David Price a big supporter of Red Sox' new plan for handling starters

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The results won't be measured until September and October, for here in March, David Price is a big supporter of the Red Sox' plan to ease their veteran starting pitchers into the spring with a carefully managed program which limits Grapefruit League games.

"It feels good to be able to stand here right now and feel as good as I feel,'' said Price following a three-inning, 39-pitch effort in a camp game against some Red Sox' minor leaguers. "It's different than any other spring training. The way my arm feels and the rest of my body - having this laid-back spring training, I think everybody's benefitted from it, taking it nice and slow and getting ready the right way.''

Last spring, of course, did not go well for Price, who was sidelined in early March with a forearm/elbow issue that shelved him until late May. A recurrence forced another shutdown in July and August.

Price has said he probably pushed things too quickly a year ago, so he, as much as anyone, could be the beneficiary of this new approach. As it is, Price hasn't had to think about his forearm or elbow once this spring.

"I'm feeling good right now,'' Price said.

He pitched brilliantly in September and October out of the bullpen, but preparing again to start has been a bigger test.

"I feel like we're doing it the right way,'' Price said. "To feel as good as I do right now, at this point in spring training, I'm not used to that.''

The Sox are putting as much emphasis on side work as they are on exhibition games, helping to build arm strength while distributing the workload more evenly. Two days ago, he threw a 45-pitch bullpen, which would have been previously unthinkable leading up to a start.

"Feeling as good as I feel right now and the way that we've done it,'' Price said, "it's definitely different than any other spring training that I've had. I feel like we've done a really good job with it, integrating everything and making sure that that arm strength is there.

"This is different for all of us. I don't think this is very common at all. I know a lot of pitchers and I've never really heard of what we're doing from other guys. To be able to take it lighter right now, for all of us, it's got to help you down the road. You're going to have more in the tank later in the season and hopefully, the way we're doing it right now allows us to do that.''