Gibson: Training facility perfect for work, fans
Feb 22, 2012, 12:22 AM | Updated: 12:44 am
The Diamondbacks are looking to make a lot of improvements during Spring Training, and manager Kirk Gibson is glad they have the facility where they can do it all: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
“It’s certainly an advantage for the team to be able to really live in the same location year round. The facility is laid out perfectly,” Gibson told Arizona Sports 620’s Doug and Wolf. “It allows us to do many, many things, and really it allows us to really cut down on the time that it takes to do these things, and we accomplish a lot in really a short period of time.”
Salt River Fields opened last spring, bringing the D-backs and Rockies up from their previous home in Tucson. The facility contains six fields for each team, batting cages and a clubhouse, which is a luxury compared to Gibson’s early days in the league.
“When I came into the game, we did all of our work on one field,” Gibson said. “It took hours and hours and you get hot , and you’d stand, get cold and freeze up, then you get hot again, do it again, so you can only imagine. We certainly don’t try and do that.”
Having a complex that supports easy transitions to go from drill to drill helps practices run efficiently and helps the players to stay loose.
Gibson said practices start slow, the pace gradually picks up, and they finish with cool downs, stretching and visits to the trainers, but it all adds up to “a lot of time together in a really wonderful facility.”
One of the best things Gibson noted about the compound is how fan friendly it is.
“Yesterday, we had a ton of fans out here. It was awesome,” Gibson said. “They’re having a good time, and there are more fans out here today.”
Gibson and the team know how important the fan base is to the organization, and they take advantage of any opportunity at the facility to give back.
“We want to make sure fans know we will not sign during the workout, but after workout, every single guy, if you want his autograph, he’ll come by there,” Gibson said. “We certainly understand how important the fans are to us and to our success. It sure is fun playing in front of them.”
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