Colorado Rockies: Frustration setting in once again with Jon Gray

Let the Jon Gray debate rage on. Let the haters continue to say he isn’t worthy of a spot in the Colorado Rockies rotation. Let the “bust” tag continue to be thrown around like a football on John Elway’s birthday.

Let all of those things happen … but here is the simple truth. There is no one who is more frustrated about what is going on with Jon Gray than Jon Gray.

In mid-April in Washington, D.C., I stood at Gray’s locker as he explained another loss after the Rockies had given him an early 2-0 lead. You could see the frustration in his reddening eyes. He knew he was better than this and that the Rockies deserved better than this.

Flash forward to Thursday in San Francisco. Colorado’s offense clicks to give Gray a 5-2 lead in the top of the fourth. San Francisco answers quickly, starting with a walk by Andrew McCutchen and a hard lineout by Brandon Crawford. Two things showed just in those two at-bats. First, Gray’s control was wobbling. Second, his pitches were starting to elevate.

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Single. Walk. Double. Single. That’s what followed and that’s why the Giants tied the game 5-5. Yet Gray ended the frame by striking out Hunter Pence and Alen Hanson. Perhaps that is what is so maddening about Gray in 2018. Moments of complete dominance can be followed by examples of poor pitching.

A bunt single and hard single up the middle spelled the end for Gray in the top of the fifth. A hard slap on the back from Colorado manager Bud Black sent him off the field as Gray stared straight ahead. Frustration from the manager and pitcher showed in that brief moment on the mound.

What will it take for Jon Gray to become a solid starter in every outing? Right now, it could take a trip to the disabled list to clear his head. The Rockies are trying it with Bryan Shaw. Perhaps it’s time for the same course of action to occur with a pitcher who has a lot riding on his shoulders. Gray knows he is supposed to be the cornerstone of the rotation. He also knows he’s not living up to that moniker right now, partially because he can’t stop an inning from going south in a hurry when things start to unravel.

Losers of four straight games, including a pair of heartbreaking losses in the first two games in San Francisco, Colorado needed something good to happen on Thursday. In a disappointing and underwhelming season so far, in the 81^stgame of the season, it didn’t come from their starting pitcher.

Yes, there were some positives during Gray’s time on the mound from the offense, including Ian Desmond continuing his rejuvenation with a two-run triple during Colorado’s fourth-inning outburst. The Rockies need all the positives they can muster right now.

And whatever positive energy and solid play they can find, they need it to follow them down the California coast to Los Angeles, where they will open a three-game set against the Dodgers on Friday night. Chasing every team except the San Diego Padres in the division standings, every game against a National League West foe becomes even more important now that the second half of the season is officially underway.

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If the schedule holds, Gray will get another chance at the Giants when the Rockies return home for a three-game set against San Francisco beginning on Monday. It will be another chance for Gray to step up for the Rockies … and another chance for every pitch to be dissected and judged. Such is the life of a pitcher who is believed to have ace qualities … but isn’t pitching like one on a consistent basis.

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Let the Jon Gray debate rage on. Let the haters continue to say he isn’t worthy of a spot in the Colorado Rockies rotation. Let the “bust” tag continue to be thrown around like a football on John Elway’s birthday.

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