Is Daron Sutton finally gone?

BC867

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Last night, Greg Schulte replaced Daron Sutton in the D'Backs play-by-play TV booth and Jeff Munn replaced Schulte on radio.

It has been my practice to watch the games on TV, but mute the sound and listen to the radio feed whenever Sutton and Mark Grace work together. I would do the TV sound when either Sutton or Grace has been absent.

Sutton without Grace was tolerable because our fill-in TV color commentators won't take Sutton's egotistical and juvenile behavior -- repeating the same thing over and over--not Gonzo nor Garagiola nor Candiotti, nor Matt Williams in the past.

Grace without Sutton wasn't too bad because Schulte doesn't play into Grace's "I'm a bad boy" Abbott & Costello routine. But together, Sutton and Grace--the Ego and the alcoholic--were painful and boring to listen to.

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According to an article in today's AzCentral.com/Arizona Republic:
When asked to confirm if the broadcaster (Sutton) was under suspension, team officials declined to specifically comment. However, a team spokesman did say the team was making a change and that Sutton would be "taking some time off."

"We made a change in the broadcast talent lineup and Daron will be taking some time off," said Josh Rawitch, the Diamondbacks senior vice president of communications."

Sutton said, "I've got some personal stuff going on in my life that I need to get straightened out." Sources to the club indicated that Sutton, now in his sixth season as the Diamondbacks' television play-by-play man, could be away from the team indefinitely.

The Guv'nor to TV play-by-play is a major improvement over Sutton. And I am so glad that Jeff Munn will finally be given the chance to do our radio play-by-play instead of being lured away to another team.

With Vin Scully who is, in my opinion, the greatest baseball announcer of all time getting set to retire in L.A. one of these years, it is good that his spirit will live on here in the Valley in the person of Jeff Munn.

As a D'backs fan, I am a happy camper with these developments.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarep...dbacks-daron-sutton-apparently-suspended.html
 
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Azlen

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It's still a mystery as to what happened. There was an artilcle in the Bleacher Report saying that Sutton told Kendrick what he thought of him and that led to a suspension. Hall disputed the story on twitter though. There have also been some rumors lately that Grace and Sutton aren't getting along. I'm sure the truth will come out soon enough but nobody is talking too much right now.
 

MaoTosiFanClub

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I'm getting somewhat worried about the ownership this team, Derrick Hall I've heard nothing but great things about but Kendrick seems as if he's sticking his nose too much into the smaller things.
 

Kel Varnsen

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I'm getting somewhat worried about the ownership this team, Derrick Hall I've heard nothing but great things about but Kendrick seems as if he's sticking his nose too much into the smaller things.

Me, too. Looks like the Coyotes might have the best owners in the Valley right now. (JK, Bidwills.)
 

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I'm getting somewhat worried about the ownership this team, Derrick Hall I've heard nothing but great things about but Kendrick seems as if he's sticking his nose too much into the smaller things.


Meh... If Kendrick had anything to do with Sutton's disappearance (which I doubt), so be it... what's the big deal?
As far as I'm concerned, we've got two tremendously respected leaders in Hall and Towers. I honestly can't take issue with much of what they've done during their respective tenures... Aside from not dumping CY yet of course. Other than that, I'm largely fine with most of the decisions the team has made. Who is in the booth, while mildly entertaining, means squat in terms of wins and losses...
 
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BC867

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It's still a mystery as to what happened. There was an artilcle in the Bleacher Report saying that Sutton told Kendrick what he thought of him and that led to a suspension. Hall disputed the story on twitter though. There have also been some rumors lately that Grace and Sutton aren't getting along. I'm sure the truth will come out soon enough but nobody is talking too much right now.
I can take only so much of sports jocks on radio and TV. Being childish and outrageous seems to be a prerequisite.

It wears thin when a play-by-play announcer and color commentator adapt it to announcing a ball game. Gracie's constantly talking over his play-by-play guy is unprofessional and annoying. The Guv'nor let him get away with it last night (I expect that Grace won't know where to draw the line). Whereas Sutton was just as juvenile as Grace.

I am hoping that Kendrick told Sutton to cut it back and Sutton, who makes every play about himself (there is no "I" in play-by-play announcer) reacted as less than an adult.

Good riddance. Replacing Sutton with Jeff Munn (with Greg Schulte shifting to the TV side) is like replacing Jim Carrey's voice with that of Vin Scully.

I have no basis for saying this, but I couldn't help but wonder if Sutton's mysterious disappearance and coverup could indicate . . . rehab. I saw it happen in industry where wet-behind-the-ears Vice Presidents suddenly disappeared.
 

Azlen

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Sutton will be doing the Diamondbacks Brewers game this weekend for Fox, not for the Diamondbacks so it doesn't look like it's a personal issue.
 

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Whatever the reason for Suttons disappearance, its a good thing. He's horrible at his job and as a D'backs fan I feel embarrassed to have him representing our organization.

Both Schulte and Munn are great and both deserve to be doing play by play full time if thats what they want/ Schulte on TV and Munn on the radio from now until they want to retire sounds like a God send.

My only worry is if Sutton is gone, after the season the D'backs will bring in another outsider from someone else to be the TV voice. Just use Schulte.
 

kps0001

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I don't like Sutton or Grace. I prefer Schulte. See ya Sutton. It is strange how this is all going down though.
 

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Sutton will be doing the Diamondbacks Brewers game this weekend for Fox, not for the Diamondbacks so it doesn't look like it's a personal issue.

Not understanding the read here. D-Backs own the local broadcast and control the broadcast team for local broadcast. Fox controls the national broadcast. Fox could care less what the D-Backs' think of their broadcasters and wouldn't do anything that would cost them more money for no reason (such as replacing a contracted broadcaster if they don't have to).
 

MigratingOsprey

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I think what he's getting at is if there was something personal to Sutton where he would be unavailable for work then he would be unavailable to anyone who he would do work for

The entities are separate, the contracts are separate, the work is separate ..... but if he was hit by the proverbial bus and tied to a hospital bed then he wouldn't be able to physically call games for either of them.

So if FSN is making an accomodation to him based on some personal issue, it seems that Fox would follow suit for their national broadcast - however, since he is apparently fine enough to work for them, you start to assume that he is fine enough to work for the diamondbacks with FSN ..... he isn't working for them so it must be something specific in their relationship
 

Gaddabout

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By 'Personal' issue, I understood it as a 'Personnel' issue. Never dawned it could be interpreted as a physical ailment, but I see now where you could read that.

Diamondbacks have all but said they're tired of Sutton behind the scenes.
 

Azlen

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By 'Personal' issue, I understood it as a 'Personnel' issue. Never dawned it could be interpreted as a physical ailment, but I see now where you could read that.

Diamondbacks have all but said they're tired of Sutton behind the scenes.

People have speculated rehab, family issues, etc. That's what I meant as a personal issue. Something in his personal life that would keep him from working. The fact that he's calling the game for Fox means that it definitely is an issue between him and the Diamondbacks.
 

FArting

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According to ESPN.com, television announcer Daron Sutton has been suspended due to "insubordination." The report cited a dispute between Sutton and the club about the team's on-air dress code.
A source confirmed that dispute to The Republic, saying that while the club prefers its broadcast team to wear polo shirts adorned with the Diamondbacks logo, Sutton has lobbied to wear suits.
He made at least one veiled reference to the dispute on the air during the last game he called, an afternoon game against the Seattle Mariners on June 20.
Without going into detail, another source said the Diamondbacks have had various issues with Sutton for years.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/dia...ondbacks-ss-stephen-drews-ankle-holds-up.html
 
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ArizonaSportsFan

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He argued to wear a suit instead of a polo shirt? To the point of telling them to screw-off (or whatever) and get suspended? Very odd!
 
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BC867

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He argued to wear a suit instead of a polo shirt? To the point of telling them to screw-off (or whatever) and get suspended? Very odd!
I think this is the key quote in the article.
Without going into detail, another source said the Diamondbacks have had various issues with Sutton for years.
The D'backs brass preferring a shirt with a D'backs logo vs. a shirt and tie is about a marketing approach and, evidently, all the other conflicts which preceded the suspension.

And the quote that even Mark Grace wasn't getting along with him. Grace represents the largest out-of-town fan base in the Valley -- the Cubs -- as well having worn a D'back uniform. Sutton represents backgrounds not as sentimental to many D'backs fans.
 

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He argued to wear a suit instead of a polo shirt? To the point of telling them to screw-off (or whatever) and get suspended? Very odd!

It was probably just one of the many straws that broke the camels back.

Who cares why though? Lets just be happy. Darron Sutton is not good at his job, lets be happy with Schulte on TV and Munn on radio and hope it stays that way until those guys die/retire.
 

ArizonaSportsFan

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It was probably just one of the many straws that broke the camels back.

Who cares why though? Lets just be happy. Darron Sutton is not good at his job, lets be happy with Schulte on TV and Munn on radio and hope it stays that way until those guys die/retire.
I completely agree about Sutton. My brothers and I would make fun of him and Grace almost daily. Embarassing to the club, imo.
 

ASUCHRIS

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Sutton initially annoyed me with all the red head crap and screaming "let's get some runs", but he's gotten better.

Munn is awful, worst announcer in baseball. I don't think I've ever heard him say anything interesting.
 
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BC867

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Munn is awful, worst announcer in baseball. I don't think I've ever heard him say anything interesting.
I wonder what you think about Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully. Jeff Munn reflects the same "school of broadcasting".

For a guy not having sixty years of experience behind the mike, Jeff has many, many baseball anecdotes that he shares on the air. When he left being the courtside announcer for the Suns, I was surprised at his knowledge of Major League baseball trivia.
 

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Uh...okay. So Sutton is suspended for wearing a suit and tie instead of the team-preferred Dbacks' polo shirt for their announcer team. As evidence a picture is shown of BOTH Sutton and Grace wearing suits and ties instead of polo shirts.

Thanks, management - that really settles the issue.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2. :jedi:
 

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Uh...okay. So Sutton is suspended for wearing a suit and tie instead of the team-preferred Dbacks' polo shirt for their announcer team. As evidence a picture is shown of BOTH Sutton and Grace wearing suits and ties instead of polo shirts.

Thanks, management - that really settles the issue.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2. :jedi:


I know anything is possible... but, there has to be more to this story than this. Like I said, anything is possible... but, it's very hard for me to believe that Sutton would be suspended and perhaps fired, simply because he wanted to wear a suit and tie. Something else is behind this...
 

ASUCHRIS

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I wonder what you think about Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully. Jeff Munn reflects the same "school of broadcasting".

Ha, they're in the same school if Glendale Community College is in the same school as Harvard.

Munn is boring.
 

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