David Price Wanted To Pitch World Series Game 3 Because Of Horrible Room Service In L.A.
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox had a great time in Los Angeles on Sunday night, celebrating into all hours of the night after winning the 2018 World Series.
But the days leading up to that grand party were not as fun, as they weren't greeted with much hospitality during their stay. This irked Sox players quite a bit, so much so that David Price wanted to take his anger out on the mound in their first game in Los Angeles.
Price started and earned the win for the Red Sox in Game 2 in Boston, but was so infuriated about their first morning in L.A. that he called manager Alex Cora the day of Game 3 and said he needed to pitch again that night.
"I'm so mad, I need to pitch," he explained to his manager, just two days after he pitched six innings of two-run ball in Game 2.
Why such indignation toward the city of angels? Room service. But it was not because they took too long to get Price his french toast and OJ; it was because they made his hungry toddler wait.
From Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci:
The Red Sox were staying at a hotel in Pasadena. The club had flown the players' families to Los Angeles. Price had his 17-month-old son, Xavier, with him. On the morning of Game 3, Price called to have breakfast sent up. Nothing came for 90 minutes, an eternity for anyone with a hungry toddler. It turned out that several other Red Sox families had similar horror stories about the hotel's room service.
No one can blame Price for being so miffed. Toddlers are hard enough when they're perfectly content, but their rage hits a whole new level when their tummy is grumbling.
And Price was not the only player left waiting for their grub, and the team ended up complaining to the hotel. From that point on, the Red Sox had a ballroom set aside each morning with a free breakfast buffet for players and their families.
As for Game 3, Rick Porcello got the start for Boston but Price did end up pitching. He got two outs in the bottom of the ninth, as the Sox and Dodgers played in the longest playoff game ever, a 3-2 Los Angeles win in 18 innings.
If there was ever a morning the Red Sox needed a complete and balanced breakfast, it was the morning of Game 3.