SnakeBytes: Belated edition

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• [Fox Sports] Goldschmidt quietly goes about his (All-Star) business - "We all have goals, but I am not up there trying to hit a certain number of stats," Goldschmidt said. "For me, I just want to show up and work hard every day and try to get better and help the team win. Those are things I can control. Some number, a guy makes a diving play on you and you don't reach your goal, it's going to be a disappointing year? For me, that stuff is out of your control."
• [AZ Central] Goldschmidt used new approach to stay calm in clutch - "I just tried last year, when there was a guy in scoring position, to just pretend like nobody was on," Goldschmidt said. "I would kind of stay calm and not try to do too much and take the same approach... I can think of plenty of examples last year when I got too excited when I shouldn’t have. I was like, ‘Hey, let’s try to end this game right here,’ and I grounded out or struck out or something."
• [ArizonaSports] Even-keeled Trevor Cahill trying to regain fun and form "Obviously the record was there [at the end], but I still wasn't where I wanted to be at all," said Cahill, "I felt like I didn't pitch all that great. I felt like the best I pitched was at the beginning of last year, even though the record didn't show. Then, I had that middle part where I was getting hit all over the place. But definitely there's carry over. Sometimes you're going to need that, give up some runs and still get a win. It helps sometimes. It gives you confidence."
• [AZ Central] D-Backs numbers tell a story - "So my number since I was in Oakland was No. 3 but when I went to New York the No. 3 [Ruth’s number] was retired, like every other single digit number they have," said Chavez. "So I went to 12 because one plus one is three and that’s why I kept the number. I felt like I was pretty successful in New York at my job so instead of going back to No. 3 when I got here I kept No.12. I’m pretty superstitious about my number. If I wasn’t good in New York I probably would have switched it when I got here to Arizona."

Less

• [AZ Central] How Arizona came back from near Cactus League extinction - "Something had to be done two decades ago or spring training in Arizona would roll away like a tumbleweed and vanish. It was a desperate time." Turns out the key was... Hey, spending hundreds of millions in tax money on professional sports facilities! Who knew...
• [dbacks.com] Ziegler passes torch to Goldy as MLBPA rep - "Reliever Brad Ziegler, who has been the team's union rep, is shifting into a larger role within the MLBPA. Ziegler is serving on the executive subcommittee, which means he'll be on conference calls dealing with the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt is taking Ziegler's place as the D-backs' union rep."
• [latimes.com] Clayton Kershaw might not pitch Dodgers opener in Australia - "Manager Don Mattingly has become increasingly vague about the team's rotation plans since the first day of spring training... By Monday, Mattingly was saying, "Everything's a possibility," and went as far to include Matt Magill among the candidates to start the first game of the regular season. Magill had a 6.51 earned-run average in six starts last season." I would be very happy if this were the case. Leave Greinke at home too, while they're at it, since he's clearly not interested.

Not at all

• [CBSSports.com] MLB officially enacts new home plate collision rule - Full details are now out, and may be found in the link. But, in summary: "A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher... Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score."
• [Whitehouse.gov] - "We petition the Obama administration to: Declare Major League Baseball Opening Day a national holiday." Yep, I think there's a bit of hope and change we can all get behind!
• [FOX 47 News] Fans go crazy for baseball team's bacon uniforms - "The Lehigh Valley IronPigs, a Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, just unveiled their new uniforms, including fitted hats with a piece of bacon on the front of it and word "Pigs" on their shirts underlined with another piece of bacon. In addition, bacon piping runs down both sides of the uniform pants." Mmm...Bacon...
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