There are no highlights to watch on SportsCenter and there is no clearly defining moment. No one will point back to any one pitch on Tuesday night, yet, it was a pivotal moment in the history of the Colorado Rockies.
Eight days after trading the face of their franchise, and arguably the best baseball player to wear purple pinstripes, the Rockies moved towards the future. The future without Troy Tulowitzki. The trade was a clear shift in the direction that the Rockies are heading, and the success of that shift sits largely on the broad shoulders of top prospect Jon Gray.
As has become the trend in August for Rockies games, the final score was an afterthought. The reality that the outcome of individual games is nothing more than a matter of pride has set in once again for the faithful few who have stuck around to watch the struggles of the Rockies continue for another year. The Rockies dropped their second straight game to the Mariners, 10-4.
The four innings that Gray pitched on Tuesday night will not turn any heads. No one will be excited or deflated simply by looking at the box score. However, those who watched the game got their first taste of why the Rockies were so excited that someone of Gray’s talent fell into their lap with the third overall pick of the 2013 draft.
The line for Gray, four innings pitched, three runs, two earned. He walked two and struck out four. After 77 pitches, 33 of which came in the 1st inning, Gray was finished for the night.
“It took me a while to settle down,” said Gray. “There is a lot of stuff going on, so blocking that stuff out is huge. I was focused more as the game went on.”
The Rockies decision to remove him could certainly be second-guessed, but that’s a completely separate issue. Overall, the main objective for those who still pay attention to the Rockies was how Gray’s stuff would play out at the big league level.
If his arsenal was in question, he left no doubt in the mind of the guy who caught every one of his pitches. “He’s got as good of stuff as anyone out there,” said Nick Hundley. “The future is really bright for him.”
The overall evaluation for Gray’s first day on the job was enough to build up plenty of confidence. Gray’s mid-90’s fastball, even touching 97 MPH on a few occasions, was riding in on right-handed batters all night. Yet, everyone was well aware of the fastball that the Oklahoman possesses. What was impressive was his slider. The secondary pitch probably surprised those who haven’t seen him pitch. It had a bite that might be every bit as much of a strikeout pitch as the fastball.
The Rockies are a team in transition. New general manager Jeff Bridich officially ended his honeymoon as general manager a week ago when he dispatched Tulowitzki and made it clear that it was time for a new direction. The message was clear, all-hit and no-pitch, regardless of playing 81 games at Coors Field, isn’t how baseball games are won on a regular basis.
With that model clearly where the Rockies are trying to get to, the future, especially the near future, requires Gray to live up to his billing as a front-of-the-rotation starter. That is plenty of expectation to throw on the back of a guy who will certainly require time to hone his craft and adjust to the differences between pitching at the Triple-A level and pitching on the big stage with three levels of disgruntled fans resting their hopes on one pitcher.
The Rockies have turned the page and entered a new era. With Gray holding the only candle of hope for the future, he certainly didn’t blow it out. It will take more than Gray to right the ship for the Rockies, but for the time being, he will have to carry the torch of youth and hope until he has a few friends beside him that can help him with the burden.
If Gray has to hold the torch for the time being, he seems just fine with it. He left the media with one final quote. “I’m definitely ready for the next one, I can hardly wait.”
