February 13th, 2020 at 7:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka During Wednesday afternoon’s introductory press conference for new Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts and left-hander David Price on the infield at Dodger Stadium, the latter was asked why he had chosen jersey number 33 with his new team. The 34-year-old Murfreesboro, TN native and 2007 first-round draft pick out of Vanderbilt University said that it was ‘a payback’ – but not in the negative sense that people often refer to it as.
“There was a guy that really took care of me whenever I got to the big leagues, his name is James Shields, a Cali guy,” Price began.” I didn’t tell him that I picked number 33, I haven’t even spoken to him I guess for the past couple weeks, but he was a guy who took me under his wing. He’d do anything for me or for any of his other teammates. He’s one of my favorite teammates of all time. He showed me the right way to go about my work in the weight room, weight-lift field, just being a husband, being a father.
“For me he was, I guess he was the first teammate that I had in the big leagues that I looked at as a role model,” Price continued. “And for me to take number 33, I did it for James Shields.
“I know whenever he finds out he’s going to be calling me,” Price said. “He’s probably going to shed a couple tears and he’ll have a couple funny things to say, but I did it for him. I love him a lot, he means a lot to me.”
Wow! Who saw that one coming?
(Photo credit – Chris Carlson)
As Dodger fans know, James Shields was never a Dodger. He was, however a 13-year major league veteran and spent part of the 2016 season with the Dodgers division-rival San Diego Padres, going 0-1 in his only outing against the Dodgers that season.
(Photo credit – Jake Roth)
As for that “Cali guy” thing, Shields was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 16th round of the 2000 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of William S. Hart High School in Santa Clarita, CA a short 30 miles from Dodger Stadium and grew up a huge (wait for it…) Dodger fan.
In other words, paybacks aren’t always a … well, you know. In this case, the payback is absolutely awesome!
Play Ball!
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