What we learned from Chip Hale’s introductory press conference

Prior to introducing Chip Hale as Arizona’s new baseball coach, athletic director Dave Heeke said the hiring was the product of a “12-day national search.” But in reality, the top candidate revealed himself almost immediately.

Hale, a former UA star who still holds a slew of school career records, said Wednesday he texted Heeke shortly after Jay Johnson left for LSU to express his interest in the job. He would end up being the second coach from the Detroit Tigers—where Hale had been the third base coach—to leave the team for a college job, following assistant hitting coach Jose Cruz Jr. to Rice, his alma mater.

“When the job came open, when Jay decided to leave, we were walking up the stairs…