I love Gracie, but this says all you need to know about the DBack organization.

Seriously. Kinda lame.

Can't have him on TV, but can have him be a role model for minor leaguers?

“You know he has a lot of knowledge and wisdom."

"Okay, gather 'round. This is how you disconnect an ignition interlock."

Well, you know. He has "grit". Unlike that Upton kid.

I don't know the guy of course but there was little about Grace the player and nothing about Grace the announcer (and even less about Grace the repeat DUI offender) that makes me think he'd be a good coach. I've got no problem with the guy getting a second chance while (hopefully) getting his life together but this seems an odd choice.

Can't have him on TV, but can have him be a role model for minor leaguers?

Who better to learn the art of Slumpbusting from?

Maybe Daron Sutton can be their roving instructor

I don't know the guy of course but there was little about Grace the player and nothing about Grace the announcer (and even less about Grace the repeat DUI offender) that makes me think he'd be a good coach. I've got no problem with the guy getting a second chance while (hopefully) getting his life together but this seems an odd choice.

This.

In fact, if you want to take a lot of the whispers, suspicions, and logical deductions whole clothe, he could be a detriment.

#1 - Grace's reputation as a 'clubhouse guy' was always a function of his extraordinary ability to manipulate the local media. He gave good quote ON the record and was more than happy to dish against enemies OFF the record, so the media loved him... and was only too happy to regularly fluff him. In reality, Grace was the king of clique creation -- if you were his drinking buddy, you got to be in his clique... If you didn't, you'd best not do anything to annoy him because it would become a media story followed by a media narrative.

#2 - And I say this as someone that enjoys over-doing it at the neighborhood tavern myself, there are multiple stories about some young Cubs late in his career enjoying... let's say too many late nights too regularly... Captain Tightpants for one. I'm not blaming Grace - just saying getting young talented players too acquainted with the night life hardly qualifies one as a 'good clubhouse guy'. I suppose I don't know whether I'm a good colleague in my workplace or not, but I do know I'm not insisting that the 20somethings join me regularly for last call at a 4 AM bar.

#3 - Outside of those that joined the clique - he was at best, neutral, at worst - hostile towards plenty of up-and-comers during his latter Cub career. Hee Sop Choi being a prime example. I'm not saying that Grace should have been expected to just happily settle into a backup role or whatever - but he was on the record, plenty of times, openly mocking Choi, openly denigrating him the media, and generally making a kid -- regardless of how he turned out -- who WAS a top prospect and WAS already trying to make a cultural adjustment as miserable as he could.

Unless I'm horrifically wrong about an awful lot of things heard and read -- I wouldn't want Grace with a thousand miles of my coaching staff....

if the dbacks are looking to steal some ideas from the cardinals playbook, i think they are looking in the wrong place.

Captain Tightpants

Who?

Kyle Farnsworth.

Captain Tightpants

Nice. I had never heard this nickname before but still knew who you were talking about.

I don't understand why they spend an offseason getting rid of players they don't like for attitude issues and then hire baseball's most famous reprobate to a position of authority. Did the Arizona FO finally get around to watching Major League and have a Eureka! moment?

I don't understand why they spend an offseason getting rid of players they don't like for attitude issues and then hire baseball's most famous reprobate to a position of authority. Did the Arizona FO finally get around to watching Major League and have a Eureka! moment?

Wouldn't incompetence and cronyism be the simplest explanation?

Wouldn't incompetence and cronyism be the simplest explanation?

It's probably just cronyism. I just find it odd that Mr. No-Nonsense Kirk Gibson would stoop to be buddies with such a slacker like Mark Grace. I bet Mark Grace would totally put chocolate cake in someone's glove...

As a fan of an NL West team competing against the Diamondbacks, may I say, hurray! What an offseason these dudes are constructing. Keep it rolling!

Wouldn't incompetence and cronyism be the simplest explanation?

Offhand, I think "incompetence & cronyism" suffices as a likely explanation for just about everything in existence.

As it happens, I'm about to leave the office to go pick up my lawnmower at the small engine repair place near my house. I suspect I'll be charged about what I could've bought a new one for, especially since it's not exactly top of the line to begin with. (I bought it for $50 a couple of years ago via Craigslist, which means that it paid for itself the first couple of times I mowed the yard, so obscene are mowers' fees these days. When I was a kid & mowed yards for pocket money, I would've been pleasantly surprised to get $3 for a yard the size of mine.)

Authorities will suspect incompetence (especially mine ... once upon a time I could work on cars to a certain extent, but I've never had any luck whatsoever with mowers & such) & cronyism are involved.

Offhand, I think "incompetence & cronyism" suffices as a likely explanation for just about everything in existence.

And, a fanatical devotion to the Pope?

And, a fanatical devotion to the Pope?

"incompetence, cronyism & irrationality" would cover that one, I think.

Which pope? IT'S GONNA BE SO CONFUSING YOU GUYS

He's just going to be the coach in charge of slumpbusting.