The Arizona Diamondbacks’ season is long over, but a battle is brewing in the Valley of the Sun over local media’s coverage of All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte.
Marte has been a key figure for the D-Backs for two seasons now. Not only because he is the team’s best player and one of the best in Major League Baseball, but due to his peculiar approach to the long season — a slog made worse by run-ins with fans and personal adversity.
After a World Series appearance in 2023, Arizona narrowly missed the postseason in 2024. Marte missed a crucial game in the final week of the season with a lingering ankle injury, which led local reporters like Dan Bickley of Arizona Sports to call out his inconsistent commitment to the team. Those whispers percolated again this year as Marte missed games before and after the All-Star break.
In between it all, Marte dealt with significant personal strife. A fan behind the plate in June insulted his late mother, which led to a defense by manager Torey Lovullo and a standing ovation from D-Backs fans. During the All-Star break in July, Marte’s home was burglarized.
All of it came to a head this week, when Arizona Republic beat reporter Nick Piecoro wrote that D-Backs players and staffers were “grumbling” about Marte’s constant desire for time off. Fans online predictably came to a vigorous defense of their star player, despite the news coming at the end of a lost season. Star shortstop Geraldo Perdomo even implored the media to leave Marte “alone.”
Now, Bickley is back with strong words for fans denying the reporting on Arizona’s frustrations with Marte. And he’s directing blame for the outrage back onto what he calls “populist” social media accounts that are feeding on “anger” toward reporters.
“The idea that this is our fault and we created this, obviously, I take great exception to it,” Bickley said on his local radio show Monday. “If you are a true Diamondbacks fan, you would want this context.”
Despite selling off most of the team’s stars at the trade deadline, Arizona won nine out of 12 games before Piecoro’s report dropped. Over the weekend, Arizona was swept in Colorado. Part of the D-Backs’ fans’ ire toward the beat reporter stemmed from their belief that his coverage killed the team’s momentum.
But to Bickley, the timing is irrelevant because Piecoro was reporting on feelings that had built up for more than a year. While Bickley understands why negativity around a longtime fan favorite who led the team to a National League pennant would be a tough pill to swallow, he believes bad actors are building up online chatter around Marte’s questionable habits.
“If you’re a sports fan, you shouldn’t have a hard time understanding why this story is important inside the clubhouse, and why this isn’t a media-driven narrative,” Bickley said. “And if you’re really looking for the predatory people, look to the people online who are populists. Who are posting and putting opinions out there now based on the way you are reacting. Based on the way you, in your anger, are lashing out at the media.”
Because Bickley was the first to go out on a limb and challenge Marte a year ago, it is understandable that he would want to highlight his own reporting and defend himself. The added context dating back to last September also helps fans understand that the latest Marte news is not random or intended to counteract the team’s recent hot play.
At the same time, it is more complicated than ever for a radio host and columnist like Bickley to locate the fan consensus. Social media accounts and influencers influence the opinions of some fans. Others still get their coverage the old-fashioned way, in which case Bickley is their primary source. Some may not engage with sports content at all, in which case they likely judge Marte solely based on what happens on the diamond.
All of it combines to take a story like this to an even bigger level. Now, it’s a full-blown media vs. fans vs. team showdown, less about Marte and more about alleged “narratives” and bias.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.