David Price and J.D. Martinez were teammates for a short time with the Tigers, and Red Sox fans might be surprised to hear that Price helped bring the slugger to Boston. But those fans probably won’t be shocked to learn what Price said about them and the way they treat their players.
In an interview with Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Price once again spoke about how difficult it is to play for the Red Sox. It’s no secret that the left-hander has struggled to get along with the media and fans since he signed a $217 million contract before the 2016 season, and Price admits he warned Martinez the same could happen to him.
“Oh yeah, he’ll get booed,” Price said “I told JD he will love the guys here in this clubhouse, but also told him he’ll get booed. He’s a quiet, soft-spoken guy, but he’ll handle it. Besides, everyone gets booed. I heard Big Papi (David Ortiz) get booed many times in Fenway.”
Take it from someone who lived and died with the Red Sox during Ortiz’s career with the team — there were not many times when Ortiz was booed at Fenway Park. Sure, Boston fans are known for turning on their own players, but Big Papi is a rare exception. He’s delivered more game-winning hits than any player in franchise history, and many of them came in the postseason. Red Sox fans may be ruthless, but they don’t forget heroics.
The problem for Price is that he has not even come close to living up to the hype. Nightengale noted that he was laughing when he said he warned Martinez about the boos, but there is certainly a lot of truth behind it.
“It is tough here,” Price said. “There’s just so much more negativity. I’ve never been one for negative stuff. I like surrounding myself by positive people. Even if my wife starts talking negatively, I let her know. I just can’t stand it.”
Price likes to generalize by applying his own situation to that of every other player who has worn a Red Sox uniform, but he’s the only one (that we know of) who enthusiastically cursed out a team legend and broadcaster for telling it like it is. Most players know what they’re getting into when they sign with Boston. The majority of them handle it better than Price, and Martinez probably will, too.
