David Price needs a new number because Jim Rice isn't giving his up

David Price has been number 14 throughout his major-league career, and was even 14 while pitching for Vanderbilt.. Even when he first showed up with the Rays in September of 2008, those digits were available because there just wasn't a lengthy history of Tampa Bay baseball. He'll have to change his number now that he's with Boston, though, because Hall of Famer Jim Rice has his number 14 retired by the Red Sox.

Rice joked about giving the number to the new Red Sox ace because "every man has his price" -- get it? -- but chances are good he's not about to let Price use 14. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time in history that a retired number was used in Boston sports. Well, sort of: Celtics' great Jim Loscutoff had his name rather than his number 18 retired by the C's -- that's the "LOSCY" you see on the banners at TD Garden -- so that someone else could be #18 down the line.

That someone else was Dave Cowens, who managed to get 18 hanging from the rafters after all thanks to his own fine career. Maybe Rice can relent and let Price have 14, and he can finish out his career with Boston and give the Sox two retired number 14s out in right field. Price hasn't pitched a game for the Sox: it's a time for dreaming big.

Or maybe it will turn out Rice was only half-joking about having a price and he's about to have his house or car or boat paid off by the guy making more than twice as much per season than Rice did as a player in his entire career. Could you blame him if he did?

What's your pick for Price's new number, since chances are good one of Boston's Hall of Famers isn't about to give it up? I vote for 31, since it is both his average annual value and Jon Lester's old number and that will only serve to rile up people who are legitimately angry about signing David Price, but what can I say? I love chaos.