Gray pleased with Rockies' bullpen additions

DENVER -- Rockies right-handed starting pitcher Jon Gray is on board with general manager Jeff Bridich's offseason bullpen push.
Gray, who joined MLB Network's Hot Stove on Tuesday via FaceTime, championed the signings of closer Wade Davis (three years, $52 million) and setup men Jake McGee and Bryan Shaw (three years, $27 million each). Those three plus Mike Dunn and Adam Ottavino ($7 million apiece) will earn a combined $44.5 million in 2018.
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For Gray, the signings show the Rockies are serious about building on last season's National League Wild Card Game appearance. Gray went 10-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 20 starts during a 2017 season in which he missed 10 weeks with a right foot stress fracture. In his final 13 regular-season starts, he went 7-3 with a 2.64 ERA and 80 strikeouts against 16 walks.
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Gray's start in the 11-8 NL Wild Card Game loss to the D-backs -- four runs, including a Paul Goldschmidt homer, and seven hits in 1 1/3 innings -- was a disappointment. But the push for 2018 has helped him move past that.

"We did," Gray said. "The cool thing about it is we've got a lot more to look forward to. We made some big strides last year. We had a lot of young players step up and do well and our front office is pushing. There are a lot of good things going right now. I think we're going to see those kinds of games a lot more in years to come."
Gray is the No. 1 starter on a club that has just one pitcher -- righty Chad Bettis -- who has reached his arbitration years. The bullpen spending is designed to support a rotation short on experience but long on talent and pedigree. Gray was the third overall pick in 2013, lefty Tyler Anderson was a first-rounder in '11, Bettis was a second-rounder in '10, lefty Kyle Freeland and righty Jeff Hoffman were the eighth and ninth overall picks in '14 and righties Germán Márquez and Antonio Senzatela were highly sought as amateurs in Venezuela.
Gray said having experienced pitchers in relief will help the starters in many ways.
"You just feel more confident," he said. "There's more of a reason for you to win that game. You definitely have a different feeling out there when you get those guys behind you. You get through six innings on a night you know they're going to close it down for you back there."

Gray's interview also included some fun. For example:
• A former University of Oklahoma star, Gray believes he knows where the blame goes for the Sooners' 54-48 loss to Georgia in the Rose Bowl/College Football Playoff semifinal on Monday.
"In my mind, I messed it up," Gray said. "It was my fault. I wasn't supposed to watch the game. I turned it on at halftime. I watched the second half, and that's when things went downhill. I blew that one."
• Gray hasn't quit searching for paranormal activity -- a hobby for which he became known when it was revealed during his rookie year. He just doesn't ghostbust as often.
"Anything unexplained is interesting to me," he said. "But it's not a regular thing that happens now."
• Gray has a great vantage point on teammate and five-time Gold Glove Award-winning third baseman Nolan Arenado.
"It's a lot of fun to watch, just to be on the field, being that close and seeing that happen," Gray said. "It's on another level and another speed."