Oakland Athletics: Why It’s Ok Sonny Gray Did Not Win Gold Glove Award

Oakland Athletics’ young ace Sonny Gray was nominated for his first Gold Glove Award this offseason. He was up against two tough pitchers – Toronto Blue Jays’ Mark Buehrle and Houston Astros’ Dallas Keuchel. It came down to Gray and Keuchel, but Keuchel was able squeaked out the win and was awarded his second Gold Glove on Tuesday night.

Gray is was very deserving of this award. He did not make a single error in 60 chances, completed 23 assists, and set a franchise record for putouts with 37. But, it is ultimately ok that he lost this year.

First of all, Gray is young. He still has plenty of time to win multiple Gold Gloves. His skills will only improve as he gains more experience as a Major League pitcher. He is probably the most talked about pitching trade target as of right now, so there is definitely talent there. Gray will continue to demonstrate that skill for many years to come.

Additionally, it is well known that Gray and Keuchel were top candidates for the Cy Young award for most of the season. However, Gray’s success did decline toward the end of the season and he was unable to make his last start due to soreness in his left hip. Because the award is voted on by managers and coaches from each league, their choices are not always statistic-based and emotions can certainly play a role. When just looking at overall performance, Keuchel was strong throughout the entire season and into the postseason while Gray kind of petered out at the end and had a 6.84 ERA for September.

Gray is a finalist for the American League Cy Young award and his nomination shows that he is a rising star among Major League pitchers. It is not a question as to if he will win one of these awards one day, it is a question as to when. Keuchel and David Price were also nominated for the the AL Cy Young.

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Gray is a talented pitcher and his skills will take him far in the Majors. He does not need an award to prove this. This young ace will continue to grow and master his pitching ability until he becomes a household name around the MLB. Let’s just hope that the Oakland Athletics do not trade him before he becomes a truly special, irreplaceable ace.