Defense, versatility and speed defined Gipson’s professional career. In the bush leagues he was capable of a .400 OBP and stealing as many as 34 bases in a season, and his defense was lauded at every level. In 1994, California League managers named him the best defensive outfielder in the league. Gipson broke in with the Seattle Mariners in 1998 as a pinch runner and utility player, valued for his speed and ability to cover six different positions on the field.