Dodgers Interview Kirk Gibson For Manager Position

Since mutually parting ways with former manager Don Mattingly this year after failing to get to the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been interviewing a plethora of candidates to fill the vacant spot. Candidates have included Bud Black, Dave Roberts, and other internal coaches within the organization.

Yesterday, it was reported that the Dodgers also interviewed former Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson for the job. Gibson managed the Diamondbacks for five seasons which saw him have a 353-375 record and winning the 2011 NL Manager of the Year Award. After posting a losing record in 2014, he was subsequently fired from the manager position. Gibson, 58, was also on the Dodgers roster as a player from 1988 to 1990, most notably the batter who hit the walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, ultimately leading the team to their last World Series win they have had in team history.

Gibson announced this April that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and that this would not hinder his return to the ballpark. “I have faced many different obstacles in my life, and have always maintained a strong belief that no matter the circumstances, I could overcome those obstacles,” Gibson said in a statement. “While this diagnosis poses a new kind of challenge for me, I intend to stay true to my beliefs.”

Photo: PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 13: Manager Kirk Gibson #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on from the dugout during the second inning of a MLB game against the San Diego Padres at Chase Field on September 13, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

Article by Ryan Kappy