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David Price's history with the Boston Red Sox -- and the city of Boston itself -- is a tumultuous one to say the least.

The long-time Tampa Bay Ray has had his battles with the team -- most notably in the 2008 and 2013 playoffs -- and with fans themselves who enjoyed giving Price, a disdained rival, as much grief as possible.

"I definitely get my fair share of hatred from this fan base (Boston) as well," Price told WEEI's John Tomase in July. "The amount of hatred I get from this fan base blows every other fan base away. Some of the things I get, I just know. Whenever I see something on Twitter, I know where it's from. That's part of it. I want no part of that. I want to be somewhere where I'm wanted by the entire fan base, not just half of it."

Apparently Price decided that all of Red Sox Nation wants him, prior Twitter insults or not. Red Sox fans surely will appreciate whoever explained to the prized southpaw that the more heckling you get from fans in the Fenway bleachers, the more they probably respect you.

Then again, maybe he knew that all along. He also told WEEI in July that he wouldn't cross Boston off his list of destinations based on what had previously transpired when he was a division rival. Clearly he kept his word, if the reported agreement he and the Red Sox came to ultimately proves to be true.

"I won't rule out anybody," Price told Tomase. "If you can prove to me that you want me for the player that I am and the person that I am, I've got to respect that.

"If you have a formula to win and can do it over a sustained period of time, who doesn't want to win? That's why you play the game. It's not about the money. It's about being able to win now and in the years in the future. That's what I want to do. I want to be a part of something special. That's what I'm looking for."

It's worth noting that the deal Price and the Red Sox reportedly agreed to -- seven years for $217 million -- would be the richest contract ever for a pitcher, both in terms of average annual value and total dollars allotted.

That said, the Red Sox, who finished in the American League cellar for the third time in four years in 2015, turned things around after July 31, going 32-26 down the stretch. That .551 winning percentage would have been good for 89 wins and home-field advantage in the American League Wild Card game.

Price only will help those numbers, and if he inevitably wins that elusive World Series ring in Boston, we'll all appreciate that he kept his word just a little bit more.

Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images