Saturday, November 24, 2012

Toronto Meet DeMarlo Hale - your new bench coach

This doesn't sound like a huge maneuvre, but it is.  Hale is considered one of the top coaches in Baseball and has been on most GM's shortlists for Managerial jobs.  DeMarlo Hale served as the Orioles 3rd base coach this past season, is taking a job as bench coach for the Blue Jays.  He will be a great addition for John Gibbons and a huge asset for a coaching staff that lost Brian Butterfield who followed John Farrell to the Red Sox after nearly a decade with the Blue Jays.   Hale, who been the Red Sox bench coach for manager Terry Francona, joined Buck Showalter’s staff this past season after Francona had not been offered a contract for the 2012 season.  Showalter had a notion that Hale would be a flight risk potentially and was not surprised by the departure. Hale will head to Toronto to work under new manager John Gibbons, who was hired Tuesday for his second stint with the club.  Hale’s contract with the Orioles had expired, making a move possible. The Blue Jays had interviewed him prior to the 2011 season for the Managerial Job.
Losing Hale is a loss to the Orioles, who had hoped to have their staff signed by the end of this week. Hale, who also served as infield coach this past season, was well respected by coaches and players. He was one of Showalter’s trusted coaches when it came to pre-game preparedness.  DeMarlo Hale built his way up through baseball and is well regarded as one of the most prepared coaches in baseball.  He worked at the Bucky Dent Baseball School early in his career, before coming to prominence as a Major League Coach.

Baseball Reference Coaching Page - DeMarlo Hale

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