Paul Goldschmidt reflects on managers with D-backs, St. Louis
May 9, 2020, 4:27 PM | Updated: 8:29 pm
Paul Goldschmidt #44 and manager Torey Lovullo #17 of the Arizona Diamondbacks watch from the dugout during the eighth inning of the MLB game against the San Diego Padres at Chase Field on April 25, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Former D-backs first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has played for four big league managers. Three of those were with the Diamondbacks.
It’s hard to say to what extent each of those managers played a role in Goldschmidt being the Silver Slugger, Gold Glove-winning first baseman that he is. And when he joined Arizona Sports’ Doug & Wolf for Legends Week on Friday, he responded “all of them” when asked who was his favorite.
In Goldschmidt’s rookie season, in 2011, Kirk Gibson was in his first season as a manager. Gibson remained with the team for four seasons, bringing his pedigree as a World Series-winning player, 1988 MVP and longtime coach.
“I think for me it was kind of like different stages in my career,” Goldschmidt said of his different managers. “Gibby, when I first got called up, he helped me so much. He taught me so much. He was such a smart ballplayer. I don’t think many people knew that. I’ve said it a lot. They just thought he was like this old-school, hard-nosed guy. But he taught me so much early-on in my career.”
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Along came Chip Hale, formerly the D-backs’ third base coach. Hale managed the D-backs in 2015 and 2016, and the team finished well below .500 both seasons.
“And then Chip right in the middle, he kind of helped our team come along and we were going through this learning process and turnover and he was great and brought a ton of energy, and I learned a lot through him,” Goldschmidt said.
Arizona replaced both its general manager and manager ahead of the 2017 season. Mike Hazen made tweaks to the roster and Torey Lovullo became an MLB manager for the first time.
“And then with Torey, my last couple years in Arizona, just such a smart manager and he was always thinking, and he says it a lot, he’s always looking for an edge,” Goldschmidt said. “So I learned a lot from him and then I had Mike Shildt this last year, in St. Louis. The guy’s been in the game of baseball forever and just learned so much from him and he’s a great leader and let us play our game. Went about it a little differently but always looking for an edge and a way to win.”
