David Price hopes that the Tampa Bay Rays do not trade him this season
By Hayden Kane
It is hard not to appreciate David Price‘s pangs of loyalty when it comes to the Tampa Bay Rays. They are the team that drafted and developed him, after all, and so he dreads the thought of playing elsewhere.
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Then again, the whole reason the Rays have to start considering a deal for Price is because there is no way on this earth that they could pay him the handsome salary he will earn as a free agent after the 2015 season. Nobody can blame Price for wanting a big payday, of course, but it means that the sympathy for his discomfort with trade rumors only goes so far.
As far as the 2014 season goes, the Rays kept Price before the year started because they envisioned a run to the playoffs and possibly beyond. They have not completely given up on that idea, mostly because of the relative weakness of the American League East.
Price emphasized that mindset on Monday, saying that he still hopes the Rays will make a run so that they do not trade him. As quoted by MLB.com, Price said he knows that the rumors will not go away, but he hopes he can stay:
"“I don’t think it will decrease any of that stuff…But it could decrease the chance that I do get traded. I know there are going to be stories written and speculation no matter what. But if we continue to play good baseball and continue to win, we feel like we have a shot. And I think that would lessen my chances of being traded…“…We’re playing well right now, so I do expect to be here.”"
Because of the potential benefits of trading him this season, the Rays might make the move no matter what. Almost everybody seems to find a trade involving Price to be inevitable…everybody but Price, apparently.