WRAL Sports Fan

Bulls

David Price to start season with Durham Bulls

By Matt DeMargel

Mar 26, 2009

After weeks of speculation, the Tampa Bay Rays made it official on Wednesday evening - David Price has been optioned to Durham.

Price, who was USA Today's 2008 Minor League Player of the Year and considered the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America, is currently set to open the season as a member of the Durham Bulls.

The 2007 first overall draft pick began his professional career 11-0 with stops at Vero Beach and Montgomery before joining the Bulls in August of 2008. He was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts with the Bulls during the regular season.

Price was the winning pitcher in Game 2 of the 2008 American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the Boston Red Sox, earning a post-season victory before winning a regular season game. He recorded the final four outs in Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS, earning his first career save and eliminating the defending champion Boston Red Sox. Price then pitched 2⅓ innings in Game 2 of the 2008 World Series, giving up two earned runs while earning his second career save.

The Rays also optioned INF Reid Brignac, C John Jaso, INF/OF Elliot Johnson and OF Justin Ruggiano to Durham All of them played for the Bulls at some point in 2008, with Johnson and Ruggiano also playing in Durham in 2007.