by Charlie O Mallonee

NEW YORK–A’s starting pitcher Sonny Gray is the key of the A’s staff and has literally lifted this team and put them on his back and carried this team with that 9-3, 2.90 ERA record. They have done very well even though Gray missed the last two starts because of a case of salmonella. However Gray is back in the saddle today. Gray started Tuesday and one thing about him is the fact that him being in the rotation and being scheduled to pitch on Sunday in Cleveland which everyone assumes he’s ineligible to pitch on Tuesday in Cincinnati by league rules.

That as it turns out is not the case Gray is planning to pitch Sunday is Cleveland and the A’s should absolutely pitch him Sunday in Cleveland because they need all the victories they can give him. Their going to pitch him Sunday in Cleveland but by league rules if the club agrees he can pitch on Tuesday. My initial reaction to that is absolutely no, no, no and just let me repeat myself NO.

The last thing the A’s need to do at this point is take a chance and put Gray in some potential peril and then not have him down the stretch when their trying to get out of last place and their trying to make things happen. However I’m going to temper my no by the fact of doing a little research today is that on Tuesday would be Sonny’s normal day to pitch bullpen in between starts.

So now you come back and you have to make a decision do they let him go ahead and step it up a little bit throw the normal bullpen and let him step it up and let him do a normal inning in the All-Star game in which he’s the most deserved of. My conservative self comes out and says let him go to the game, let him get his jersey, let him get his party bags, let him get everything that goes with it and the bonus from the Oakland A’s.

Then the A’s say, “Sonny wave at all of them and go and sit I in the bullpen and enjoy the guys.” I just don’t think it’s worth the chance, it’s a shame but when your dealing with pitchers it’s always a luck of the draw and in this case it’s not a great draw but the good luck is Sonny’s back the A’s need him let him be known as an All-Star please don’t let him pitch in that All-Star game.

Charlie O does Oakland A’s commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen to the podcast below