SnakeBytes: 3/22, Catching Up Edition

Since there's an off-day today for the Diamondbacks, let's begin proceedings with a bumper bundle of links and other stuff to tide you through this non-meaningless spring contest period, stretching all the way until, ooh, tomorrow afternoon... Let's start with some bits and pieces on Paul Goldschmidt

• [FoxSportsArizona[ Goldschmidt keeps focus on improvement - "My whole goal in spring training is to continue to learn, continue to improve and be ready for the start of the year," he said. "Once the start of the year comes, do whatever I do to help the team. That was my goal last year, my goal the year before. That's what I'll try to do this year."
• [ArizonaSports.com] Towers: Experience will benefit Goldschmidt - "I've have not seen anything that's led me to believe this is a fluke," Towers said. "Knowing the kid, his personality, his work ethic, his baseball instincts, make me believe that he's for real and only going to get better with time."
• [dbacks.com] Goldschmidt has backup plan in world of finance - "The D-backs slugging first baseman wanted to make sure he had fallback options should this baseball thing not work out for him. A finance major at Texas State University, Goldschmidt had an internship in the financial sector lined up for this past offseason."

And the rest of our prospects...

• [dbacks.com] - Despite 'worst' outing, D-backs prospect Trevor Bauer pleased with Spring Training - Your Daily Bauer. "It was a little bit of a struggle control-wise today. I've had four outings now and I think this is probably the worst I've thrown the ball."
• [AZCentral] Pat Corbin on radar with strong spring - "He's been right up there with everybody," Gibson said of Corbin, who has allowed just one run in 102/3 innings (0.84 ERA) in the Cactus League. "He's thrown the ball really well."
• [dbacks.com] Collmenter going back to the basics - Too much work on his offspeed stuff? "I guess our concern has been that maybe he worked too much on that, and he's lost the feel for his fastball a little bit," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "He's always been outstanding at location, you guys know that, and he hasn't had that yet."
• [AZCentral] The other Adam Eaton; Collmenter's focus; Bauer's warm-up; & other stufff - "In the clubhouse one morning this spring, Diamondbacks outfield prospect Adam Eaton was handed an envelope by someone from the Major League Baseball Players Association. Inside were six checks, each worth more than $20,000."

Other team news

• [USA Today] Star outfield leads Diamondbacks' NL West defense - "They don't have a catchy nickname or cute promotional spots, but the Arizona Diamondbacks outfield has no interest in hype. They'll let the accolades, statistics and scouting reports do all their talking. And what they're saying is that the Arizona outfield might be the best in baseball."
• [dbacks.com] Steve Gilbert live web chat - "Brett Lorin a Rule 5 Draft pick, has thrown five shutout innings, but has drawn little attention this spring. That jumps out, and the D-backs may look to make a deal to keep him."
• [FoxSportsArizona] Kubel planning to be 'old self' with D-backs - "Before every pitch, Kubel looks into the plate to see what pitch his catcher is calling. Kubel then can subtly shift his position to account for speed and location. It's the way it is done in the Minnesota organization, and it's the way Gibson wants it done, too."
• [AZCentral] Diamondbacks epitomize never-say-die mentality - Gibson: "I hope we don't have to come back as much and we have more leads... It's not going to lay out exactly how it did last year. But there's a combination out there that works for us. Every team every year is different."
• [dbacks.com] D-backs embrace 'underdog' status - "I feel like we're the underdogs," Gibson said. "That's just the kind of attitude you've got to take. You can't anything for granted. I think we know we're good, but I think we understand that we've got to carry the lunch bucket every day. It's a tremendous commitment, mentally and physically, and as a team, together, that we're going to encounter."

• 2 Nationals scouts at Diamondbacks game yesterday. Today? 4 Nationals scouts. And yes, Parra is in lineup for D-Backs.

  — DKnobler (@DKnobler) March 21, 2012

• Since the Gerardo Parra rumors won't die, I asked a Dbacks source if they're going to trade him to the Nats or what. Reply back: "No."

  — Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) March 22, 2012

Bits and pieces...

• [Forbes] Arizona Diamondbacks on the Forbes MLB Team Valuations List - The team was valued at $447 million, up 13% on just a year ago, with an operating income of $27.2 million, mostly because of a dip in player expenses.
• [Dbacks.com[] D-backs Partner With Ram Truck - "The Ram Truck Brand has been named the new presenting partner of the pool at Chase Field." The pool will now be named the "RamTrucks.TV pool."
• [AZCentral] Diamondbacks fan Susan Price showers team with enthusiasm - "I think they pass it from one to the other," she said. "The new guys that come in, I don't have to explain who I am (because) by the time they see me they already know (who I am) from someone who is already on the team."