Price

-- Photo Courtesy Of Redsox.Com

Mookie Betts was also popular in another category in the New England Sports Survey.

He was voted by a wide margin as the player who exceeded expectations (37 percent to Ortiz’s 12 percent) while Red Sox pitcher David Price, a Murfreesboro native and former Vanderbilt star, was voted the player who failed to meet 2016 expectations (45 percent to 25 percent for Clay Buchholtz).

In Price’s defense, the poll was taken in mid-August, and he’s been of the league hottest pitcher since then.

Price, who signed a seven-year, $217 million contract with the Red Sox last December, was 9-8 at the time of the poll. Prior to Monday night's loss at the Yankees, he had won eight straight starts to post a 17-8 record with a 3.91 ERA and 1.81 WHIP.

He had recorded 222 strikeouts and allowed just 46 walks for the season. For September, Price was 5-0 in seven starts with a 3.60 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. He will be a key factor in the postseason push.

Jen McCaffrey of Masslive.com helped put the survey into perspective:

The way the fan survey questions read about which players exceeded expectations (Betts) and failed to meet expectations (Price), is that just because more was expected of David than Mookie?

“Absolutely. I mean Betts was drafted in the fifth round in 2010 and though he shot through the minors in 2014 until he was promoted to the majors in June of that year, it was kind of a “what is he going to do next?” mentality,’’ McCaffrey says.

“On the flipside, Price signed one of the largest contracts in baseball history ($217 million) and his start to this season and the struggles he endured on the mound weren’t expected.’’