After three straight All-Star seasons, things didn’t exactly go according to plan for Heath Bell in Miami last year. He posted just 19 saves and lost his closer job, finishing the year with a 5.09 ERA. The Marlins shipped him to Arizona, where Bell is happy for a new start, even if it’s not as a closer.
Heath Bell joined KTAR in Phoenix with Doug and Wolf to discuss his experience last year with the Miami Marlins, what it was like when he got traded, why he’s a little wacky like most closers, his story of how he got to the majors and if he considers himself the seventh- or eighth-inning “closer.”
On moving on from last year’s experience in Miami:
“The thing is, I had a good learning experience, or you could say a bad learning experience, but I’m trying to stay positive about everything. I had a good learning experience about myself, baseball and every aspect of the game last year, and that’s pretty much what I’ll sum it up to. … I really want to talk about the Diamondbacks because I’m with Arizona now and I feel like we can do something special here.”
How it went down when he got traded:
“Larry Beinfest called me up and said, ‘Hey Heath, how are you doing?’ I said, ‘I’m good, how are you doing?’ I kind of knew something was up right there. He goes, ‘Thanks for everything you did. We traded you to the Arizona Diamondbacks.’ I said, ‘OK.’ And then the phone cut out. I’m like, jeez, really? I’m trying to call him back, trying to call him back. Call him back like 30 seconds later, I said, ‘Larry, I didn’t hang up on you, man.’ And then we had a good conversation.”
Are you a little out there, like most closers are?:
“This is what’s wrong with me: My dad was a Marine and I grew up with great moral values and being a great dad and father and great person. … In Little League, I was never an All-Star, never one of the best players. … I walked on at junior college, because no colleges were interested in me. I made the team there, and then I found out when Cal State Fullerton was recruiting me after my freshman year, they came and talked to me in high school and talked to my coach, and my coach was like, ‘He’s not really ready for a university.’ … Nobody has ever basically said I’m good, I’m a stud. So I’ve had to work my butt off.”
Are you bitter? Do you hold on to stories like that for motivation?:
“I’m telling the story because it’s part of my past. And it’s great to tell kids. I love kids that really love baseball, or even minor league kids that aren’t that prospect. I’m like, ‘I wasn’t a prospect.’ … I just tell people this is my story, this is what I’ve overcome.”
Is it fair to call you the seventh- or eighth-inning closer?:
“J.J.’s our closer. I’ll close out any situation. I told Gibby if he needs somebody out in the second, he can put me in.”
