Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in
Arizona Diamondbacks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.Yeah, it’s a story which is not going to go away. Since last time, we’ve had a major Athletic story on the topic, and to be honest, the information in it did make me more sympathetic to Ketel Marte. Some of the quotes ascribed to him do appear to me – though I am not a trained
professional – to indicate significant mental health issues. It always strikes me as weird that, if an athlete has a physical issue, treatment for it is taken as a given. But if the affected part of the player happens to be the brain, then showing empathy for them and wanting them to get help, is labeled by certain parties as “soft”.
Anyway, here’s how you voted.
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Here’s a sampling of comments on the topic, in no particular order. A “well done” to the community, incidentally, for perspectives which were generally thoughtful and considered. This was definitely not the case on certain other sites I could mention…
- Veeloh: “This is a fluid situation and I am so far removed from knowing the real details that I will spare you all the hubris of thinking I can weigh in with any meaningful opinion. In other words, I have no idea and will leave it to those actually in the room at the correct time to determine the best course of action.”
- gzimmerm – “If you can get out from under his contract, I vote for taking anything you can get. The cancer needs to be cut out.”
- BTbaseball – “I voted to keep his value. Torey has done as good a job as anyone maybe could to manage Ketel and I think they find a way to keep going. The bigger question, I think, is whether Ketel even wants to be a baseball player anymore.”
- JustRonM – “Once you can excuse. Twice you still excuse with caution. Three or more times, you have a pattern and that’s where we are. I just don’t know if the headache is worth it for an extremely talented but aging, me-first player.”
- Chicharron – “I do know he’s a great ball player. I also know that when he behaves like an entitled prima donna (e.g. Barry Bonds), it’s potentially toxic to the team. Given Ketel’s erratic history and his lack of a viable explanation, it’s pretty easy to make a case for trading him – if the deal makes sense. I wouldn’t trade Ketel at a huge loss to make a point though.”
- AzDesertLovr – “Torey may have received direction from the front office to do whatever necessary with this asset to get production, and perhaps that coddling had results in the past. That has to stop ASAP, or there is little chance that Torey will be effective with the rest of the roster”
With the return of Marte imminent, it does appear the team will be bringing him back on board for the remainder of the season. With replacement Ildemaro Vargas now batting .154/.167/.212 for a .378 OPS over thirteen games in Marte’s absence, that makes absolute sense to me. Hopefully, everyone can put it behind them and concentrate on winning a wild-card spot over the remaining month. But as for what might happen over the winter, we can only wait and see.
