Hale leaving Orioles to move up as Blue Jays bench coach

Toronto, ON, Canada (4E Sports) – DeMarlo Hale will leave Baltimore as third-base coach to join Toronto as a bench coach in 2013.

Hale interviewed for the Toronto job earlier this week.

The Orioles had extended an offer for Hale to return to the club as third-base coach, but a bench coaching position is seen as a move up.

Hale’s contract with the Orioles expired at the end of the season and was the only unsigned member of last year’s staff.

His name has floated around several vacant positions this winter.

Before joining the Orioles, Hale coached alongside current Red Sox manager John Farrell when they both worked on Terry Francona’s staff. Hale left Boston to join coach Buck Showalter in Baltimore last season.

Losing Hale is significant 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.

Hale’s departure now leaves the Orioles to fill his role, a search that might take a while since staffs in Toronto, Boston, and Cleveland have scoured other staffs to assemble their own.

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