Chip Hale to be named new manager of the Diamondbacks

Mar 5, 2013; Surprise, AZ, USA; Oakland Athletics bench coach Chip Hale (14) reacts to a call at first during the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The official announcement is expected to be made sometime Monday afternoon but it appears that the Arizona Diamondbacks have found their new manager in the form of Oakland Athletics’ bench coach Chip Hale.

He was one of four finalists for the position including Cleveland Indians’ bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. and former Major League Baseball managers Jim Tracy and Phil Nevin.

Hale has been the bench coach with the A’s since manager Bob Melvin took over as Oakland’s manager in July 2012.

He also worked under Melvin as the Diamondbacks’ third base and bench coach from 2007-2009, when Melvin was the skipper for Arizona.

Under Melvin and Hale the Diamondbacks won the N.L. Western Division Title in 2007.

Hale played as both a second and third basemen in the Majors with the Minnesota Twins and the Los Angeles Dodgers for seven seasons, from 1989-1996.

Hale, who will turn 50 on December 2nd of this year, played in just 333 games in his career and batted .277/.346/.363 with only seven home runs. Over his career he drove in 78 runs.