing the third baseman one hit -- a solo homer over the right-center fence.

"He's a competitive guy, I'm a competitive guy and everybody has pride," Price said. "So it doesn't matter who are you are facing, you want to get them out and want to throw good pitches."

Rodriguez came away impressed with Price, whose fastball hovered between 95-97 mph for the majority of his five innings.

"I wish he was on our team," Rodriguez said. "He has a very bright future. The Rays are doing a fantastic job of drafting these young guys."

That's pretty cool stuff.

Price struck out 10 on Saturday and is scheduled to join Class A Vero Beach and make his professional debut on Thursday against Clearwater.

You can read the full story from mlb.com here.

Q & A with Caleb Cotham

Shortly after picking up the win in the Commodores’ 10-4 victory over South Carolina in the rubber game of a three-game series, redshirt freshman Caleb Cotham sat down with The Sports VU to talk about a number of topics, including his impressive X-Box skills and impressive repertoire of pitches. You can also check out my column on Cotham from vucommodores.com here.

Q: Knowing that it was the rubber game of the series, what was your mindset coming into the start?
A: I was just trying to come out with an edge. We got beat pretty bad last night and I wanted to come out and make a statement early on, just compete and show them that we weren’t going to give in.

Q: How do you go after such talented guys like Justin Smoak, especially after the way they hit yesterday?
A: You’ve got to be fearless going after big hitters like that… You have to forget about (yesterday) and you can’t give them too much credit. You can’t come in today saying “Oh, they’re so great. What am I going to do?” I was aggressive, and it paid off.

Q: Talk about the pitches that you throw and how comfortable you are with each of them.
A: I’m a fastball guy. I like to establish my fastball both sides of the plate and once I do that, I like to throw a slider for a strike and then have a slider that I can throw in the dirt as a chase pitch. I also show a change up to keep them in check.

Q: What can your fastball get up to?
A: 91-92.

Q: How cool was it to walk off to a standing ovation in the sixth in your first SEC start?
A: I was just glad that I could put together a pretty good performance for my team. Of course it’s nice to come off to a standing ovation. Everyone loves that.

Q: How nervous were you before the game?
A: There were some butterflies, but I kind of took them more as motivation. I wanted to show them I am ready for this.

Q: What’s the biggest difference in your game from this year to last year?
A: From this year to last year, the biggest thing is confidence, knowing that I can hang with these guys. Last year I was just trying to fit in, got a little timid.

Q: How gratifying was it to win your first SEC start?
A: I was excited to get my crack at SEC. Watching all last year, I had a feel for what it was but it’s a big step up. I had thrown midweek up until now to so to step in and do well for my team, it’s a great feeling.

Q: What pitchers do you admire?
A: I’d have to say David Price last year. I used to come to the games and watch Jeremy Sowers and all those guys pitch growing up. I was a big Vanderbilt fan. I also like Roger Clemens a lot – his competitiveness.

Q: Talk about your redshirt year. I’m sure it was frustrating not to be out there when you’ve played baseball your whole life, but at the same time, I imagine you learned a lot.
A: It was a humbling experience because I really hadn’t sat out before, and being able to learn the game and watching guys like Price and (Casey) Weathers go about their business, how they competed and worked hitters. I just had my notepad out, taking notes, and it’s paid off.

Q: What’s it like throwing to guys like Pedro and Flash (Ryan Flaherty) in practice? I’m sure it prepares you well.
A: We have a great lineup so I feel like if I can get them out, I can get anyone out in the nation. I get (Pedro) out, so when Smoak comes up, I know it’s not going to be hard.

Q: Pitchers tend to love shagging fly balls in practice. Who’s the best at it?
A: I am. We like to shag them and make a game of it, and I’d like to say I’m the best.

Q: How do you keep busy on days you’re not pitching?
A: Being a Sunday starter, I was on every pitch Friday and Saturday, picking up tendencies, where they were in the box, what pitches worked to what guys, and charting. To more you’re on every pitch, the more successful you’ll be.

Q: Favorite movie?
A: Blow.

Q: What’s on the iPod these days?
A: John Mayer. And I just got the new Herbie Hancock CD.

Q: Are you into video games?
A: Oh yeah, I’m a big X-Box guy. I played Halo competitively a little bit when I was in high school and won a couple tournaments.

Q: Impressive. Still have time to play?
A: Down time in my room, I’ll play “Call of Duty” online.

Q: Anyone else on the team play with you?
A: Pedro plays, and I play with Price a lot. He’s in Spring Training and has a lot of down time.

Q: Do you have a pre-start routine?
A: I like to eat a good breakfast and then just throw on my iPod and relax in the locker room until it’s time to warm up.

Q: Funniest player on the team?
A: I’d have to say David Macias.

(David) Price Check in Tampa Bay

I didn't agree with many things the Tampa Bay Devil Rays did. For one thing, removing the word "Devil" from their name was, undoubtedly, a poor decision no matter how many people the "satanic" element of their name offended.

Congratulations, management! You've just succeeded in removing any remaining character in an already humiliating franchise.

Somehow, I have a feeling, that I won't agree with a lot of things the Tampa Bay Rays do either.

Last Saturday, Vanderbilt Alumni, and last year's No. 1 overall draft pick in the MLB Draft, David Price made his professional debut in a Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

Not surprisingly, Price blew spectators and three Yankees hitters away, striking out the side with an onslaught of 98 MPH fastballs, and filthy slider in his lone inning of work. Nothing wrong with that.

What worries me, however, is that the Devil Rays... pardon me... Tampa Bay management might make another bad decision, and try to capitalize on their young talent before it's ready for the pressures and challenges of the Major Leagues.

With other strong prospects, like pitcher Jeff Niemann, and future star-third baseman Evan Longoria, moving onto the big show this year, something tells me that there may be some hurry to get Price into the act as well.

While Price certainly has the raw stuff to succeed in the Major Leagues now, trying to push him too quickly could really hurt his progress in becoming a premier pitcher in the big leagues.

Not too long ago, a 21 year-old pitcher by the name of Zack Greinke was thrown into the number one spot in the Kansas City Royals pitching rotation, touted as one of the brightest young pitchers in baseball.

Greinke, amid high hopes, was absolutely crushed by Major League hitters and expectations, losing 17 games that year and posting a 5.80 ERA in 2005.

Obviously, Price will not be thrust into the same ridiculous position as Greinke, but Tampa Bay has had a history of rushing solid pitching talents as well, and usually not with great results.

I know most people at Vanderbilt would love to see Price represent and put up big numbers in the big leagues. He'll do that, and he'll likely do that soon, but there's no need for the Rays (there, I said it) to make another bad decision and toss him into the fire too quickly.

All that being said, so far so great for Price, who's on his way to a very promising career.