Diamondbacks Bullpen

[Otacon]

I was watching, which I guess, was a re-run of "Qwest Sound-Off Live" with Fat Man Kevin McCabe, Bald Man Glenn Parker, some Cardinals beat reporter, and the most popular man here on DBBP, John Gambadoro. And they were discussing the Cards, the Suns, the Devils, and the Wildcats and whatnot. As Ali G would say "Whatev".

Gonzo then is discussed and Fat Man McCabe and Bald Man Parker verbally fellate Luis and his new Dodger buddies while Cards beat reporter and Gambo seem skeptical that he will be able to continue his AWESOME leadership and Hall-of-Fame offensive prowess in LA. Gambo also adds "He's the enemy. Cheer him the first time and boo him the rest".

Then Fat Man McCabe brings up the topic of the D-backs and how they 'failed' to get anything done in the GM meetings. All the while he fails to mention how more or less 15 other teams didn't do much either. The Yanks, Mets, Cards, and Tigers among them. Gambo then says "Well I was talking to some people in the organziation...." and Fat Man McCabe cuts him off and in a sarcastic manner says "Yeah they don't have any money ". Gambo carries on with "Well they still owe a lot of money to players who aren't even in the organization" and finishes his initial thought with "They tried and discussed a lot of stuff with many teams but it just wasn't what they were looking for" or something to that effect. Baldy chimes in and adds "Don't sell me these prospects!!! Just tell me how many losses you're gonna get in 2007 for playing them!!!". Gambo then says "I don't buy [the massive amounts of losses in 2007], the prospects the D-backs have are among the best".

Shoe said it best (I think it was anyway), Gambo gets a lot of shit and a lot of it is deserved but then it comes to the D-backs, at least he "gets it".

And one final Gambo comment, he said there will be a couple of moves to improve the bullpen this week. This was originally aired Sunday and it's Wednesday going on Thursday so like always he might have assumed wrong.
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[baldmaga]

I saw that same special and thought the same thing you did...Gambo isn't the best source of news and opinion out there...but when in comparison to the rest of Arizona...he may as well be a genius. Kevin McCabe made a complete "Horses Ass " of himself, and those other two guys don't have smart opinion's on anything.

I've always liked Gambo, but he's in over his head on that show.

[Oden]

It's hard to believe, but just because someone works in the sports industry, it doesn't mean they know their head from their asses. Much like many who post on sports message boards. At least those folks can claim that they're just fans talking for fun. These idiots actually believe what they're saying carries some weight just because they get paid to do it.
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Oden
Anal Mod Squad

[SalMaglie]

And they probably don't even realize that IF Byrnes was going to make a trade, it'd most likely be one of his good hitting prospects for a pitching prospect. Or at least he'd want a pitcher that has a number of years before free agency what with the going price for free agent starters these days. And you can't fault Byrnes for having limited money to work with after the mess left by the previous regime(Bazooka Joe and Colangelo).

Gambo can be an idiot. I didn't think he was that bad back when he was at KGME about 8 or 9 years ago. I actually met him back then. A buddy of mine was running the KGME forum, and got comped tickets,etc and he used to throw a bone to me from time to time. Gambo was tiresome with his east coast centric rants, and how Diamondback fans could learn from Mets fans on how to conduct themselves. Yeah, like I'd want any part of being a Mets fan clone.

[shoewizard]

Hey, I'm a former Met Fan!! He is actually right about that. He is talking about showing some passion out at the Ball Park, more enthusiasm.

Fans at Chase Field are WAY too apathetic. Next time you are there, stand up and try to get a "Lets Go D backs" chant going, and check out the looks you get from the people in the section around you as they sit silently on their hands.

I used to Bash Gambo quite a bit, but as usualy, Stu was able to point out to be the "other side" of things, and I started listening and reading him with a more open mind, instead of reflexively bashing everything he did. Turns out sometimes he is right on the money. He has good sources. I think sometimes he gets some information about a guy they might be going after, and reports it as if it is certain they will get that guy.....so that leaves him open to criticism if the deal doesn't work out. (Think Mulder......he has reported the D backs want Mulder long before anyone did)

As far as his understanding of the level of prospects we have, he has been on that bandwagon for a long time, and has consistently told his audience how good they are, and to look forward to the future.

But when he is an idiot, he does entertain us by letting us make fun of him.

[dirtygary]

I'm on the fence on Gambo. He calls everything, and gets about half of it right. I think his style is just more cultural - where's he from, Jersey? Every rumor he hears "is gonna happen", and maybe that's what it takes to succeed in this field in that region. Seems that way.

I'll give Gambo credit for getting on the prospects bandwagon, but only cuz I was shoutin in his ear for a year, year and a half before I ever saw him mention Drew, Q, or CJ as soon-to-be D-Backs.

It would be great if the D-Backs org could round up all the Fox Sports AZ dipshits that are on tv, and set the record straight for them regarding finances. Especially to Glen Parker, but that might be a Tucson/UA vs Phoenix thing. Tucsonans get off the Phoenix pro team bandwagon real fast. But Gambo should have said something about "these prospects coming from the same system that produced the Cy Young winner."

And how many guys will we have eligible for ROY next yr?

At the very least, the D-Backs need to engage in a concerted effort to educate the casual fan base regarding the $. And hype the hell out of the future, not just '07.
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The pen is mightier than the sword, if that pen is shot out of a gun

[baldmaga]

[matt]

At first I liked Gambo, then I couldn't stand him, now I like him again.

He is very knowledgeable and usually realistic about what the team's situation is. He gets huge points for being aware of the actual financial situation. As Shoe said, he also called that the DBacks were interesting in Mulder way beofre anyone else.

[moviegeekjn]

[Tucson DBacks Fan]

I don't care that he isn't always right. Gambo shoots from the hip and isn't afraid to give an opinion, and I think he's a good guy. Even if he talks more like Archie Bunker than the next William Shakespeare, he doesn't take himself too seriously and he at times really does come up with a good scoop.

[TSWINDERS]

[dirtygary]

Yeah, Gambo's a digger that seems to genuinely enjoy his work - how could he not?

As for Mulder, I think Gambo called that when everybody was anticipating his Free Agency, and were calling out every team in need of rotation help. He wasn't the only one saying the D-Backs, he was just the first one to get loud about it in this market. But espn.com and those guys have always had the D-Backs on the list. Did you guys hear that Mulder is a Valley resident?

[shoewizard]

Football and baseball are completely different, and should be cheered differently.

There is a "knowledge" to each game of when you should be cheering, and HOW toparticipate.

But here in Arizona, that knowledge is lacking. It doesn't help that the scoreboard operators don't know what they are doing.

One example is when the count is 0-2 they use the scoreboard to try to get people to cheer for the K. But 90% of the time, the 0-2 pitch is a waste pitch anyway. By the time the pitcher really has the batter set up for the K when it's 1-2 or 2-2 or something, the fans are usualy kind of burnt out.

The other thing we mentioned in previous threads is that the volume of the PA, while turned down some, is still too overbearing. The very nature of the ballpark experience that is being offered at Chase now encourages passivity....

The score board, the adds, the sound system.... all so overbearing, it's like watching TV or a Video....and people just sit and watch and don't participate.

A few times last year we actually got some chants going a little bit, only to be drowned out by the PA.......

I don't know. Just listen to Mets fans when they come to town. They get a Lets Go Mets chant going at the drop of a hot, and at all the right times.

I wish we had half the passion here.

[tmar]

I'm probably alone here, but I enjoy the apathy quite a bit. I don't want to go to a game to be forced to cheer, I go to watch the events. Don't get me wrong, I throw childish fits and do cheer when appropriate, but I really don't enjoy the ritualistic chanting etc.

[shoewizard]

Well...I'm not just talking about chanting though....I'm just using that as an example.

You sat with me the night that Cruz pitched that Gem against the Giants.

I was loud in cheering for Cruz, I was giving the umpires crap all game....(ok, the food servers too.... ), and basically had a rip roring good time.........

But everyone in our section thought I was a fucking lunatic....especially my wife.....but that doesn' count, she always thinks that....LOL

I later heard that Josh and Woodfork (who were sitting right in front of us) thought it was great and wished we had more fans that were passionate and got into it. Imagine what they must think, coming from the environment in Boston to the environment here.

[EvilJuan]

"You can take the boy out of Philadlephia, but you can't take Philly out of the boy..."

I can't imagine going to a ballgame and not cheering for my team. It's the way I was raised; and it's the (bad?) example I'm setting for my children.

It's funny, but, having been in the RF bleachers for several games last season, you could tell the visitors from cities with a tradition of baseball who were there from the locals, in that, when we would cheer (or boo), the visitors knew exactly what we were doing, and why -- while the locals looked at us as if we were crazy -- which we are: crazy for the Diamondbacks!

At the last game of the season, when the Pods brought in Hoffman, I started chanting, as loudly as I could, "No Cy Young! No Cy Young!" (McCray very graciously supported me in my efforts.) A few folks caught on; but most seemed to be looking for an usher or security gurard to have the idiots (us) "taken care of" in some way.

It would be great to have more people understand, and share in the experience; but even when they don't, it won't stop me!
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Is It Next Season Yet?

[Dangerfield]

[shoewizard]

[Oden]

I'm as laid back as they come, so I don't usually get out of control cheering at games. But it's embarrassing how quiet the crowds are here. The PA needs to be turned down, as already mentioned. The whole experience here is lame. When the roof is closed, it's as lame here as it is in MN in the dome.
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Oden
Anal Mod Squad

[SalMaglie]

It's funny how the crowd at the ballpark gets criticized for being aloof, because most of them are just transplants. I think that's what's holding the crowds back, they're people who still hold on to their "other team" where they grew up or lived for a long time. I know back in the first and 2nd seasons of the Diamondbacks, you'd see a lot of people in gear for the opposing team. I haven't been though in about 5 years, so I don't know if it's changed at all.

It might take a generation or so before we start seeing the kind of support for the Diamondbacks that you see in other stadiums.

[moviegeekjn]

[dirtygary]

I think the transplant issue is correct. The D-Backs are nobody's childhood team, except for the children. And those 5 yr olds when we started are 14 now, so I would say it's ok to be optimistic. It was going to take about 10 yrs for this to really be our team, and I'm starting to notice that there are fewer and fewer visiting fans as the years go on.

Yes, there is a brutal lack of baseball knowledge. But there is also a very old fan base that just enjoy getting out of the house, watching some baseball, and going back to their retirement community. Look at our "ball boys" down the lines, for chrissakes!

Also, I don't think anybody knew how to cheer at big league games. There was no tradition. We've been to other games, but rarely was it for our team, and there wasn't an accepted behavior rooted in the fans when we started. So the families with little kids won. No cussing, good behavior, and being advertised at.

[TAP]

I tend more toward shoe and EJ in cheering and booing enthusiastically (at appropriate times) but I do tone it down when attending with some of the laid-back members from the board.

[Counsell]

If nothing else, the fans here need to get on the umpires a lot more.

By the way, Shoewizard is the only intelligent Met fan I've ever listened to.
I always thought Met fans were failed Yankee fans. (I'm from the Midwest, by the way.)

[shoewizard]