Demotion would wipe smile off Sonny’s face
SMILIN’ Sonny Gray showed the Yankees once again why he cannot be trusted in a big game or even a small game. Here is the Yankees forecast: Not so Sonny.
Lance Lynn should immediately get his spot in the rotation.
A year ago the Yankees acquired Gray at the trade deadline thinking he could step up to the challenge of being a force in the Yankees rotation. So much for that.
Gray has failed miserably, and Wednesday was another extension of his losing ways as he surrendered seven runs over 2 ²/₃ innings to the minor league Orioles in an embarrassing 7-5 loss at Yankee Stadium that put the Yankees 5 ¹/₂ games behind the idle Red Sox. Aaron Boone admitted the Yankees would discuss whether Gray should stay in the rotation over the next few days. Let’s make this easy: Gray doesn’t deserve it as his record dropped to 8-8 with a stunning 5.56 ERA.
By the end of the day there was a Twitter controversy involving Gray, as he became yet another player under scrutiny for an old tweet. He also was hammered by fans for how he walked off the mound smiling in the third inning.
Gray defended himself from the Twitter police saying the controversial tweet was him just kidding around with former minor league teammate, Rashun Dixon. Gray was 22 at the time.
The tweet read: @Sir_Peanut 1. You didn’t go to college. 2. You are black. #followdaleaderleaderleader clap clap clap
“That was an inside joke,’’ Gray said when shown the tweet. “I’m comfortable with who I am. You can ask anybody in this clubhouse who I am and what I’m about. People are trying to dig stuff up. Ask Sir Peanut? He is one of my best friends. I played with him forever. We went on vacation together.’’
As for the smiling reaction when he left the game, Gray said that’s how he handles such situations as 47,206 fans cheered Boone for coming to get Gray and then unloaded on Gray as he walked off the mound.
“As many times as I’ve done that this year it’s a frustrating spot to be in,’’ Gray said. “That’s kind of how I handle situations. How I tell myself to move on and not let it get to you.’’ It got to the fans. Bottom line, being a Yankee is not working out for Gray as he is becoming a modern day Ed Whitson.
All this is with the first-place Red Sox looming.
Newly acquired Lynn was asked how he would describe his personality on the mound and Lynn, who did not allow a run over 4 ¹/₃ innings, said, “Not very nice. I’m in attack mode all the time. It’s you versus me and whoever wins wins, but I will try to get you next time.’’ That style fits New York. Gray had won three straight starts for the first time as a Yankee, but those starts came against three of the worst teams in baseball, the Orioles, Mets and Royals.
So it’s on to the huge fourgame series with the Red Sox at Fenway Park, and because of Gray’s horrible performance against the Orioles, who had lost 11 straight road games, the Yankees had to burn Lynn and two relievers, Chad Green and Jonathan Holder, putting the Yankees in a bad spot.
Gray got eight outs, surrendered seven runs, eight hits and walked two with three strikeouts.
Gray set the tone for what Boone said “was a bad day for us.’’
So much so that third-base coach Phil Nevin read the team the riot act in the dugout in an effort to get them to get their act together.
In 21 starts this season Gray has pitched 103 ²/₃ innings, allowing 112 hits and 46 walks. That is 158 base runners over 103 ²/₃ innings. Gray was so bad that Alex Cobb, who came into the game 2-14 with a 6.08 ERA was the far better pitcher, going six innings, allowing only one run.
Some guys can pitch in New York. Some can’t. Gray can’t.
Give Lance Lynn the baseball. Smilin’ Sonny doesn’t fit.