News: D-Backs Extend GM Towers and Manager Kirk Gibson

by Hayden Hughes
2/3/2014

Days before pitchers and catchers report, this afternoon the Arizona Diamondbacks announced via the team's official twitter account that the team has reached an agreement with its GM Kevin Towers and Manager Kirk Gibson for "contract extensions beyond 2014."

Below is the tweet:

#Dbacks reach agreement w/ Kevin Towers and Kirk Gibson for contract extensions beyond 2014 (terms not disclosed) pic.twitter.com/gz7UgUmnF0
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) February 3, 2014

After two consecutive seasons of 81-81 records, it was safe to say that prior to these extensions, both Towers and Gibson were on short leashes.

How do the fans react? Below are the responses within minutes of that announcement from the D-Backs:

Nope! I'm done. Tired of supporting mediocrity & bad decisions. MT @Dbacks reach agreement w/ Towers & Gibson for contract extensions.
— Jimmy Nova (@JimmyNova) February 3, 2014

If anyone wants to buy my @Dbacks season tickets, I'll sell them at less than face value just to not have to put up with Gibby & KT all year
— Jimmy Nova (@JimmyNova) February 3, 2014

@Dbacks I'm glad, actually... better have stability than the Mgr & GM going into lame duck seasons
— Mark Firkus (@GuruB_Tucson) February 3, 2014

If @DBacks had waited to extend KT/KG & forced them into a sink or swim season, fine. But at this point they've rewarded mediocrity/failure.
— Jimmy Nova (@JimmyNova) February 3, 2014

@Dbacks are you really satisfied with back to back .500 years?
— Brandon (@Original_Duenas) February 3, 2014

4 MORE YEARS! (of mediocrity and selling low) RT @Dbacks: #Dbacks reach agreement w/ Kevin Towers for extension beyond 2014
— Avi Soep (@AviSoep) February 3, 2014

I love the @DBacks but I can't stand to sit through another season of bad decisions causing us more self-harm than anything our opponents do
— Jimmy Nova (@JimmyNova) February 3, 2014

@Dbacks nooooo. #whygod
— Child Scott (@CSaboveDaRest) February 3, 2014

Strong reaction to say the least. I wasn't surprised, but I think it's telling of a fanbase when their reaction to stability is so negative. Yes, I've been critical of Towers. Yes, I've been wary of almost all his transactions the last two offseasons. Yes, I spend too much time thinking about what could have been.

But stability is never bad and, honestly, if Gibson and Towers approached ownership and expressed concern over their ability to succeed under cloudy circumstances, then I applaud ownership for not letting this drag out.

If there's another sub-par season, I still expect either one or both Gibson and Towers to leave the team. But I wouldn't offer up my season tickets out of disgust before pitchers and catchers even report. The Diamondbacks are in much better position to succeed than plenty of other ballclubs and just because the direction has maybe steered the fanbase wrong before, doesn't mean stability leads to immediate mediocrity.

What's the definition of insanity again?

Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

If the 2014 Diamondbacks go 81-81 for a third consecutive season, the result will not be retaining Gibson and Towers for 2015. Ownership is not stupid.

P.S. - Don't ask "#whygod" in a tweet over your sports teams' decisions. No god answers to hashtags. I took a religions class in college and learned that.