With bad weather forecast, David Price and Red Sox play make-believe

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Sometimes, rainy days force kids to get creative. On Saturday, the weather made the Red Sox and the game’s highest-paid pitcher do the very same.

Facing the possibility of postponement – or at the very least a delay -- down the street in a game scheduled against the Minnesota Twins, the Red Sox scratched David Price from his start and instead made plans for him to pitch on one of the back fields at their Fenway South complex.

After some initial plans to have Price pitch in a camp game against some minor leaguers, Price and the Sox determined they would simply have him throw a side session from a bullpen mound.

Then, they added to the intrigue. To help simulate game conditions, the Sox had pitching coach Dana LeVangie stand in the batter’s box.

“Dana stood in, all four innings, both left- and right-handed, and called out hitters,’’ revealed Price. “We worked through different situations with different hitters. It is a different view with somebody standing in that box and to get that feedback today from Dana and (catcher Christian Vazquez) as we were going through it, was a very good day.

“(LeVangie) would say, ‘I’m Aaron Judge.’ Then, we would face Judge. Then, he would switch it up to a (lefty), and he’d be Brett Gardner. He’d stand in the box like they’d stand – whether it’s close to the plate or far away – and we’d go from there.’’

Price jokingly conceded that LeVangie – who isn’t six feet tall – didn’t exactly resemble Judge, one of the game’s biggest, most imposing sluggers. But it was close enough to get the work done.

“He didn’t look like Aaron Judge; he tried to stand in the box like Judge,’’ allowed Price with a laugh. “But it was good because a lot of guys are different in the box, so to kind of get that feel again, it was fun. He didn’t stand on a box to look like Aaron Judge; he stood in the box.’’

Regardless of setting and quality of hitting imposters, Price was delighted with the results.

“Today was by far my best day,’’ said Price. “I got up and down four times, threw 60 pitches with 30 warmups, so 90 pitches in total. And I felt really strong all the way throughout – feeling strength all the way through, executing pitches.’’

Price has yet to pitch in a Grapefruit League setting here – though he’s now set to pitch Friday – but isn’t concerned that he’s yet to face opposing hitters.

“Honestly, I feel like the biggest thing in spring training is getting those up and downs,’’ he said. “I already threw a 55-60 pitch bullpen without stopping and to be able to do that, you know your arm strength is there. And to be able to go out and throw 30 pitches in warmup, sit for eight minutes, throw your warmup pitches and go out, and to be able to do that four times, and to never have to hold anything back, that’s a very good sign.’’

Price believes there’s still plenty of time to get in three Grapefruit League starts, and in so doing, continue to build pitch count and arm strength.

“I think I’m right on track,’’ he said. “Today was a really, really good day. I feel like we handled it really well today and got a lot done.’’