Magruder: Kirk Gibson’s intensity, intellect a winning combo

I DON’T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST READ!

“But he’s prepared for everything. He has the feel for the game, and he also takes all the sabermetrics and all that stuff and combines it into what he wants to have available.”

“You wouldn’t think it of ‘Gibby,’ but that’s part of his repertoire of a manager,” Williams said. “He has an idea of what he wants to do and has an idea of what the other club is going to do, and he reacts accordingly. I think it worked very well.”

...Mark Weidemaier, a longtime Dodgers scout, served in that capacity for the D-backs.

“He has tremendous recall. Excellent powers of observation,” Weidemaier said.

“That smart. That cerebral. Ultra-prepared. Reminds me of (Tony) La Russa in that regard. As far as the pre-game preparation, as far as knowing the scouting reports, having read them, understood them, studied video, incorporated that with the reports . . . I mean, this man is not going to leave any stone unturned. His ability to prepare the players, to get the mind set, the positive imagery, the positive thinking, looking forward to thriving in the moment and not feeling pressure but looking at it as an opportunity to excel, I think he’s a master. He’s got a special talent.

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say he could potentially be the Phil Jackson of major league baseball.”