Daron Sutton revisited

[BC867]

Daron Sutton was a pleasure to listen to calling Friday night's game. Gonzo did a good job as color commentator.

I expect the same from tonight's game with Sutton and Joe Garagiola (as it was before Joe got sick and missed a year).

Or even as with Daron and Matt Williams. Although his presentation was bland compared to either Gonzo or Joe, Sr. Matty won't have a mike in the 1B coaching box, will he?

Sutton concentrated on the game, set the timing to get the most out of his color guy . . . and sounded professional (except, of course, for his screams as they go to commercial.)

That's the good news . . . every Friday and Saturday night.

The bad news? Each Sunday through Thursday, Sutton and Grace will spend nine innings recreating Dan Rowan & Dick Martin's LaughIn. Two buffoons paying attention to the game only when something spectacular happens.

The Clown and the Drunk. How I'd like to see the Drunk land somewhere else (although it looks like Bob Brenly is happy not managing) so the Clown can truly be The Voice of the Diamondbacks all the time.

And yes, the self-promoting duo still turns me off.

MG: "There's action in the bullpen, Daron Sutton."
DS: "A very good observation, Mark Grace."
MG: "That was very nice of you to say, Daron Sutton."
DS: "You;re welcome, Mark Grace." Etc.

 

[az240zz]

How about that tan?? Was it sprayed on??

 

[HooverDam]

Im glad Garagiola is healthy and all, but he's one of the worst announcers I've heard, I mute games he calls. He's so old and slow, its just painful to listen to. Then he'll prattle on for 3 innings about chewing tobacco, its just intolerable.

Sutton definitely plays to his partner, its good to hear he was good w/ Gonzo...or better at least. I was at the game so I didnt hear it. Its shocking no one ever told him as a broadcaster "stop yelling!" though, its pretty obnoxious.

 

[thirty-two]

I actually dont mind Grace and Sutton together.

 

[abomb]

Im glad Garagiola is healthy and all, but he's one of the worst announcers I've heard, I mute games he calls. He's so old and slow, its just painful to listen to. Then he'll prattle on for 3 innings about chewing tobacco, its just intolerable.

Quoted for MF'ing truth.

 

[BC867]

Im glad Garagiola is healthy and all, but he's one of the worst announcers I've heard, I mute games he calls. He's so old and slow, its just painful to listen to.

Major League baseball, more than any other sport, is a game of nostalgia.

Joe's involvement, as a player and announcer, goes back over 60 years. A few times a year, it's interesting.

Then he'll prattle on for 3 innings about chewing tobacco, its just intolerable.

Grace mentions his fondness for beer every game. Joe Sr. mentions his opposition to spit tobacco a few times a year.

Who is the better influence?

I guess good ol' boys will choose Grace. The rest will choose Joe.

 

[azsportsfan01]

I could listen to Joe call a game every day. He, just like Vin Scully, have been baseball lifers. He has so many stories that you will never hear the same one twice. Much rather listen to Joe than see some stupid sign or a kid and miss the pitch. When Sutton and Grace are together it becomes a clown show, not a baseball game.

 

[HooverDam]

Grace mentions his fondness for beer every game. Joe Sr. mentions his opposition to spit tobacco a few times a year.

Who is the better influence?

I guess good ol' boys will choose Grace. The rest will choose Joe.

Just because I dislike Joe Sr talking about tobacco doesn't mean I like hearing Grace talk about booze. Im not a user of either substance, my point was, I dont like being preached at while trying to watch a ball game.

I've never known a single person who used chewing tobacco, I can't imagine young people using it at all, so it just seems like he's on a very odd crusade. Maybe chewing tobacco is an issue in rural areas but in suburban Phoenix where I grew up it couldn't have been less of an issue.

 

[azsportsfan01]

Just because I dislike Joe Sr talking about tobacco doesn't mean I like hearing Grace talk about booze. Im not a user of either substance, my point was, I dont like being preached at while trying to watch a ball game.

I've never known a single person who used chewing tobacco, I can't imagine young people using it at all, so it just seems like he's on a very odd crusade. Maybe chewing tobacco is an issue in rural areas but in suburban Phoenix where I grew up it couldn't have been less of an issue.

I see it used all over the place. Hell when I was at ASU (back in 2004) my suitemate used it all the time when we watched games. A couple of other guys who came over would chew. Chewing tobacco isn't just a rural issue, it is all over. Do I like hearing Joe talk about it? No, of course not, but in the end I would rather hear someone tell me not to chew than have someone telling me to use drugs (no offense to Grace). One of the reasons Joe talks about chewing tobacco so much is because he is at a ball game. Have you ever seen the number of players that chew? Kids see it all the time. Back when I played baseball I knew some kids who tried it as young as 14. It is an issue.

 

[Tyler]

Mark Grace talks about beer, 20 years ago the announcers were craking bottles in the booth. Big deal. Harry Carry might have been Grace's hero, he was drunk by the 6th inning every game and he is still a legend.

 

[AzCatsFanatic]

I could listen to Joe call a game every day. He, just like Vin Scully, have been baseball lifers. He has so many stories that you will never hear the same one twice. Much rather listen to Joe than see some stupid sign or a kid and miss the pitch. When Sutton and Grace are together it becomes a clown show, not a baseball game.

The difference is that Vin Scully is poetic and enjoyable the way he calls the game. Joe, I imagine, was good back in his day. However, the problem with Joe is that he goes on "rants." God help it if a Diamondbacks pitcher walks someone, Joe will start ranting about how much he hates pitchers giving up walks. Scully really doesn't rant, Joe does.

However, that's just my humble opinion.

 

[BC867]

The difference is that Vin Scully is poetic and enjoyable the way he calls the game. Joe, I imagine, was good back in his day. However, the problem with Joe is that he goes on "rants." God help it if a Diamondbacks pitcher walks someone, Joe will start ranting about how much he hates pitchers giving up walks. Scully really doesn't rant, Joe does.

However, that's just my humble opinion.

Joe was lumped with Vinnie in this thread because neither puts on a clown show like Sutton and Grace.

But Joe is a color commentator (although he did some play-by-play in the past). Vin Scully has been the voice of the Dodgers doing play-by-play for over sixty years. And doing his own color commentary as well.

In my opinion, he is the greatest. And I started listening to him regularly as a kid in 1952. The voice of the Dodgers, at the time, Red Barber, moved to the Yankees and Vin took the lead.

Y'know who reminds me of Vinnie when he started out? Jeff Munn. I wish he would get the chance to do regular play-by-play for the D'backs. I find him just as poetic and enjoyable as Vin Scully when he began.

BTW, you may want to read the Vin Scully biography, "Pull Up A Chair". It chronicles the Dodgers becoming a powerhouse in the NL as Vinnie became a broadcasting institution.

 

[BC867]

I finally figured it out . . . L C D

When you watch a concert, you know the band is setting its sights to please the real fans.

So it is with most sports announcers, including Daron Sutton with Gonzo, Garagiola, Candiotti or Williams.

But not with the TV team that announces 5 of every 7 games -- Sutton and Mark Grace.

They seem to aim their banter at the lowest common denominator -- the casual fan, who needs to be entertained to come back. And buy the sponsors' products.

If it were the right thing to do, most other broadcast teams would do it. But they don't. They concentrate on the game and its nuances.

The Sutton and Grace Comedy Hour is an insult to baseball fans.

 

[azsportsfan01]

BTW, you may want to read the Vin Scully biography, "Pull Up A Chair". It chronicles the Dodgers becoming a powerhouse in the NL as Vinnie became a broadcasting institution.

Joe's book 'Just Play Ball' is also a great read. He just gives out a ton of stories. Very fun book.

The Sutton and Grace Comedy Hour is an insult to baseball fans.

Here is the sad thing, they are no where near the worst in the league. If you have MLB.tv you can listen and you'll be amazed. At least Grace and Sutton will talk baseball once in a while (and when they talk nuts and bolts of baseball they are actually quite good).

 

[BC867]

It looks like Sutton and Grace are paying more attention to the game lately. I hope that is a trend.

I absolutely agree with their assessment of the D'backs during the Philly series.

The D'backs are leading the league in home runs. The D'backs record is below .500. (Their record is 7-10, dead last in the NL Western Division.)

As Gracie said, "They need to do something different."

Just when I thought that AJ Hinch was showing signs of being a realistic and intelligent Manager, his team is playing American League baseball. Everybody swing for the fences.

No stolen bases. No hit-and-run. No manufacturing runs. It's lazy management. I hope Hinch hasn't settled into that groove.

 

[HooverDam]

Just when I thought that AJ Hinch was showing signs of being a realistic and intelligent Manager, his team is playing American League baseball. Everybody swing for the fences.

No stolen bases. No hit-and-run. No manufacturing runs. It's lazy management. I hope Hinch hasn't settled into that groove.

I think thats an organizational decision to some degree. Byrnes is a modern GM whos into SABRmetrics and the Moneyball style, while he may not be Billy Beane, he's still going to rely on the big inning, home runs, on base percentage, etc over stuff like stolen bases and hit and runs.

 

[BC867]

I think thats an organizational decision to some degree. Byrnes is a modern GM whos into SABRmetrics and the Moneyball style, while he may not be Billy Beane, he's still going to rely on the big inning, home runs, on base percentage, etc over stuff like stolen bases and hit and runs.

It's interesting, then, that Sutton and Grace made an opposing point on the air, as I posted in my Daron Sutton Revisited threat.

It looks like Sutton and Grace are paying more attention to the game lately. I hope that is a trend.

I absolutely agree with their assessment of the D'backs during the Philly series.

The D'backs are leading the league in home runs. The D'backs record is below .500. (Their record is 7-10, dead last in the NL Western Division.)

As Gracie said, "They need to do something different."

 

[AzStevenCal]

Just when I thought that AJ Hinch was showing signs of being a realistic and intelligent Manager, his team is playing American League baseball. Everybody swing for the fences.

No stolen bases. No hit-and-run. No manufacturing runs. It's lazy management. I hope Hinch hasn't settled into that groove.

I'd like to see them be a little more efficient but do you really think we're losing because we're not advancing runners. I have faith in our bullpen. If we moved the guys along and added 2 more runs a game our relievers would just give up 2 more runs. We need to do something different but it's on the mound not at the plate IMO.

Steve

 

[BC867]

I'd like to see them be a little more efficient but do you really think we're losing because we're not advancing runners.

Well,, not only do I think so, and Sutton and Grace, but now, in an article entitled, "Arizona Diamondbacks' home run-heavy offense may concern A.J. Hinch", so does the Manager.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/dia...6/20100426arizona-diamondbacks-home-runs.html

I have faith in our bullpen. If we moved the guys along and added 2 more runs a game our relievers would just give up 2 more runs. We need to do something different but it's on the mound not at the plate IMO.

Did you mean you don't have faith in our bullpen? If so, you're not alone.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Well,, not only do I think so, and Sutton and Grace, but now, in an article entitled, "Arizona Diamondbacks' home run-heavy offense may concern A.J. Hinch", so does the Manager.

Well, sure, it should concern him. This isn't the Baltimore Orioles and he's not Earl Weaver but in the overall scheme of things we have MUCH bigger concerns.

Did you mean you don't have faith in our bullpen? If so, you're not alone.

I have faith that our bullpen can sink to whatever level is necessary to insure that we don't accidentally win a close game.

Steve

 

[DWKB]

I'd like to see them be a little more efficient but do you really think we're losing because we're not advancing runners. I have faith in our bullpen. If we moved the guys along and added 2 more runs a game our relievers would just give up 2 more runs. We need to do something different but it's on the mound not at the plate IMO.

Steve

I know you're just using a hypothetical, but I don't know if the offense could be more efficient. Avg 5.3 R/G and scoring 3 or more runs in 75% of your games so far is a rather efficient and impressive offense from to 20,000 ft view I have now.

Some of you who get to see many more games than I do might see the specifics more clearly, but from my perspective, it's not the offense that is hurting the Diamondbacks.