The Arizona Diamondbacks have suspended broadcaster Daron Sutton for "insubordination'' after determining that he had failed to comply with a number of management directives over the years, a baseball source told ESPN.com.
Sutton is in his sixth season as the Diamondbacks' TV play-by-play man. The Diamondbacks pulled him from the booth for Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs at Chase Field, and radio play-by-play man Greg Schulte has since filled his spot alongside color man Mark Grace.
The Arizona Republic first reported that Sutton had been suspended, but the club has publicly declined to confirm it. On Friday, team spokesman Josh Rawitch told reporters, "We've made a change in the broadcast-talent lineup. Daron will be taking some time off."
Sutton, who did not immediately respond to a phone call and a text message from ESPN.com, told the Republic on Friday that he has not been suspended by the Diamondbacks. He referred to the matter as a "personal situation.''
"I'm fine,'' he told the Republic. "I've got some personal stuff going on in my life that I need to get straightened out.''
A person familiar with the situation said Sutton recently had been involved in a dispute with the Diamondbacks over the team's new on-air dress code. But another source said Sutton's suspension was the culmination of a series of events rather than a single incident.
Sutton, 42, is the son of Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton. He spent five years as the Milwaukee Brewers' play-by-play man before coming to Arizona in 2007.
