We tallked about the suspension of Diamondbacks announcer Daron Sutton on Wednesday, and the rumored suspension was because of insubordination, with a possible violation of the team’s dress code as the issue. Well, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic has confirmed that Sutton was suspended for issues related to the dress code… because he wants to wear a suit in the booth as opposed to a polo shirt (which is the team-mandated dress).
Is this insane? Yes, it is completely and utterly insane. When working the national booth for Fox, Sutton wears suits on a regular basis. But when working for the Diamondbacks, the team would like the announcers to wear team-branded polos. I can see both sides of this argument. Sutton probably wants to be taken more seriously on a national basis, and plastering Diamondbacks logos all over himself probably isn’t a way for him to gain more notoriety nationally. On the opposite side of the coin, he is the Diamondbacks’ play by play announcer, and the team probably wants their fans to know that he is *their* guy, and the voice of the team.
I don’t know what Sutton’s contract status is, but if he’s looking to make the jump to a full-time national job on a regular basis, getting into tussles with management over dress probably isn’t the best way to do it. But I don’t think the Diamondbacks should have been so heavy-handed in their punishment towards Sutton. Anyone who watches a Diamondbacks game knows how passionate and intense Sutton is, usually towards the Diamondbacks.
He’s a good announcer, and most good announcers like him don’t stay in local markets their entire careers. Better things are on the horizon for Sutton, and this seems like the push that will get the ball rolling down the hill. But see, here’s the thing. Milwaukee’s Journal-Sentinel is reporting that Sutton has gotten pulled from this weekend’s Fox coverage of the Diamondbacks-Brewers game. I can understand them not wanting him to cover a Diamondbacks game with the current situation, but this can’t possibly be good for Sutton’s long-term prospects with the network in any capacity.
[h/t: Arizona Republic]
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