Former Vanderbilt pitcher David Price, who recently pitched in the World Series, will appear at Saturday’s football game between the Commodores and the University of Florida.
Price will be involved in the pre-game coin toss and other activities.
“We think he’s a very special guy,” VU’s Rod Williamson, director of external relations, said. “We know what he contributed to our university overall and our baseball program both on and off the field.
“He became a national sensation in the World Series and the American League Championship Series, and we think it will be fun for our fans to give him a long-distance high-five for a job well done.”
Price was the first overall selection in the 2007 draft after a highly decorated three-year career at Vanderbilt.
He made his Major League debut in September with the Tampa Bay Rays and was a late addition to that team’s playoff roster. He recorded the final four outs and earned the save in Game 7 of the ALCS, eight days after he was the winner in Game 2.
“I’m really excited for him,” Commodores’ baseball coach Tim Corbin said. “He loves it. Not that he loves being the center of attention or hearing his name announced at the stadium, he’s going to love flipping a coin at the 50-yard line.”
In the World Series, he pitched the final 2.1 innings of Game 2, the Rays’ only victory.
Prior to being promoted, he was named USA Today’s Minor League Player of the Year after having gone a combined 12-1 with Vero Beach (Class A), Montgomery (Class AA) and Durham (Class AAA).
Since the conclusion of the season he has returned to Nashville, where he plans to spend the majority of the offseason.
“He told me during the World Series that he was looking forward to coming back (to campus) and working out,” Corbin said. “It’s amazing that during the most important time of his life – possibly the only time he’ll ever be in that position – that he was thinking that way.
“We’ve talked a lot about him and how unique he is, but he’s crazy unique.”