LOWELL — No wins and a 10.40 earned run average over two complete seasons are hardly the stats of a future first-round pick. Rather, they are the numbers of a mop-up reliever.
In fact, that is exactly what current Lowell Spinners ace Bryan Price was for his first two seasons at college superpower Rice. But a few adjustments and a little confidence kicked off a shift that turned the righty from a college disappointment to a hot major league talent, the No. 9 prospect in the Red Sox system.
"My first two college seasons were rough," said Price. "I had to work very hard and had to hope that it would some day happen. And thankfully it did."
Price came to Rice with plenty of expectations. He was a three-year starter for Marble Falls High School in Texas, winning the District 27-4A Player of the Year his final two seasons (2004 and 2005). He finished his career at 15-8 with a 1.98 ERA and a 202 strikeouts.
He then signed with the 2003 national champion Owls, but his career quickly fell into a spiral.
As a true freshman, Price struggled to a 14.14 ERA in eight appearances, including three starts. He allowed 11 earned runs and 15 hits in just seven innings.
His sophomore season was nearly as bad. He finished with a 7.84 ERA in eight games. By the end of the season he was not dressing for away games and did not pitch in the NCAA tournament.
"I really struggled the first season," Price said. "And the second season wasn't much better. My coach (Wayne Graham) lost confidence in me because of my performance, and that was understandable."
Fed up with struggling, Price decided to make a change. He worked with Rice pitching coach David Pierce to shorten his arm angle to a three-quarters motion.
"I had to work on my mechanical issues," he said. "The new arm slot allowed me to get my lower body and upper body in synch and working together more efficiently."
That new motion paid off right away when he debuted it in the Texas Collegiate Summer League. Pitching for the Duncanville Deputies, he set the league single-game record for strikeouts with 18 in just 71/3 innings pitched. He finished the summer with 49 Ks.
But his real work was ahead of him at Rice.
"At the beginning of the season I wanted to prove myself," he said. "It started off pretty good and I said to myself, 'This could really happen.'"
Happen it did. Price became the go-to reliever for the Owls. He finished the season 4-4 with a 3.72 ERA. In 30 games he struck out 54 after recording just 22 in his first two seasons. He also closed out the win that clinched Rice's third straight trip to the College World Series.
"The College World Series was the greatest place I have ever pitched," he said. "It was a great crowd and a great environment. You are on a high the whole time you are there."
Price was on the practice field during the Major League Baseball draft. So a friend had to rush out to the bullpen to tell him he had been selected in the supplemental first round, 45th overall by the Red Sox.
"I was throwing when someone ran out to tell me I had been drafted," he said. "He just held up the number 45 with his fingers and I said, 'Yeah, that'll work.'
"I had a feeling I would go about that time. Rice is a big baseball school and we had a lot of talent. So as the season went on more of them were noticing me."
A week after Rice was eliminated from the World Series, Price signed with the Red Sox for $849,000, considerably more than Boston's 2007 first-round pick, Nick Hagadone ($571,500).
Price was assigned to Lowell, and quickly made his mark. Last night may have been his best performance as he handcuffed Williamsport with five innings of one-hit ball.
In eighth games and five starts he has a 1.40 ERA. In 302/3 innings he has struck out 30 and walked only five.
At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Price throws a fastball that can hit 95 miles per hour. He also throws a power slider that hits 85 and a change-up.
"His arm blows you away," said Spinners manager Gary DiSarcina. "He is very electric with his fastball and is just so excited every time he steps on the mound."
The Bryan Price File
Hometown: Marble Falls, Tex.
Height: 6-4; Weight: 220
Age: 21
College: Spent two seasons struggling at the end of the bullpen for Rice. But, after change his arm angle, broke out his junior season with a 3.72 ERA and 54 strikeouts 481/3 innings.
Pros: Selected in the supplemental first round, 45th overall, this June by the Red Sox. In eight games for Lowell he is 1-2 with a 1.40 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 302/3 innings.
Fun Fact: He was the ninth pitcher under Rice coach Wayne Graham to be selected in the first round. Another member of the group is current Red Sox reliever David Aardsma, who helped pitch the Owls to the College World Series title in 2003.
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