Red Sox: David Price breaks word by confronting Dennis Eckersley

Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price openly confronted NESN announcer Dennis Eckersley, even after promising not to speak to the media between starts. Does Price have a right to confront anyone?

On Sunday, Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe reported an in-depth account of David Price‘s confrontation of Dennis Eckersley on a team flight to Toronto last month. Shaughnessy stated that “there has been clubhouse disgruntlement about Eckersley’s style for some time,” citing an incident with current Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. as an example.

Price took it up a notch, however.

Shaughnessy stated, “For Price, the tipping point came when he learned Eckersley said ‘Yuck’ when Eduardo Rodriguez’s poor stats were flashed on the NESN screen after a rehab start in Pawtucket June 29.”

“On the day of the episode, Price was standing near the middle of the team aircraft, surrounded by fellow players, waiting for Eckersley. When Eckersley approached, on his way to the back of the plane (Sox broadcasters traditionally sit in the rear of the aircraft), a grandstanding Price stood in front of Eckersley and shouted, ‘Here he is — the greatest pitcher who ever lived! This game is easy for him!’ When a stunned Eckersley tried to speak, Price shot back with, ‘Get the [expletive] out of here!'”

Apparently, many of the players applauded the remarks.

No apologies seem to be coming after the incident. Manager John Farrell stated the team is moving on and focused on winning games.

Is it wrong for a player to call out a color commentator on his arguably callous words about a player’s performance?

Certainly, almost anyone can understand that the critical words of another person just add to the frustration and pressure of the millions of eyes watching a player’s every move, whether a success or a failure. Let alone the fact that Eckersley is a former pitcher, and a very successful one at that.

However, instead of diving into the obvious that Eckersley has also had many mistakes happen in front of the world, let’s examine Price’s actions a little more closely.

Out of all the players on this Red Sox roster, the man who told the Boston media that he was done talking to them between his own starts was the one to say it. Price was reported to have said in June, “Talk to me on the day I pitch and that’s it. There are no more personal interviews. There are no more asking me questions on a personal level. That’s done.” Yet, is it really done?

A player doesn’t want to talk to the press? Sarcastically shocking, no doubt, but understandable. A player decides to confront the media about a critical view of another player? Hypocritical. It can’t work both ways: Price cannot expect reporters to leave him alone if he decides to pick a verbal argument with a member of the media, let alone having a group of players standing behind him while he does it. Whether intentional or not, the crowd of muscular, young men confronting a much older man by himself and shouting expletive words at him would be intimidating to anyone.

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Sure, Eckersley has been known to be very blunt in expressing his opinions, both in a praising and in a critical fashion. Maybe his words are hurtful at times; however, that is his right as not only a media voice but also an American citizen. Someone does not like him? Stop watching the show so one does not have to see or listen to him anymore. If enough people stop watching, NESN (the network that puts Eckersley on the air) will get rid of him. Until then, he gets paid to say what he thinks.

Besides, many Red Sox fans don’t like Price’s 5-3 record in 11 starts, his 3.82 ERA, the eight home runs that he’s given up, the 30 home runs and 3.99 ERA he posted a year ago, all while collecting $60 million for the last two seasons. Many fans would prefer to see a more dominant display from the starting pitcher who has $157 million still coming to him on his current contract with the Red Sox until 2022.

Yet, if any fan were to criticize said player to his face with a group of his friends cheering him on, said player would feel that he didn’t deserve that treatment. The player might even feel threatened by the intimidating scenario. The fan would likely be escorted out of the player’s face and possibly even banned from Fenway Park, citing hateful words as making the fan a danger to the player or even the team.

Will that happen to Price? No. Price may be justified by publicly backing up his teammate, but he’s asking to have his cake and eat it too. If he wants to be the public avenger and stop a media personality from arguably bullying his teammates, then so be it. However, that action goes directly against his word that he would no longer discuss anything with the media on days that he does not pitch. So, he wants to say whatever he wants as long as nobody dares question him?

It doesn’t work that way, especially in Boston.

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Price may be completely justified in wanting to support a teammate and, while his words used were questionable to some, people should be able to understand his anger and the love that he has for his colleagues in arms. What is not justified is his approach, when he previously said that the media could not approach him the same way any longer.

Friend and famous Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz always spoke his mind and defended his teammates to the media, but he also never told the media that they couldn’t question him, either. On and off of the field, leaders have to be accountable and available to everyone, including the media, not just when they feel like talking.

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