SnakeBytes: Opening day (of spring) edition

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• [ArizonaSports] Gibson considering not taking Patrick Corbin to Australia "Corbin threw a lot of innings (last year), for him, so maybe it's the smart thing to leave him back. But at the same time, he might be the best pitcher and in the end if we decide that he is, he'll go... I think we'll try to get through this first week -- we've got three double-headers, so we'll see where we're at, and we'll realign people if we have to from that point."
• [AZ Central] Size is no issue for Seth Simmons & other stuff "I’m here trying to learn as much as I can," Simmons said. "I know I’m not going to make the team. I just want to face these guys. I want to face Trumbo. I want to face (Paul) Goldschmidt. I want to face (Cliff) Pennington, (Aaron Hill), Didi (Gregorius). I want to face them all. It’s not because I want to show them anything they haven’t seen, it’s because I want to know more about my stuff. And who better to learn from than some of the best hitters in the game?"
• [dbacks.com] Martin Maldonado and Tuffy Gosewisch make most of offseason - "[The D-backs] didn't assign me it," Gosewisch said. "The winter-ball team called the D-backs and asked if it was OK if I went, and then they called me. I talked to the Diamondbacks, and we discussed it all. It was kind of like a mutual decision where they thought it'd be a good idea, and I thought it would be a good learning experience."
• [ArizonaSports] Pennington discusses his role for this season - "All that stuff, it's fun to talk about, but at the end of the day, it's going to be what it is. Everybody on this team is trying to pull the ropes the same way. We're all trying to help each other out. Obviously, we've got the two really good, talented, young shortstops. Hopefully I can help them both learn some things and we can get better together and all help each other and become better players, all three of us."
• The D-backs Venezuelan contingent are concerned about what's going on at home. Jack Magruder quotes Miguel Montero, "I have family down there, pretty much my whole family. Mom. Sister. Niece. It's just scary. I see all the news, all the pictures and all the things that are happening. And they are really happening. You want that over. You want everything to stop. You hope it gets better."

  diferentes equipos una sola Venezuela viva Venezuela pic.twitter.com/oUJjbLC1sv

  — gerardo parra (@88_gparra) February 24, 2014

• [dbacks.com] D-backs president Derrick Hall relieved after recent pancreatic cancer scare - "Last year Hall had so much acute abdominal pain that doctors at a local Phoenix hospital advised him he had pancreatitis, another disease of the pancreas that can prove to be a precursor of cancer for survivors. But after some very anxious moments, the news from the tests came back negative." Damn. This was a scary read. Delighted to hear there's no apparent issue.

Less

• [AZ Central] Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate puts hope in humidor to make park ‘more fair’ - The Diamondbacks, after years of considering a humidor in Reno, decided to pull the trigger in the off-season. Working in tandem with the Aces, the Diamondbacks are paying around $15,000 to install it. "You watch a game there and the ball jumps, there’s no question," farm director Mike Bell said. "If we have the ability to make it more realistic, I guess, in terms of what it would feel like in the major leagues, then I think we owe it to the players to do that."
• [CBSSports.com] Giants name Madison Bumgarner opening day starter - We may not know who we'll be facing in Australia, but we do know who will be on the mound for the first game back on American soil for Arizona. The Giants have named an opening-day starting pitcher for March 31, and it's left-hander Madison Bumgarner.
• [ESPN Los Angeles] Catchup up with A.J. Ellis, a Q&A - Ellis is pretty diplomatic and respectful, I mist say. "What you have is two teams that really play hard. They’ve taken on the personalities of their managers. They’re both hard-nosed, play to win the game, protect their teammates type guys. We just know we’re in for a battle every time we get ready to play the Diamondbacks. They play us hard every time and we respect the way they play. We know they’re going to protect their guys and we’re going to protect ours."
• [Camden Chat] Orioles offered Bronson Arroyo a two-year, $21.5 million contract before he signed with Diamondbacks - Before they closed in on Ubaldo Jimenez, the Orioles offered a two-year, $21.5 million contract to Bronson Arroyo, who ultimately signed for two years and $23.5 million guaranteed with Arizona. However, the Baltimore deal also had an $11.5m option year, which would bring the total to $33m, three million more than he'd get from us.
• [Chicago Sun-Times] Eaton had no idea he annoyed people in Diamondbacks’ clubhouse - "I thought I had a good rapport with all those guys. Usually, there’s one teammate who rubs you the wrong way, but that guy happened to speak up... I didn’t think I rubbed people the wrong way. I am energetic, and I love to play the game, and I don’t think I need to change that. Bring that kid mentality to the game. It’s fun. I hate that I offended somebody in the clubhouse. If I knew who it was, I would definitely apologize and talk to him to try to be a better teammate.’’

Not really

• [Crawfish Boxes] What if every major league team had a food-related baseball cap? - What if the IronPigs' bacon hat opened up the floodgates for other food-related baseball cap? I give you, your Arizona Tamales. Though I think we should go with the Arizona Hot Dogs, just to piss off Chicago.
• The games got under way in Florida yesterday, with the Yankees and Tigers rolling over college opposition by a combined score of 20-3. Detroit looked particularly good, crushing Florida Southern 12-0, holding their opponents to three hits.
• [AP] Stray dog Hank becomes big hit in baseball spring training camp - and finally, a story to make you go "Awww..." Hank the dog may be the early lock for camp MVP -- Most Valuable Pet. "Yeah, he's making a pretty big impact, which I've got to say is pretty cool," pitcher Yovani Gallardo said. "It's getting a lot of attention, for sure. I think he likes it, too." The dog days for the Brewers arrived Feb. 17 when the stray pooch wandered on to the team's complex looking a little roughed up...