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Fox hires Mark Grace and Eric Byrnes
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TAP
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:00 pm    Post subject: Fox hires Mark Grace and Eric Byrnes Reply with quote

Grace rejoins Thom and PigPen contributes whimsy.

Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune tonight wrote:
Fox is set to announce this week that it has hired three former Cubs—Mark Grace, Joe Girardi and Eric Karros—as analysts for its coverage of Major League Baseball.

The three will rotate each week, either providing game analysis or working on Fox's Saturday pregame show.

Joe Buck and Tim McCarver remain Fox's No. 1 team, with Grace, Girardi and Karros joining play-by-play broadcasters Thom Brennaman, Kenny Albert, Josh Lewin and Matt Vasgersian.

Grace, who finished his 16-year playing career with 2,445 hits and a World Series title with Arizona, will also begin his fourth season as the TV analyst for the Diamondbacks.

Fox also will announce the return of Diamondbacks outfielder Eric Byrnes, who will contribute a monthly feature on Fox's pregame show that takes a whimsical look at life in the big leagues.

Fox's weekly coverage begins April 7 with a slate that includes the Twins-White Sox game. The network has expanded its coverage this season from 18 to 26 weeks.

full article here
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whatuwant
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

considering that Grace is headed into the final year of his contract, i hope that this doesn't mean he won't be with us after this year
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DesertKnight
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hope it does. I'd rather have Matty in the booth full time--at least he talks baseball and not the immature moronic stuff Grace churns out.
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whatuwant
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DesertKnight wrote:
I hope it does. I'd rather have Matty in the booth full time--at least he talks baseball and not the immature moronic stuff Grace churns out.


lol...matty sounds like he's been force fed nyquil when on air; great baseball mind though, i like him on the pregame show
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csktech
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DesertKnight wrote:
I hope it does. I'd rather have Matty in the booth full time--at least he talks baseball and not the immature moronic stuff Grace churns out.


Not me.. Sorry but Matt has no skills at entertainment and by the third inning he's worn out all his facts. I'd much rather have gracie, when the shit hit the fan it makes the game less painful to watch.. and I do watch to the bitter end. I'm less pissed if Mark makes me laugh.

Kyle
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matt
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll give Grace another chance this year. Although Thom grew on me a lot last season, he had no control over Grace. However, when Grace was with Schulte (I can't stand him), Greg kept him restrained and he was better. The same thing happened with Traber.
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DesertKnight
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

csktech wrote:
DesertKnight wrote:
I hope it does. I'd rather have Matty in the booth full time--at least he talks baseball and not the immature moronic stuff Grace churns out.


Not me.. Sorry but Matt has no skills at entertainment and by the third inning he's worn out all his facts. I'd much rather have gracie, when the shit hit the fan it makes the game less painful to watch.. and I do watch to the bitter end. I'm less pissed if Mark makes me laugh.

Kyle
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I wouldn't call what Grace does "entertainment." Besides, the only reason to have the volume on during a game is the hope that I'll hear something interesting. I'm much more likely to hear Matty or Joe Sr. say something baseball-related and interesting. Grace is more likely to talk about a hot dog eating contest or last night out in Scottsdale--neither of which I give a rat's arse about. Of course, that means he'll fit in great on Fox.
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NJ-DBACKS-FAN
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 5:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

DesertKnight wrote:
I hope it does. I'd rather have Matty in the booth full time--at least he talks baseball and not the immature moronic stuff Grace churns out.


gotta love when he talks about the hotties in the stands! Laughing
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EvilJuan
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm with DesertKnight: I hope that Grace moves on, if not during the year (is there a trade deadline for color commentators?) then after the season ends. The broadcast team is there to describe the game -- and how much description is needed for a telecast? Baseball trivia, a la Matt Williams, and even Joe Sr. (except for the non-stop tobacco rants) is much more preferable to the interminable descriptions of what he's had to eat (and so on) that we hear constantly from Gracie...
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csktech
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

DesertKnight wrote:
csktech wrote:
DesertKnight wrote:
I hope it does. I'd rather have Matty in the booth full time--at least he talks baseball and not the immature moronic stuff Grace churns out.


Not me.. Sorry but Matt has no skills at entertainment and by the third inning he's worn out all his facts. I'd much rather have gracie, when the shit hit the fan it makes the game less painful to watch.. and I do watch to the bitter end. I'm less pissed if Mark makes me laugh.

Kyle
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I wouldn't call what Grace does "entertainment." Besides, the only reason to have the volume on during a game is the hope that I'll hear something interesting. I'm much more likely to hear Matty or Joe Sr. say something baseball-related and interesting. Grace is more likely to talk about a hot dog eating contest or last night out in Scottsdale--neither of which I give a rat's arse about. Of course, that means he'll fit in great on Fox.


And thats why they call it an opinion, Might be me I cant stand to watch or listen to Joe Morgan either.

Kyle
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charlie
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Couldn't resist taking the time to bash Grace. I'm with DesertKnight and EvilJuan. Grace is a dis-Grace in the booth, IMO, with his 12-year-old's mentality and juvenile behavior. Unless, of course, one has no baseball sense at all and tunes in just for his kind of crap as "entertainment". Wonder how his goofiness is going to set with the new guy, Sutton?

Baseball is what I call a seriously entertaining business but one still can have good fun and be entertaining without being so completely ridiculous, as Grace often is. Thank God for the mute button.

I wonder, where has his desire to become a manager gone, anyway? Traded in on becoming a TV idol?
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moviegeekjn
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

charlie wrote:
I wonder, where has his desire to become a manager gone, anyway? Traded in on becoming a TV idol?


The managerial route likely would require a stint in the minors ... a lifestyle that Gracie wouldn't want to revisit:

Quote:
You know, you never handle your luggage in the show, somebody else carries your bags. It was great. You hit white balls for batting practice, the ballparks are like cathedrals, the hotels all have room service, and the women all have long legs and brains.

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Prosopis
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like Gracie and I hope he stays.
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Dre
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It'd be a disappointment not to hear Gracie on the broadcasts beyond this year, but the national route may be what he's best suited for. I still think he has coaching in his blood though. I'm amazed he's been look past in our organization and others for bench or hitting coach duties.
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TAP
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

John Ryan of the San Jose Mercury News tonight wrote:
Byrnes, who came from St. Francis High and started his major league career with the A's, will have a once-a-month pregame spot on Fox's Game of the Week and make regular appearances on FSN's ``Best Damn Sports Show Period'' for a segment called ``Byrnes, Baby, Byrnes.'' He's also assigned to be an All-Star Game reporter (guess he doesn't give much for his chances of being selected for the game).
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TAP
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nick Piecoro tonight wrote:
D-Backs to keep Grace on TV

As long as Mark Grace wants to be a broadcaster, team President Derrick Hall hopes Grace is a Diamondbacks broadcaster. Grace signed a three-year contract extension with a team option for 2010 on Monday to remain the club's primary television analyst. It was also announced Monday that Grace will work as an analyst for Fox on national broadcasts.

"To me, Mark Grace is arguably the most entertaining broadcast personality in the game," Hall said. "And his broadcasting talents are starting to get the attention of national media partners, as evidenced by his recent deal with Fox."

Grace will call about 125 games, and Hall said he's expecting Grace to miss between 10 to 20 games because of Fox obligations.

link
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Counsell
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It would be nice to find a balance between Williams and Grace. They are at the extremes - Williams is very dry and analytical, while Grace is completely irreverent.

One theory - if you know enough baseball maybe you don't NEED to hear the analysis that Williams provides - you can already see for yourself what he points out.

So different viewers have different needs.
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whatuwant
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

anybody read the republic today? Gracie's contract was extended
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TAP
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

whatuwant wrote:
anybody read the republic today? Gracie's contract was extended

Uh...glance up two posts. Confused
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whatuwant
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TAP wrote:
whatuwant wrote:
anybody read the republic today? Gracie's contract was extended

Uh...glance up two posts. Confused


oops sorry Embarassed
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wonder if he still has the out clause for the Cubs.
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DesertKnight
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Counsell wrote:
One theory - if you know enough baseball maybe you don't NEED to hear the analysis that Williams provides - you can already see for yourself what he points out.

So different viewers have different needs.


Exactly--but most viewers aren't that knowledgeable and don't already know most of the things Williams brings up. That's why teams hire color guys.

I understand that Williams is too dry for some people, but on a board where people complain that announcers don't talk enough about on-base percentage or some of the more easily accessible of the non-traditional stats, I'm surprised that an analytical guy doesn't get more support. For myself, I just can't stand Grace's immature and off-topic diversions. And even knowledgeable baseball fans might find some of Matty's or Joe Sr's relevant stories more interesting than Grace's hot dog eating stories. Although I completely agree that Joe needs to shut up about the tobacco thing. A baseball game isn't the place to get on one's soapbox.
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EvilJuan
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DesertKnight wrote:
For myself, I just can't stand Grace's immature and off-topic diversions.


I totally agree with ya!

DesertKnight wrote:
I completely agree that Joe needs to shut up about the tobacco thing. A baseball game isn't the place to get on one's soapbox.


Mention it once, fine. Mention it again, several innings later -- whatever. But don't go on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on...

Actually, I hope that the Cubs escape clause is still in play for Gracie... It's sad, because he has the potential to be a really good color commentator -- but not with all the inane stuff he invariably gets lost in... Mad
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 11:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

To defend Grace, the only times he would go on an "irreverent tirade" is when the team really was out of the game. Yes, he always has an off-topic story, but it doesn't continue for the whole game, unless that game was one of those few 6+ run deficit games.
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think when Mark is focused he does a good job. Sometimes he lost focus when the game was out of hand, sometimes when he and Thom were fooling around a bit much. They seemed to really have a good time together, and it indeed got silly sometimes.

But when Mark focuses on what he is supposed to be doing, without distractions....(Ok...Beverly Kidd in the booth that night was a distraction no man should have to ignore), then he is a good analyst.

I think everyone noticed that he was much more "down to business" when he did games without Thom. And my guess is he will be a bit more serious when he does games with Sutton.

Don't forget, we here represent less than 1/100th of 1% of the fan base.
The average fan finds Mark very entertaining, and if that were not the case, he would not have gotten a 3 year extension. So don't expect him to stop playing to his core audience.
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