Price rolls on

I recently finished the Afterword for the tradepaper edition of High Heat, which will be out in February 2011. Here's what I wrote about the Rays' David Price, who led the Tampa Bay Rays to a playoff berth last night.

"Every time I saw Price pitch during the 2010 season, I was tempted to say that I knew him when. In researching High Heat, Price was the latest phenom, a season or so ahead of Stephen Strasburg, Aroldis Chapman and the new crop. Still, Price was on the outside looking in back then. When I first interviewed Price, he was at Triple-A Durham, wondering if a move to the bullpen would hasten his final call-up to the majors. In 2010, though, the left-hander came into his own, establishing a club record for victories and perhaps providing solace for the young guns following in his wake."

Price stepping up

Great performance by the Rays' David Price on April 25. He pitched his first compete game at the major league level, a four-hit shutout victory over Toronto. Of course, David is the phenom character in High Heat. He often struggled last season and began the year at Triple-A Durham, but he's coming into his own now.