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Encyclopedia Brown: The Case Of The Missing Slider

Sonny Gray insists that he is healthy and his fastball velocity is as good as ever. Those two pieces suggest, until further notice, that Gray's problems are not the direct result of the dreaded "pitching hurt". Gray has also been terrible so far this season, posting a 6.19 ERA and showing little to no command of his pitches.

Is the problem as simple as "He can't locate his fastball, curve, slider or changeup right now"? Is it as simple as "He's hurt and everyone's hiding it"? Probably not. There is a third factor -- and a "shout out" goes to King Richard for bringing it up first -- that has to be in the equation.