Snakebytes 3/24: As Clear as Mud

Diamondbacks News

(Sports Illustrated) Diamondbacks Final Rotation Spot Battle Ebbs and Flows

It’s hard to say if either pitcher gained an edge in the competition. Torey Lovullo said this morning that no decision had been made and each pitcher would get one more start before the team needs to head to Los Angeles for the season opener. With so few games remaining it’s possible one of those will need to be a minor league back field game.

(AZ Central) Arizona Diamondbacks’ farm system earns highest-ever MLB Pipeline ranking: ‘No desert’

Arizona’s MLB team has passed the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds to move to No. 3 in the ranking compiled by MLB.com, the highest the Diamondbacks have ever been ranked.

Only the Baltimore Orioles (No. 1) and Los Angeles Dodgers (No. 2) have higher-ranked MLB farm systems.

(Arizona Sports) D-backs’ Josh Rojas calls David Peralta ‘a traitor’ while mic’d up vs. Dodgers

Then came this past offseason when Peralta decided to sign on with the Dodgers. Just a season ago, he was rocking Sedona Red. Now, he’s sporting Dodger Blue to the chagrin of many in the desert, including third baseman and former teammate Josh Rojas, who let his feelings be known while mic’d up against L.A. on Thursday.

MLB News

(Yahoo! Sports) NL West preview: Can the Padres overtake the Dodgers? What’s next for Giants, Diamondbacks? And then there’s the Rockies

Really, nothing but good things to say about the Diamondbacks, even if the projected records they are using come out to be fairly significantly under .500. The author is also quite harsh towards the Rockies, even if he isn’t wrong.

(MLB.com) Hoskins diagnosed with left ACL tear, will need surgery

Just some crappy news for a player going into a contract year.

(Forbes) Baseball’s Most Valuable Teams 2023: Price Tags Are Up 12% Despite Regional TV Woes

“The average MLB team value is up 12% this year, to $2.32 billion. During the 2022 season, revenue (net of stadium debt service) increased 7.8%, to an all-time high of $10.3 billion. The top-line gain was driven by a 64% increase in ticket revenue (including postseason and spring training), to $2.4 billion (the 2021 season started with nearly all ballparks under capacity restrictions) and a 35% increase in premium seating (suites and club seating) revenue, to $$1.16 billion. But operating income (in the sense of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) came in at an average of $17.7 million per team, down 20% from the previous season as player costs (salaries, bonuses and benefits) rose 13%, to $5.2 billion, and an increase in SG&A expenses.”

Of note from the article, the Diamondbacks are fairly significantly over the league average for operating income at 28.3 Million. This is just shy of the combined operating income of the Dodgers and Yankees combined.