Tigers third base coach Chip Hale is leaving his position to accept a job as head coach at the University of Arizona, per an announcement from the school’s baseball department. Michael Lev of the Arizona Daily Star tweeted this morning that there were “strong indications” Hale would be the program’s new head coach.
This, rather remarkably, is the second time in the past month that the Tigers have lost a member of their Major League staff to a college program. Assistant hitting coach Jose Cruz Jr. accepted a job as the head coach at Rice University back on June 9.
Both Hale and Cruz were in their first season as members of AJ Hinch’s coaching staff in Detroit. Hinch, of course, is also in his first year as Tigers skipper after serving his suspension on the heels of the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. Prior to taking his now-former post with the Tigers, Hale was the bench coach for the 2019 World Series champion Nationals. He also spent two years as the D-backs’ manager and has served as a bench coach and/or third base coach with the D-backs, Mets and Athletics.
Hale, 56, played his college ball at Arizona and was a 17th-round selection of the Twins back in the 1987 draft. He spent parts of seven seasons in the Majors (six with Minnesota, one with the Dodgers), serving as a utility infielder and batting .277/.346/.363 in 333 MLB games.
“I am very honored and excited to be the new head baseball coach at the University of Arizona,” Hale said in a statement released by the Wildcats. “We will work tirelessly to build on the success that has been established here and continue to coach and develop our Wildcats to be champions on the field and in the classroom. With the help and support of the University of Arizona and the Wildcat Family, we plan on making many trips to Omaha!”
The Tigers have yet to announce who will be taking over as their new third base coach in the wake of Hale’s departure.
Good for Hale. It seems Detroit needs to rethink where are they going & who is going to get them there. I remember Kaline & Trammel & a host of others. I hope to see them come back some day.
Kaline for sure won’t be back.
What a door knob statement – you think the Kaline family thinks that is funny?
I believe I’m done with this site. 4 thumbs up on a deceased Al Kaline comment makes me sick. Welcome to the entitled generation. Good luck on getting out of Mommy & Daddy’s cellar.
I agree, Curly. This has just turned into a stage for bad put-down “comedy”. If it isn’t disgusting attempts at humor, it’s political comments. Or trashing fellow commenters. Maybe they should go old school, bring in a moderator and screen these remarks. But they won’t because the future leaders of our world will cry discrimination.
The irony of you throwing a fit over a comment you could have just easily ignored and then calling other people entitled.
The irony of having to write some snappy reply.
Bye!
It was a joke. In poor taste, sure, but no need to shift directly into cancel mode.
Be careful, it wasn’t our generation that is nicknamed “the ‘me’ generation.” You may want to check yourself before seeing who is really the entitled one if you believe that a public comment board should be catered to your world view.
Or………you can simply mute the people that leave those types of comments……..
Detroit is a hot mess.
couldn’t he wait?
Nope. The recruiting season never ends
Why is this necessarily on Detroit and/or Hinch? Neither Cruz nor Hale fled, they just found very good college jobs. Obviously the Tigers hired coaches who are of interest from others.
Gruß,
BSHH
It’s not on Hinch. He’s got some remarkable talent on his staff. Lombard and Fetter are 2 others who are hot commodities.
Hinch’s deal obviously includes the rare sports privilege of hiring Men With Brains instead of drinking/dining buddies. Bonus if they’re both.
Why are mangers called managers at the MLB level but head coaches at the college level?
Probably because there are millions upon millions of bucks on managers, and head coaches have the responsibility to get these kids there. Yes, life sucks & isn’t fair.
Why has this become a thread of Detroit vs Chicago? Am I missing something?
Always a rivalry in any sport with Detroit and Chicago. As a Chicago guy, trust me…
Thanks dude, I wasn’t aware folks could be so trivial (oh wait a minute Mets vs Yankees). Gottcha ya
Mets Yankees is as toxic as it gets Lol
Because ChiSox fans are bitter they just lost 2/3 to Tigers.
Bro I could name a ton of times that the Sox have crushed the Tigers but I don’t. Don’t play all your cards man
Red Sox/Yankees & Dodgers/Giants are right up there too.
“Mangers called Managers”?!
Isn’t it amazing that all the denigrating comments on this site get all the thumbs up. Who’d a thought?
If you are still sore because people jumped on you for making a poor decision when you made a joke about one of the greatest man that has ever walked on the face of the earth, get over it!
Tigers are playing decent right now with several top prospects on the way, hardly a hot mess.
Agreed
And agreed again.
Add me to the list of those who would be agreeing ….
Slow news day when you’re reporting base coaches leaving.
Well, the news is slow on Mondays because so many teams are off. Then, much of the news comes out in the afternoon, so stay tuned.
I respect the Tigers as a baseball club, even if I hate them at the same time. That’s what’s great about baseball
Good luck, Chip. Bear Down, baby!!!
caption the article picture: “Young man, if you don’t put that helmet on your head I’m going to go coach in Arizona”
Chip Hales minor league walks to strikeouts are ridiculous.
White Sox fans love their July championships… the rest of the league celebrates World Series Championships.
LOL
Arizona is a great baseball school! Awesome career move!
Add me to the list of those who would be agreeing ….
Welcome home Skipper. I’ll take Hale over Johnson every single time.