Tigers turn to newest ace David Price with season on the line
How the Detroit Tigers arrived on the brink of elimination in the ALDS is obvious. In each of their first two games against the Baltimore Orioles, their ineffective bullpen has imploded, leading to two embarrassing and frustrating defeats.
How and if the Tigers are able survive on Sunday will likely rest on the left arm of David Price, but you wouldn’t know that pressure existed if you talked to Price 24 hours before taking the baseball.
“This is the game I dreamed of whenever I was a kid,” Price said Saturday at Comerica Park. “I’m not going to go out there and apply extra pressure to myself, because I can do that, and go out there and pitch well and still not have fun. I want to have fun, live in the moment, and relish it and throw my game.”
Price is no stranger to the postseason. In four playoff starts (he’s also made five relief appearances) as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, he’s underwhelmed, going 0-4 with a 5.81 ERA. He’s no stranger to the Baltimore Orioles, either. In 17 career starts against them, Price is 7-3 with a 2.82 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 108 1/3 innings. He’s not even a stranger to this type of situation since arriving in Detroit. He was on the mound for Game 162 when Detroit needed a victory to clinch the AL Central, and came through by dominating the Minnesota Twins.
But the next start is always the most important one, and there’s no doubt Sunday carries more pressure, if not for Price on a personal level, then on the entire Tigers organization.
This is far from the ideal scenario general manager Dave Dombrowski envisioned when he went out and acquired Price from the Rays on July 31. Sure, he knew all along Price would start a game in the ALDS. That was a forgone conclusion. But to follow postseason starts by Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer needing a victory to stay alive in Game 3. That wasn’t in the script, but it was always on his radar, which is why the deal came together.
Dombrowski saw a chance to reach a third World Series since taking over in 2002. He saw a golden opportunity to win his first championship in Detroit dangling in front of him, and he understood better than anyone that even the best positioned teams can never have enough pitching, period, but especially in the starting rotation.
Whether it be by injury, ineffectiveness or just plain bad luck, depth can vanish quickly. Since the deadline deal was completed, the Tigers have experienced and overcome all three, thanks in no small part to Price.
Dombrowski also understands that all bets are off once the postseason begins. A bad break here, an unlucky bounce there, or, as in the Tigers case, two consecutive bullpens meltdowns, which falls under his jurisdiction as well, can quickly put a team’s back against the wall. Having a guy like Price waiting in the wings means they’re better equipped to handle the worst-case scenario.
It’s a daunting challenge, but one Price embraces completely.
“This is the time to step up,” he said. “It’s not easier when you are down 0-2 as opposed to being up 2-0. But you know what you have to do. This is the time you want to step up for your team, your fan base and for the city of Detroit.
“This is a special moment. And I want to go out there and throw my game. That’s what I plan on doing.”
Price throwing his game is exactly what rookie manager Brad Ausmus needs to save himself from himself. Throughout the bullpen struggles, Ausmus has shown unwavering faith in late-inning relievers Joba Chamberlain and Joe Nathan, both of whom are often at the root of the problem. If Price can shorten that bridge or downright eliminate it by going the distance, Ausmus’ faith won’t be tested again.
In 34 starts, Price has worked into the eighth inning or beyond 20 different times. No. 21 on Sunday would go a long way toward creating hope and restoring faith in the Tigers as a whole.
Anything less, well, close your eyes Tigers fans, or hope the offense has a field day against Bud Norris, because at that point it’s the bullpen who controls your fate, not the rotation lined with Cy Youngs.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
