Chip Hale
Encyclopedia
Walter William "Chip" Hale (born December 2, 1964, in San Jose, California
) is an American
former Major League Baseball
second baseman
and third baseman
and current coach
for the Oakland Athletics
. He is an alumnus of the University of Arizona
.
Drafted by the Minnesota Twins
in the 17th round of the 1987 MLB amateur draft
, Hale would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Twins on August 27, 1989, and appear in his final game on October 2, 1997.
Chip Hale is also associated with one of the most memorable bloopers in baseball history when on May 27, 1991, while playing for the AAA-level Portland Beavers
, he hit a deep fly ball to right where outfielder Rodney McCray
attempted to catch the ball and ran through the wall.
For the 2006 Major League Baseball
season, Hale served as a coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks
under manager Bob Melvin
. Before coaching in the majors, Hale was manager of the Diamondbacks' AAA affiliate, the Tucson Sidewinders
for three seasons. Under Hale's leadership the minor league
Sidewinders finished the regular season with a record of 91-53, a new franchise record; and Hale was named Pacific Coast League
Manager of the Year.
In 2009, Hale was hired to be the third base coach for the New York Mets
. He was a candidate to become manager of the Mets after Jerry Manuel
was fired at the end of the 2010 season, however, the position went to Terry Collins
.
On October 5, 2011, Hale signed a two-year deal to become Bench Coach of the Oakland Athletics He was replaced by Tim Teufel
.
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
and third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and current coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. He is an alumnus of the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
.
Drafted by the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
in the 17th round of the 1987 MLB amateur draft
1987 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
, Hale would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Twins on August 27, 1989, and appear in his final game on October 2, 1997.
Chip Hale is also associated with one of the most memorable bloopers in baseball history when on May 27, 1991, while playing for the AAA-level Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
, he hit a deep fly ball to right where outfielder Rodney McCray
Rodney McCray (baseball)
Rodney Duncan McCray is a former American professional baseball player who is best known for crashing through an outfield fence attempting to make a catch. He also had a brief career in Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets from 1990 to 1992.Born in Detroit, Rodney's...
attempted to catch the ball and ran through the wall.
For the 2006 Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
season, Hale served as a coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
under manager Bob Melvin
Bob Melvin
Robert Paul Melvin is the manager of the Oakland Athletics, and a former Major League Baseball catcher.During a 10-year playing career, he played from 1985–94 for seven different teams...
. Before coaching in the majors, Hale was manager of the Diamondbacks' AAA affiliate, the Tucson Sidewinders
Tucson Sidewinders
The Tucson Sidewinders were a minor league baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona. The team, which played in the Pacific Coast League, was the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major-league club....
for three seasons. Under Hale's leadership the minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Sidewinders finished the regular season with a record of 91-53, a new franchise record; and Hale was named Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
Manager of the Year.
In 2009, Hale was hired to be the third base coach for the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. He was a candidate to become manager of the Mets after Jerry Manuel
Jerry Manuel
Jerry Manuel , nicknamed "The Sage" is a former major league manager. He previously managed the Chicago White Sox from 1998 to 2003 and the New York Mets from the middle of 2008 to 2010 and played in the majors for parts of five seasons in the 1970s and early 1980s.-Playing career:Manuel played...
was fired at the end of the 2010 season, however, the position went to Terry Collins
Terry Collins
Terry Lee Collins is the manager for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. A former minor league shortstop, Collins managed the Albuquerque Dukes of the Pacific Coast League, the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, the Duluth Huskies of the summer collegiate Northwoods League, and...
.
On October 5, 2011, Hale signed a two-year deal to become Bench Coach of the Oakland Athletics He was replaced by Tim Teufel
Tim Teufel
Timothy Shawn Teufel is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, and currently the 3rd base coach for the New York Mets.Teufel was a member of the World Series champion New York Mets...
.