Interview process continues for coaching vacancies

PHOENIX -- It remains to be seen if the D-backs will make any moves during next week's Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., but it does not sound like any of them will have to do with the team's two vacant coaching positions.

The D-backs are looking for a first-base coach after dismissing Eric Young following the season, and at that time, Arizona general manager Kevin Towers said the team would also like to hire an additional coach for a newly created assistant hitting coach position.

The interview process is ongoing with Towers in the Dominican Republic before the Winter Meetings and Gibson back home in Michigan.

"Just working my way through it trying to make decisions," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "We're going to talk about it when we get to the Winter Meetings next week. I'm probably going to go to Phoenix the week after the Meetings and bring a couple of guys in and try to make a decision."

Gibson did not get into why the process has taken as long as it has.

"I've been talking to people; I've talked to quite a few people since the end of the year," he said. "It's a lengthy process, let's put it that way."

There is one thing that Gibson definitely plans on crossing off his to-do list before the Meetings.

"I've got a long beard I've got to shave off before I go to the Winter Meetings," said Gibson, who has spent much of his off time this fall hunting in the woods in Michigan. "I mean it's really long."