D-Backs learn from Gibson
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Doug Haller
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 20, 2007 08:50 PM
You can't write about Kirk Gibson without mentioning the home run, so let's get
it out of the way.
"You mean that little front-row junk (expletive)?" injured Diamondbacks
infielder Orlando Hudson said. "That home run that bounced on top of the wall
and trickled over?"
Yep, that's the one. The home run Gibson belted off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1
of the 1988 World Series, one of the more clutch hits in modern baseball
history, and all the more memorable because Gibson was injured, barely able to
run.
"Yeah, that's when he became cute," Hudson said. "Before that he was a
warrior."
Nineteen years later, Gibson, in his first year as Arizona bench coach, takes
grief over his big moment. Part of that is understandable given the makeup of
the home team's roster. Talk about a playpen. Conor Jackson was just 6 when
Gibson's home run cleared the right-field wall. Chris Young had just turned 5.
Justin Upton wasn't even 14 months.
Asked what he knew about Gibson before spring training, rookie third baseman
Mark Reynolds smiled and said, "Honestly? That home run he hit in the World
Series. I was (5). I've just seen clips. I just knew about the fist pump."
The Diamondbacks enjoy ribbing Gibson. Don't misunderstand. For a majority,
he's the most intense person they have encountered on the field. But without
him, the Diamondbacks might not be where they stand today, a half-game up in
the National League West with nine remaining.
"He's been, like all our coaches, significant," manager Bob Melvin said. "This
is about the best staff I've been around. Gibby's competitive nature rubs off
on these guys. He's constantly talking to guys during batting practice,
(sharing) some of his experiences."
He has helped Jeff Salazar with preparation and Eric Byrnes with base stealing.
On Sept. 1, he approached Young and discussed a mistake the rookie center
fielder had made the previous night, botching an attempted shoestring catch,
allowing the tying run to score. Gibson offered Young tips on how to make the
play next time. And if a catch wasn't possible, he showed Young how he should
block it, keeping the ball in front of him.
"He told me, 'The way this game is set up, you're going to have ups and downs.
You're going to make mistakes,' " Young said. "He's gone through just about
everything you can go through in this game. And he understands how hard it is."
His past makes his message even more effective. Gibson played on two World
Series championship teams during his 17-year career. He was the National
League's Most Valuable Player in 1988. In college, he played football at
Michigan State, always playing at one speed, provided his body allowed it.
"He came up in that time and age that when they went in to break up a double
play, they literally went in there to break up a double play," Hudson said.
"You can't take the fire out of that guy. He's old school as hell. Old school
as they come. When it comes time to start picking things up, (Melvin) will say
a few things, and Kirk will jump in because he has that football, that Michigan
State grrrrrr, run-through-your-(expletive) mentality."
Gibson seeks no credit. Nor does he seem to enjoy talking about himself. He
understands if people assume his wisdom has played a part in getting the
Diamondbacks to play beyond their years, but he says it isn't true.
"I can talk to them about things, but the reality of it is, until it happens
in a game and they deal with it, that's when they can kind of pull it all
together," Gibson said. "There's really nothing I can do. I understand it. I
enjoy it. But they're the ones that are going to experience it, and they're the
ones that are going to have to deal with it. All I can do is be supportive and
try to let them know that this is fun. This isn't pressure. This is fun.
They're lucky because a lot of guys in this league are thinking about what
they're going to be doing next Sunday."
As for the teasing about the home run? Gibson is cool with it. He knows it's
just clubhouse humor. Besides, he can dish it back just the same - Byrnes claims
he's one of the "more fun" coaches he's been around - but the coach is serious
about this: "My wish is that we get a chance to have a moment like (the 1988
home run), for one of these guys," Gibson said. "And I'm here to watch and be
a part of it. That would be the ultimate."
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