Report: Clubhouse support for Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson ‘all but gone’

September 9, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson (23) jogs to the dugout after a visit to the mound during the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. The Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
September 9, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson (23) jogs to the dugout after a visit to the mound during the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. The Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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These are not great times for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Having already moved on from GM Kevin Towers, the team must now make a decision on manager Kirk Gibson, who has become a controversial figure to be sure.

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Gibson’s status with his players will no doubt play a part in chief baseball officer Tony La Russa’s decision. Unfortunately, that status isn’t looking good for Gibson right now.

According to Ken Rosenthal, Gibson’s support in the clubhouse is “all but gone.” Nevertheless, La Russa is reportedly not yet convinced that Gibson should go.

If it comes down to personal connection between La Russa and Gibson, the current manager may be in good shape. Jon Heyman reports that La Russa and Gibson have “formed a rapport” in their time together.

Of course, as Heyman points out, La Russa reportedly also got along well with Kevin Towers and that didn’t prevent Towers from being fired.

Any way you look at it, the Diamondbacks are going to have to make more big changes before they can get back to being a competitive club. 2014 has been a disaster in a lot of ways, and Kirk Gibson’s managing has been at the center of a lot of the chaos.

The team’s reputation has taken a hit since Gibson came in with his old school style. You can get away with that stuff if the wins are piling up, but the Diamondbacks have languished at the bottom of the division all year.

If you stink on the field and are perceived as a dirty team by fans and other organization, it’s a problem.