When I saw David Price’s seven-year, $217-million contract featured an opt-out after three seasons, it reminded me of the scene from “Meet the Parents” when Greg Focker and Jack Byrnes — with Jack knowing Greg tried to fool with the family with a fake cat, and Greg knowing Jack knows — race back to the Byrnes house.
Once Price’s agreement with the Red Sox is formally announced, it will initiate an intense race between Price and the Red Sox. The finish line? November 2018.
An opt-out sets up the team to compete against the player, the end game asking this: Which party will need each other more at the big moment?