Spring Training Round Up: Are We There Yet?

Quotes of the Day

"It's a process, and we won't make that decision until KT's ready to make that decision. Ultimately it's his call when it's time to make the decision, and we as a group will make that decision."

Kirk Gibson on the race for the fifth spot in the rotation.

"It feels great, I thought I threw the ball well. I made a couple of bad pitches and paid for it. My fastball felt like it had life on it. I feel I will be ready."

Wade Miley on his first start after dealing with dead arm.

"My goal now is to get ready for the season. I feel I've done everything they've asked. I feel that if they pick me for that spot, I can go out there and compete."

Patrick Corbin on his mindset heading into the 2013 season.

Diamondbacks Links

Arizona Diamondbacks lineup still in flux entering final week of spring training - AZ Central

Remember that stuff I said earlier about the final weeks of Spring Training not meaning anything? Disregard that. As it turns out, a few key injuries have thrown the lineup into flux. Despite starting Spring Training with a metric butt-ton of outfielders, a few key injuries have the team pondering running out the likes of Tony Campana and Alfredo Marte if Cody Ross can't get healthy by the season's start. Also, get excited for one William Bloomquist batting lead off for your 2013 Arizona Diamondbacks!

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Wade Miley ‘rusty’; 1st start date still pending - AZ Central

Here's hoping Wade Miley can shake the rust off in time to make his first scheduled start, but if not, it may be useful for the Diamondbacks' coaching staff and front office to get an extra look at Randall Delgado and Pat Corbin. Rest assured though fellow Diamondbacks fans, Wade felt great during his last start, he was just "working" on some "things" and totally could have thrown a no-hitter if he felt like it and by the way he has a totally hot girlfriend but she goes to a different school and you wouldn't know her anyway.

Kirk Gibson's intensity may be holding back the D'backs - SportsonEarth

Breaking news! You may want to grab a seat for this, but sources are reporting that the Diamondbacks have adopted an unorthodox approach to roster building - eschewing unquantifiable qualities like "talent" and "discernible baseball skills" in favor of tried-and-true virtues like grit, stick-to-itiveness, and gumption. Did America win back-to-back World Wars with a great on base percentage? Nope, didn't think so Jacques. Well-worn subject matter aside, Jonathan Bernhardt's article adds a bit of a twist to the grit narrative by suggesting that Gibson's penchant for players who play with intensity comes with a downside. Referring to the way that Justin Upton and Trevor Bauer were scuttled out of town, Bernhardt writes, "as well as Gibson can manage the sort of player that thrives on strict intensity and a near-military demand for self-sacrifice, he is either uninterested in or unable to handle certain elite, young talent -- the sort of player who's been so good throughout his short, ascendant career that he doesn't respond well to a guy like Gibson micromanaging his game." Ouch.

2013 Positional Power Rankings: First Base - FanGraphs Baseball

The Diamondbacks come in at a respectable #12 in the First Base rankings with Fangraphs projecting 2.6 WAR for Paul Goldschmidt and 0.1 for Eric Chavez. The guys at Fangraphs should not be expecting a Christmas card from the Hinske family this year, however, as they project Eric to be worth exactly zero wins above replacement at the cold corner.

Around the League

Arizona immigration law at spring training - Grantland

It's really difficult to write a blurb about an article when both of your hands are firmly grasping the 3^rd rail of politics, but here goes nothing. Bryan Curtis details the effect of SB 1070 on Latino players in the Cactus League for Grantland. I don't mean to take a side on the immigration debate, but the article offers interesting insight into the debate via player interviews, including our own Martin Prado.

Marginalia

Dollar Sign on the Muscle Rides Again - Baseball Prospectus

The good folks at BP are re-issuing Kevin Karrane's long-out-of-print scouting tome. No word on the exact release date just yet, but the book should be available this year.

Life has given Arizona Diamondbacks’ Aaron Hill much, and he eagerly gives back - AZ Central

Aaron Hill is the newest Diamondback to have a community field named in his honor. Hill seems like a very solid guy, and kudos to all involved with spreading the game of baseball across Arizona.