Sonny Gray's fast rise earning him respect, lofty comparisons
Oakland Athletics ace Sonny Gray is a first-time All-Star this season, and could perhaps have started the game for the AL had he not pitched and thrown a two-hit shutout on Sunday.
Gray's strong start to the 2015 season, in which he's 10-3 with an AL - best 2.04 ERA, comes in just his second season as a full-time MLB pitcher.
As John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group explains, scouts are already saying great things about Gray. The 25-year-old is quickly drawing comparisons to some elite right-handers in the league, namely Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners and Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers.
Hickey quoted an AL East scout as saying the following regarding Gray: "I love the kid; I love his competitiveness. He doesn't get scared off the plate when somebody smokes one. As I look back in my reports of the last three years, going back to when he was in Triple-A, everything with him has gotten better. I have him with three above average pitches with the fastball, slider and curve, and the (changeup) could be above average if he used it more. The only other guy in baseball I have with four is King Felix. So if he's there, he's in elite company."
As for his competitive nature, Gray says it's been with him for a while now: "For me, it's all about wanting to win the game. That's what I work for. I want to get the ball like they do. I don't know where it comes from, but I've been like this since before high school. Competitiveness is to me something you develop over the course of your whole life."
A's manager Bob Melvin identified Gray's competitive spirit early in his career, noting that, "His competitive desire is off the charts. It was evident early. It's what makes him who he is. Sonny has a great idea of how to pitch. It comes from his competitiveness."
That competitiveness has helped drive Gray all the way to what looks to be the first of many All-Star appearances in his career.
