Anyone see Heath Bell's entrance at the ASG?

[SuperHornet]

I just saw the highlight on FB. He REALLY wanted to get in there! LOL.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?conte ... b_nasmlb_1

[dbackjon]

Yup - from my seat right above the bullpen!!


Very cool

[UNHWildCats]

On Monday there was a report that Bell wants to join former teammate Adrian Gonzalez in Boston, so much so that he is reportedly keeping close tabs on what Jonathan Papelbon does and seems to hope Papelbon leaves at seasons end atleast hypothetically opening the closer role for the Sox.

Then last night they show Bell getting all friendly with a young Sox fan giving him a backpack of gooies and signed stuff... Guess its never too soon to start working on a new fan base.

[SDHornet]

Heath Bell always sprints in from the bullpen but the slide is something new. His sprint is always a crowd pleaser. I can’t wait to see who the Padres get for him, Ludwick, and Qualls.

[SuperHornet]

Heath Bell always sprints in from the bullpen but the slide is something new. His sprint is always a crowd pleaser. I can’t wait to see who the Padres get for him, Ludwick, and Qualls.

Is there someone lurking around Elisnore or higher the Pads are planning to bring up? Or do they think they can swing a deal for another closer (Papelbon straight up for Bell or maybe a separate deal)? Because barring one of those scenarios, the only option left would be to activate Mr. Hells Bells in the front office. And I'm not sure how viable that one is.

[SDHornet]

Adams will be the closer. Qualls was just a rehab project the Padres signed who has value and should be traded. Ludwick will be a FA and I’d rather have some prospects that are close to being in the majors than a couple of draft picks that won’t see the majors for a few years.

The Padres will be looking to dump salary, no big names will be brought in. Baseball season ended quite a while ago here in SD. Hoffman is just a marketing ploy to sell more tickets...he is done playing, and quite frankly, he played longer than he should have.

[andy7171]

Didn't John Rocker sprint out to the mound as well?

Opposite of the good old Lee Smith days in Camden Yards.

[SuperHornet]

Did the front office just "know" when Hoffman was done? He sure seemed to bring it every night right up until he ended up in Milwaukee. At that point, the bottom almost immediately fell out. Was it just the three-headed monster that kept him afloat the last few years in SD, or did something happen in Milwaukee?

[TwinTownBisonFan]

The Cards have the depth in the organization to pick up Bell - and with the Brewers pulling K-Rod out of NY... A counter-move can be expected.

Bell would be a HUGE get for the Cards.

[SuperHornet]

The Cards have the depth in the organization to pick up Bell - and with the Brewers pulling K-Rod out of NY... A counter-move can be expected.

Bell would be a HUGE get for the Cards.

I'd like to see Bell in a winner-take-all with Sutter for the StL job.

[SDHornet]

No idea, but his fastball wasn’t much faster than those you see tossed during a home run derby. So with that low velocity on his fastball, his changeup was not as potent. Plus I think he lost the closer role in Milwaukee and was put in as a set up guy. Regardless he still had a great career, I just wished he shut it down before he went out like he did.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

No idea, but his fastball wasn’t much faster than those you see tossed during a home run derby. So with that low velocity on his fastball, his changeup was not as potent. Plus I think he lost the closer role in Milwaukee and was put in as a set up guy. Regardless he still had a great career, I just wished he shut it down before he went out like he did.

He and Axford went back and forth last year - they would ride each while they were hot... then they would implode - or go on the DL... mostly implode though...

[89Hen]

Very cool

Until he catches that spike just a little more and tweeks a knee or ankle.

[OSBF]

The Cards have the depth in the organization to pick up Bell - and with the Brewers pulling K-Rod out of NY... A counter-move can be expected.

Bell would be a HUGE get for the Cards.

The other option is that the Cardinals pick up a starter and move kyle mcclellan to closer, or leave Salas as the closer and use Kyle as the primary set-up guy. Reports are that the cards have been kicking the tires on Garza and Dempster.

With $$$ always being tight for small/mid market teams, this might be the more economical choice long term.

[SuperHornet]

I highly doubt that the Cubbies let Ryan Dempster go within the division. If they trade him at all, they will probably try to ship him to the AL.

[OSBF]

I highly doubt that the Cubbies let Ryan Dempster go within the division. If they trade him at all, they will probably try to ship him to the AL.

That whole not trading within a division is old news.

Cubs are rebuilding.............again

They are no threat to the division, you do what you need to get better in the future

The cards are in the division hunt, even if it helps the cubs 4 or 5 years down the road, you do EVERYTHING in your power to win right now today

[SuperHornet]

I wouldn't put it past the Cards to make that move, OSBF, particularly if they can pull it off in a way that screws the Cubs over. (Think the Herschel Walker trade or that whole-draft deal the Saints were dumb enough to do.) Maybe I'm too old-school, but I just can't see the Cubs doing it unless the Cards give them something that would turn the season around RIGHT NOW. And the Cards are not likely to do that.