108: Recapping "David Price Day" - using YOUR tweets
SECTION 108 RECAPS ALL THE EXCITEMENT SURROUNDING DAVID PRICE'S FIRST START... USING YOUR FAN TWEETS
August 6, 2015
By Tyler King
August 3rd was no ordinary day. At least not for fans of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Yes, it was a civic holiday (whatever that means) so most citizens of Hogtown enjoyed an extra day free from work. But it wasn't the beach or the museums or other traditional long weekend activities that captured the attention of the city on this holiday Monday.
There also happened to be some new guy pitching for the Jays. And apparently he's pretty good.
So good, in fact, that the 'Dome was filled to the rafters - 45,000 strong - and as loud as it's been in two decades. It was an atmosphere many fans had never experienced, and those that had can barely remember.
Even if you couldn't make it down to the building formerly - and, if you're like me, currently - known as the SkyDome, it was impossible to escape the excitement surrounding David Price's first start as a Blue Jay.
People across the country took to social media to document the whole day - often with hilarious effect. Which is why I have chosen to recap what shall henceforth be known as "David Price Day" using (almost) entirely YOUR fan tweets...
Because as much as that day belonged to Price, it also belonged to you - the fans.
After two decades of mediocrity, Lord knows you deserve it.
***
On Friday, the Toronto Blue Jays acquired David Price - one of the few bona fide ace pitchers in the game. And just like that, there is a new sheriff in the American League East.
As if Price's impending first start wasn't excitement enough, Sunday's bench brawl (which wasn't really a brawl at all) against the Kansas City Royals still had fans fired up - a game that many believe was grossly mismanaged by the umpiring crew after both benches were warned in the first inning.
All that gas KC pitcher Yordano Ventura threw on the fire with his post game tweets, calling Jays slugger Jose Bautista a "nobody", didn't do much in the ways of tempering the fans either.
(I mean, Bautista's just a five-time all-star and two-time home run champion who also has four - soon to be five - seasons with more than 100 RBI... so Ventura's comments make a lot of sense.)
You tell 'em, random tweeter. Or, better yet, let Gregg Zaun do the talking.
But as Monday rolled in and that 1:07 first pitch grew closer, the focus shifted back on the field, particularly on that new guy starting for Toronto.
*Note: Points for having the best twitter handle ever - @tuxcitogaston
Pre-game
Even the man himself was excited for this one.
Oh ya, I forgot. It was a bobble head day. (Because that seems so important with everything else going on.) *Note: It wasn't a national holiday, as not all provinces and territories recognize it - but it probably should have been.
Some people take their bobble heads very seriously - like Price's parents, who were in attendance.
Just pause to reflect on that for a moment...
Price Takes the Mound... as a Blue Jay
Monday was every fan's (and scalper's) dream.
1:07PM - First Pitch
No holiday? No problem. Everybody was watching David Price and the Blue Jays (including injured pitcher Marcus Stroman, watching while in class at Duke University).
Price strikes out the first batter he faces, and the SkyDome is as loud as it's been since it actually was the SkyDome.
You'd think everyone would be excited, but...
DO YOU NOT SEE WHO IS PITCHING?
Price has a perfect game going... through one. (Are fans allowed to go "totally crazy" yet?)
Top of the Second
How a 40-year-old can hit a ball that far is beyond me.
Yea! Grab your cane and get out of here.
Bottom of Two
Boom. 1-1
This guy has a point.
So just how good is the Jays offence?
Top of the Fourth
Price gets into a jam - loads the bases with nobody out.
How impressed?
What constitutes as a tough situation for Price?Maybe five on an nobody out?
Here's how he got it done:
With his sixth and seventh strikeouts of the game, Price made getting out of that jam look easy.
Bottom of the Fifth
Donaldson hits a two-run shot to left field, his 27th of the season.
So clutch indeed...
The new additions already love playing with Donaldson.
Yes, I see. But I still find it hard to believe.
No doubt. This was Anthopoulos' plan all along.
*UPDATE: Donaldson tied his career-high in home runs on Wednesday night.
I wonder what the Price is for one of those rings?
Sixth Inning
Can he be a "legend" in just two-months (or more!?).
Fans were loving Price's start. The wave? Not so much.
Price Exits After Eight Innings
That's David Price strikeouts, people (not the number of Torii Hunter's grandchildren.)
Ninth Inning
RHP, "SMOOTH OPERATOR" and newly acquired reliever LaTroy Hawkins comes on to pitch the ninth.
This tweet spawned a round of "Things Younger than LaTroy Hawkins Pro Career" between me and a buddy (Hawkins is 42-years-old and was drafted in 1991).
Some notable answers:
The Pentium Processor (1993)
DVDs (1995)
Viagra (1998)
Roberto Osuna (1995)
As Buck Martinez would say, "Ballgame." Blue Jays win 5-1.
Post Game
These tweets will never get old.
Come to think of it... 45,000 people is 2% of the entire population of Toronto.
Torii Hunter: “David Price. Josh Donaldson. What a show.”
It's a new era in Toronto.
I repeat: IT'S A NEW ERA IN TORONTO.
I agree (but they do have these things called PVR...)
Dear Rogers Media,
If you resign David Price I promise to pay $90 a month for average internet.
Sincerely,
Section 108
***
So as the dust finally begins to settle on what was not only one of the most exciting days in franchise history, but also a much needed win for Toronto, it seems there's only one thing left to say.
Soon, my friend, oh so soon...
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Follow Tyler and his #section108 column all season: @tylerjoseph108