ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian stands behind Gibson, Towers

Sep 12, 2013, 1:01 AM | Updated: 1:02 am

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LISTEN: Tim Kurkjian, ESPN MLB Analyst

Though some might be putting the blame of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ disappointing season on manager Kirk Gibson and general manager Kevin Towers, ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian believes they should be given at least another season.

On Arizona Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo Wednesday, Kurkjian said that Gibson and Towers deserve a reprieve as the team is just performing to its talent level.

“I guess you could make a case they didn’t put the bullpen together properly. Maybe they didn’t have enough starting pitching,” Kurkjian said. “But I’m not about to fire the GM or the manager for, at this point, finishing about .500 without much more of a team than that.”

Kurkjian also added that before the season began, he predicted the D-backs would finish third in the NL West with a record around the .500 mark, which is pretty much spot on for their actual performance.

The D-backs were in first place through most of the first half until the Los Angeles Dodgers overtook them on July 22. They currently sit 13 games back of the Dodgers.

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ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian stands behind Gibson, Towers