It was anybody’s guess where Kirk Gibson was Wednesday afternoon when he first heard he was named the National League Manager of the Year following the Diamondbacks run to the top of the National League West and into the NLDS.
The free-spirited skipper who is known for not only hitting World Series walk-off homeruns, but also climbing Camelback Mountain in the dark and hanging out in a tree stand in Michigan during the off-season.
It’s safe to say expect the unexpected with Gibson, just as many of the so-called baseball experts found out this past season with the Dbacks when from 97 losses in 2010 to 94 wins this year.
Gibby said this coaching staff and the entire organization deserve equal credit for this award.
Kirk Gibson on ‘Big Guy on Sports’
“It’s taken a lot of thought by many people,” Gibson explained to Brad Cesmat on “Big Guy on Sports” Thursday afternoon. “We’ve made decisions together. We’ve stayed committed together. You can’t get bogged down in negativity. You’ve got to deal with it and move on.”
That’s exactly what the Diamondbacks did this past summer following consecutive last-place finishes in the NL West.
Gibson credits owner Ken Kendrick and team President Derrick Hall for helping re-structure the coaching staff this past off-season.
“I don’t have all the answers,” Gibson told Cesmat. “I’m looking to make good decisions, though. Certainly, I’m going to rely people…in the game and I seek out their opinions. There is no fear about speaking (your) mind around Kirk Gibson. That’s going to make us better and that’s my goal.”
With that being said, there is one goal he hopes to accomplish in the near future.
“Win my next World Series championship as a manager.”
He can start worrying about that in February. For now, it’s back to enjoying nature from the tree stand in northern Michigan.
