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David Bell (baseball)

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David Bell
Bell with the Cincinnati Reds in 2022
Third baseman / Second baseman / Manager
Born: (1972-09-14) September 14, 1972 (age 52)
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 3, 1995, for the Cleveland Indians
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 2006, for the Milwaukee Brewers
MLB statistics
(through September 22, 2024)
Batting average.257
Home runs123
Runs batted in589
Managerial record409–456
Winning %.473
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Managerial record at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
As player
As manager
As coach

David Michael Bell (born September 14, 1972) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and second baseman, former coach, and former manager who most recently managed the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). Over the course of his 12-year MLB playing career, Bell appeared at all four infield positions while playing for the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Milwaukee Brewers, but played primarily at third and second. Bell made his MLB debut for the Indians in 1995.

After his retirement as an active player, Bell served as a coach for the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. After managing the Triple-A Louisville Bats and (former) Double-A Carolina Mudcats, both of which are or were in the Reds organization, Bell was chosen as the Reds manager in 2018. Bell spent seven seasons with the team before he was fired just before the end of the 2024 season.

The grandson of Gus Bell, son of Buddy Bell, and brother of Mike Bell, David Bell is a member of one of five families to have three generations play in the Major Leagues. In addition, David and Buddy are the fifth father-son pair to serve as major league managers, joining Connie and Earle Mack, George and Dick Sisler, Bob and Joel Skinner, and Bob and Aaron Boone.[1]

Amateur career

[edit]

Bell attended Moeller High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Playing for the school's varsity baseball team for three years, where he ranks in the Top Ten in five career categories including doubles and plate appearances. He ranks among the top in Single Season Doubles and Most Doubles in one game.[2] He also played Mickey Mantle and Connie Mack Baseball National Championship teams in 1988 and 1989 respectively as well as leading Moeller to a state championship in 1989.[3] Bell was also a member of the Moeller boys' basketball team.[4] Bell committed to play baseball at the University of Kentucky as a junior.[2]

Professional career

[edit]

Cleveland Indians

[edit]

After the Cleveland Indians selected Bell with their pick in the seventh round (190th overall),[5] Bell decided to forgo his commitment to Kentucky.

Bell made his major league debut on May 3, 1995 as a pinch hitter for Jim Thome and stayed in the game in a defensive replacement.[6] He was optioned to the Buffalo Bisons on May 8, 1995. He hit .272 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 70 games.

St. Louis Cardinals

[edit]

On July 27, 1995, Bell was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals along with Pepe McNeal and Rick Heiserman for Ken Hill.[7]

Return to Cleveland

[edit]
Bell with the Phillies in 2004

On April 14, 1998, Bell was claimed off waivers by the Indians.[8] On April 15, he hit the first inside-the-park home run in Jacobs Field history, and the first for the Indians since 1989.[9]

Seattle Mariners

[edit]

On August 31, 1998, Bell was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Joey Cora.[10] Bell was re-signed on December 19, 2001.

San Francisco Giants

[edit]

On January 25, 2002, Bell was traded to the San Francisco Giants for Desi Relaford so he could have a chance to play every day.[11] Bell scored the 2002 NLCS winning run for the San Francisco Giants from second on Kenny Lofton's single. Bell was the runner bearing down on home plate in Game 5 of the 2002 World Series when J. T. Snow lifted 3 year old batboy Darren Baker out of harm's way.[12] Near the end of the season, he won the 2002 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership – as voted on by his teammates and coaching staff.

Philadelphia Phillies

[edit]

On December 2, 2002, Bell signed a four-year $17 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.[13] He made Major League history on June 28, 2004, by joining his grandfather, Gus Bell, as the first grandfather-grandson combination to hit for the cycle.

Milwaukee Brewers

[edit]

Bell was traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Milwaukee Brewers on July 28, 2006, in a deal that swapped him for minor league pitcher Wilfrido Laureano.[14] The Brewers chose not to re-sign Bell after the 2006 season, and he became a free agent.

Coaching career

[edit]

On October 31, 2008, the Cincinnati Reds named Bell the manager for their Double-A affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats.[15] Bell spent three seasons as the Mudcats manager. In November 2011 he was named manager of the Reds' Triple-A affiliate Louisville Bats.[16]

On October 23, 2012, the Chicago Cubs named Bell the third base coach for the Major League club.

On December 17, 2013, the St. Louis Cardinals announced hiring Bell as their new assistant hitting coach.[17]

From 2015 through 2017, Bell served as the Cardinals' bench coach. He left the team on October 20, 2017, to become the vice president of player development for the San Francisco Giants.[18]

Managing career

[edit]

Cincinnati Reds

[edit]
Bell, as the Reds manager, argues with umpire Jim Reynolds during a game in the 2021 season

On October 21, 2018, the Cincinnati Reds announced Bell had been hired as the 63rd manager in franchise history.[19] The contract spans three years with a club option for a fourth.[19]

In an April 7, 2019, game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bell was ejected after his role in a bench clearing incident involving Chris Archer, Derek Dietrich, Yasiel Puig, Amir Garrett, Keone Kela, and Felipe Vázquez. This was Bell's first career managerial ejection. Bell received a one-game suspension following the incident on April 9. On July 30, 2019, another bench-clearing mash-up occurred between the Reds and Pirates, with Bell (who had been ejected from the game in the previous half-inning) involved in it. On August 1, 2019, Bell received a 6-game suspension without eligibility to appeal.

On September 22, 2021, Bell agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Reds.[20]

On July 28, 2023, Bell agreed to a contract extension with the Reds through 2026.[21] However, on September 22, 2024, the Reds fired Bell with five games left in the season.[22]

Managerial record

[edit]
As of September 22, 2024 [23]
Team Year Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
CIN 2019 162 75 87 .463 4th in NL Central – – – –
CIN 2020 60 31 29 .517 2nd in NL Central 0 2 .000 Lost NLWC (ATL)
CIN 2021 162 83 79 .512 3rd in NL Central – – – –
CIN 2022 162 62 100 .383 5th in NL Central – – – –
CIN 2023 162 82 80 .506 3rd in NL Central – – – –
CIN 2024 157 76 81 .484 4th in NL Central – – – –
Total 865 409 456 .473 0 2 .000

Front office career

[edit]

On November 15, 2024, the Toronto Blue Jays hired Bell to the concurrent roles of vice president of baseball operations and assistant general manager.[24][25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Former Mariner David Bell hired as manager of Reds". The Seattle Times. The Associated Press. October 21, 2018. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Shelton, Mark (October 21, 2018). "David Bell '90 Named Cincinnati Reds New Manager". www.letsgobigmoe.com. ESP Media, LLC. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  3. ^ LaRosa, Buddy. "Announcing the 2009 Hall of Fame Inductees". www.larosasmvp.com. LaRosa MVP. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  4. ^ Springer, Scott (October 22, 2018). "New Cincinnati Reds skipper David Bell led Moeller Crusaders to state title". www.January 15, 2019. USA Today.
  5. ^ Lastoria, Tony (January 24, 2016). "Looking Back at the Indians' Draft: 1990". www.247spots.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  6. ^ "Indians 14 - Tigers 7, May 3, 1995". www.baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  7. ^ Chass, Murray (July 28, 1995). "BASEBALL; Rich Get Richer: Angels Land Abbott; Indians Add Hill". The New York Times. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  8. ^ "Transactions". www.courant.com. The Hartford Courant. April 15, 1998. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  9. ^ "Cleveland's Bell Hits Homerun". www.apnews.com. The Associated Press. April 15, 1998. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  10. ^ "Indians Deal for Cora". www.orlandosentinel.com. Orlando Sentinel. September 1, 1998. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  11. ^ "M's trade David Bell for Giants' Relaford". www.community.seattletimes.nwsource.com. The Seattle Times. January 25, 2002. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  12. ^ Shea, John (May 28, 2017). "The little batboy who could: Darren Baker, now 18, grows up". www.sfchronicle.com. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  13. ^ "Bell leaves Giants for $17 million deal with Phils". www.aespncdn.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. December 2, 2002. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  14. ^ "Phillies trade Bell to Brewers for minor-league pitcher". www.espn.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. July 28, 2006. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  15. ^ Sheldon, Mark (October 31, 2008). "Another Bell joins Reds organization". MLB.com. Retrieved October 31, 2008.
  16. ^ Grant, Michael (November 29, 2011). "David Bell to manage the Louisville Bats, replacing Rick Sweet". courier-journal.com. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  17. ^ Langosch, Jenifer (December 17, 2013). "Cards hire Bell to be assistant hitting coach". The Official Site of the St. Louis Cardinals. MLB.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  18. ^ "Bench coach Bell departs for Giants". MLB.com. October 20, 2017. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  19. ^ a b Perry, Dayn (October 21, 2018). "Reds hire new manager, sign Cincinnati native David Bell to three-year deal". CBSSports.com. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  20. ^ Goffinet, Jared; Rauch, Jeremy (September 22, 2021). "David Bell, Reds agree to contract extension". WXIX. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  21. ^ Gonzalez, Alden (July 28, 2023). "Reds reward manager David Bell with 3-year contract extension". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  22. ^ Clark, Dave (September 22, 2024). "Reactions: David Bell fired during sixth season as Cincinnati Reds' manager". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  23. ^ "David Bell Managerial Record". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  24. ^ Matheson, Keegan (November 15, 2024). "Former Reds manager Bell joins Blue Jays' front office". MLB.com. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  25. ^ "Blue Jays hire David Bell as VP of baseball operations". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 15, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
[edit]
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Indians' Minor League Player of the Year
(the Lou Boudreau Award)
1994 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Hitting for the cycle
June 28, 2004 		Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by Chicago Cubs third base coach
2013 		Succeeded by
Preceded by St. Louis Cardinals bench coach
2015–2017 		Succeeded by
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