Today's AZ Republic on the FOXAZ Broadcasting!

[Skkorpion]

This morning.

Dan Bickley pointing out how lousy the whole Foxaz production is when Grace and Sutton do the games. Bickley still tried to go easy on Grace but nailed everything we despise -- Grace and Sutton making every game a focus on themselves; the annoying focus on signs and fans instead of the the game...

On the same page was a fan letter complaining about Grace's shallow, childish broadcasting.

Please, please dump Mark Grace. Candioti and Sutton were a delight. Garagiola and Sutton were too.

The producer changes his whole broadcast presentation for the better when Mark Grace is absent. Funny how he's been absent a lot lately, huh?

 

[BC867]

This morning.

Dan Bickley pointing out how lousy the whole Foxaz production is when Grace and Sutton do the games. Bickley still tried to go easy on Grace but nailed everything we despise -- Grace and Sutton making every game a focus on themselves; the annoying focus on signs and fans instead of the the game...

On the same page was a fan letter complaining about Grace's shallow, childish broadcasting.

Please, please dump Mark Grace. Candioti and Sutton were a delight. Garagiola and Sutton were too.

The producer changes his whole broadcast presentation for the better when Mark Grace is absent. Funny how he's been absent a lot lately, huh?

I'm with you. But Grace has been absent every Friday and Saturday and returns Sunday, because he was promoted to do color commentary on the Fox regional weekend games, working with (I believe) different play-by-play announcers.

Good to see the the Republic reacting to this as well as the uninspired play of the D'backs as a team.

I wonder if the Owner and the GM read the Republic.

 

[Brian]

I love Mark Grace. I'd dump Sutton.

Candiotti and Grace would be my ideal.

 

[Skkorpion]

I love Mark Grace. I'd dump Sutton.

Candiotti and Grace would be my ideal.

Harley, are you from Chicago or are you a Cubs fan?

 

[BC867]

I love Mark Grace. I'd dump Sutton.

Candiotti and Grace would be my ideal.

Interesting concept. Two color commentators. No play-by-play announcer.

I don't think that's going to happen.

After a game or two, you'd no longer consider that ideal.

It's bad enough when Candiotti jumps from color on radio to TV. Leaving two play-by-play announcers on radio. The Guv'nor and Jeff Munn.

Jeff Munn does a pretty good job transitioning to color. He has a great knowledge of the history of baseball. He came in second only to Josh Byrnes in a D'backs employees trivia contest.

But Greg Schulte trying to do color is funny, dropping "g"'s from the end of his words to sound like a jock.

But two color commentators and no play-by-play announcer -- uh uh.

Y'know, come to think of it, most of the time Daron Sutton doesn't do play-by-play, which is probably why he's not your ideal announcer. I agree with you there.

 

[Brian]

Harley, are you from Chicago or are you a Cubs fan?

Hell no.

I detest the Cubs and their fans.

I love Mark Grace because he is old school. Played the game the right way, and I love his stories and self criticism.

Candiotti provides very calm explanations of what is going on and what needs to happen.

Greg is ok, I just can't stand his "back at the warning track, back at the wall, gone!!!"

Sutton is the one who started the "we need more signs" crap. No Daron we don't. What we need is for the fans to get into the game, and for Chase Field to have a real home field advantage. Leave the signs at home and bring your lungs instead.

 

[Avondale Red Rage]

I'm with you. But Grace has been absent every Friday and Saturday and returns Sunday, because he was promoted to do color commentary on the Fox regional weekend games, working with (I believe) different play-by-play announcers.

Good to see the the Republic reacting to this as well as the uninspired play of the D'backs as a team.

I wonder if the Owner and the GM read the Republic.

Watched some of the Sox-Cubs game yesterday. Grace (who I really like)sounded so much better and it was great to hear him and Thom B. back together.

Sutton is definitely wearing thin with me.

 

[Skkorpion]

It's Sunday and Grace did not do today's game.

 

[BC867]

It's Sunday and Grace did not do today's game.

Probably because the D'backs had only the Sunday game before flying back home for a game on Monday.

If Grace flew to Fla. for Sunday, then to Phx. for Monday, who knows how many "adult beverages" (as he calls them) he would have consumed?

 

[dogpoo32]

I enjoy Grace and Sutton. When the team, and manager, care little about winning, then the broadcasters will be distracted. They can't call anyone out, so they are forced to kill time. Sure, I hate it when they aren't paying attention... but I can't blame them. Maybe if the team cared it would rub off.

 

[Desert Rat]

Although, I find myself saying, "shut up, already" enough times when Sutton and Grace are doing the games, overall, I find them somewhat entertaining and I do enjoy their broadcasts. I also like the weekend c/c switches of Garagiola and Candiotti, but not Williams. Say what ya want about the signs and 'car', but it gets fans involved a little.

 

[azsouthendzone]

I think its funny how today on azcentral, Bob young wrote an article about fans complaining about Sutton and Grace, but if you look at the comments from readers I would say 95% stick up for Sutton and Grace. I read comments like "the D-backs are directing them to be family oriented and to appeal to a wide audience." and that was criticism. I think these guys are rolling and are doing a great job. Winning cures all. Vin Scully puts me to sleep. These guys keep it interesting.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/BobYoung/26911/sort_A/Offset60

 

[BC867]

To paraphrase:

Sutton: 'That was a close call, Mark Grace.'
Gracie: 'You're absolutely right, Daron Sutton. Good job.'

Gracie: 'They should be trying to steal a base here, Daron Sutton.'
Sutton: 'Good observation, Mark Grace.'

Etc., etc., etc.

I like Gracie's points, particularly about lack of hustle or hit-and-run or stealing a base.

I don't like spending 2 1/2 hours eavesdropping on their personal conversations, when they're getting paid to announce to us.

Or hearing them address each other by first and last name over and over. That, even more than "car", has worn very thin.

They just don't know when to stop. And clearly, Sutton is a follower. He reaches up to . . . or dumbs down to . . . whoever is doing color commentary with him. Most of his work is with Grace, and we know which direction that takes him in.

 

[Skkorpion]

I think its funny how today on azcentral, Bob young wrote an article about fans complaining about Sutton and Grace, but if you look at the comments from readers I would say 95% stick up for Sutton and Grace. I read comments like "the D-backs are directing them to be family oriented and to appeal to a wide audience." and that was criticism. I think these guys are rolling and are doing a great job. Winning cures all. Vin Scully puts me to sleep. These guys keep it interesting.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/BobYoung/26911/sort_A/Offset60

Appreciate your input and understand you like the guys.

I get the paper too and my opinion is you completely misrepresented the facts. I just looked for my sports section to verify. Today was trash day and it's been thrown out.

From memory, admittedly biased, there 4 letters in support of the duo and 9 against. The claim of the paper was that this was an accurate representation of the way the letters were running.

Edit: Oops, I misunderstood you. My apologies. I thought you were referring to the letters printed in the actual paper, not the online comments.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Vin Scully puts me to sleep.

Wow.

 

[BC867]

Difference of opinion

Vin Scully puts me to sleep.

Vin Scully started doing Dodgers play-by-play just before 1950. His easy-to-listen-to tones and professionalism, in addition to all that he has experienced, puts him at the top of the all-time list for me.

That's why I'm hoping that Jeff Munn gets a chance to do full-time play-by-play for the D'backs. He reminds me so much of a young Vinnie.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Criticizing Vin Scully while in the same sentence applauding the two jokers in the DBacks broadcast booth is a blasphemy to the game of baseball. Neither Sutton nor Grace could do a half inning of both color and play-by-play, both of which Scully has been doing every night brilliantly for the last fifty years with no help in the broadcast booth.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Appreciate your input and understand you like the guys.

I get the paper too and my opinion is you completely misrepresented the facts. I just looked for my sports section to verify. Today was trash day and it's been thrown out.

From memory, admittedly biased, there 4 letters in support of the duo and 9 against. The claim of the paper was that this was an accurate representation of the way the letters were running.

Edit: Oops, I misunderstood you. My apologies. I thought you were referring to the letters printed in the actual paper, not the online comments.

Yes I was referring to the online comments. I don't put much stock in the hand selected comments that the Republic printed. The media can twist and turn anything. The media can alos create news and try to alter the public's perception any way they see fit, and in this case I believe that is mostly what is going on. I think there are two segements of fans that are upset with Grace and Sutton. Firts I think there is the purple and teal crew that won't be satisfied unless they hear Thom Brennaman (spelling ?) and they see Jerry Colangelo in the stands. Those days are over and they aren't coming back. The solution? Win games. The other sect that has an isssue with the broadcast team are casual observers who root for other teams. They are the same people who bash the cardinals relentlessly and call in and say "First off I am a Dodgers fan but i was watching the D-backs last night and ......." The people who have an issue are the vocal minority, which is usually the case. there are some exceptions. I am sure there are some die hards that don't like Grace and Sutton but I think my general asssessment is pretty close to reality.

As far as Vin Scully, he is good. I really have no issue with him. But guys like Bickley are so wrapped up in the good ole days that they are missing one very key point. While he gushes over scully, and even Harry Carey, has he stopped to realize that while the 35-60 year old demographic that watches baseball on TV may agree with him, does he stop to think that the 15-34 year old demographic doesn't watch the game? Colin Cowherd said yesterday during his show that "baseball on TV is dying a slow death." Why is that? I guess what i am trying to say is that what worked up to this point needs to be tossed out the window. Teams need to think outside the box to attract viewers. All i know is that while watching the D-backs on the East coast I saw many, many, CAR signs in the stands. so while the traditionalist may not like their style, it is flat out wrong to say it isn't effective, and the online comments and poll heavily in their favor helps prove that point. And for those who have a problem with them being "homers"...get the MLB package. Almost every broadcast team in every sport are homers. You don't hear people complain when John Sterling says "Theeeeee Yankees Win!!" You don't hear people complain when Al McCoy rips the officials on every call or when Dave Pasch gets out of his seat when the Cardinals score. National broadcasts are unbiased but I can't remember the last time I have heard a team's local broadcast that wasn't. OK, off rant.

 

[BC867]

Revisiting this 2008 thread about Beavis & Butthead (I mean Sutton & Grace), I used this July 4 holiday to put a radio in my computer room, which is where I watch most of the D'backs innings that I see.

What a pleasure it was to listen to the Guv'nor and the Candy Man announce, and discuss, the game, while having the TV on mute. Talking to the audience, rather than talking to (and self-promoting) each other.

In fact, because the radio feed is about 3-5 seconds ahead of cable, if I was doing something on the computer and heard something good, instead of glancing over, I had a few seconds to give the TV my attention. 'Sort of like mini instant replay.

The straw that broke the camel's back was when the Crewcuts (Sutton & Grace) spent an entire game spewing their Right Wing agenda about how much they hated the Mohawk haircuts that some of the players had, most of the time disregarding, or mis-announcing, the action on the field, as Sutton has been prone to do lately.

But then, their game-long editorials are paid for by Fox TV. Of course they're slanted.

 

[TJ]

I watched the game in Los Angeles on Friday with Vin Scully doing the color/play by play. That man is amazing. He knew more about the D-Backs than Grace and Sutton did combined. He was spot on about everything in his commentary and is a hell of a lot more objective than those two clowns.

When you watch a game with a great broadcaster, it just makes it that much more fun. Sutton can single handidly butcher an entire game with his idiocy

 

[azsportsfan01]

I will give them this, they have gotten a lot better as of late. They still mess around too much but it isn't nearly the level they used to.

 

[BC867]

I watched the game in Los Angeles on Friday with Vin Scully doing the color/play by play. That man is amazing. He knew more about the D-Backs than Grace and Sutton did combined.

I've been a fan of Vin Scully for the past 58 of his 60 years announcing Dodger baseball. Ever since I was a pre-teenager in NJ and my first love was the Brooklyn Dodgers.

My son and I were at the D'backs-Dodgers game last Friday night (he is 37) and, as we waited for the Up elevator to take us to the parking garage, the Down elevator stopped on our floor with two inhabitants. The elevator operator and Vin Scully.

i could kick myself for not grabbing my son and getting on the Down elevator, so I could shake the hand of a legend and tell him how, as many people, he is my favorite announcer of all time. And how I enjoyed reading his biography, "Pull Up A Chair".

When the elevator came back to take us up, I mentioned to the operator that she had Vin Scully in her elevator. She said, "I think so, but I don't know who he is." Is that a generation gap or a geographical gap?

When my wife and I last visited my friends in Santa Barbara, I told him I had to schedule at least one hour in front of the TV to listen to Vinnie.

A few years ago, I emailed Jeff Munn, telling him that he is the closest to Vin Scully that I have ever heard. And how I enjoy when he gets to do a few innings on radio (he is primarily the pre- and post-game host).

And how I hope he gets promoted to play-by-play, instead of leaving for another market. He wrote back, saying thanks and telling me that he is satisfied with his current assignment at this time.

If you like Vinnie, as you and I do, you'll like Munny. Despite getting his start as the courtside announcer of the Suns, he has a remarkable knowledge of the history and anecdotes of Major League baseball.

With Vinny retiring shortly, I hope Jeff gets his chance so the golden tones continue.

 

[DiamondBacks5117]

Id listen to a pirates game if scully was callin it. He has a voice made for baseball! Dodger fans are lucky to have such a great brodcaster!

 

[Black Jesus]

I have had enough of Mark Grace too. I liked him at the beginning, but he has mailed it in at times.

 

[PoolBoy]

at least Sutton doesn't scream as much anymore...oh wait...probably because we are losing so much :/