Bell: 'The Phillies, I think we can beat 'em'
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Bell: 'The Phillies, I think we can beat 'em'
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Heath Bell likes his new team's chances. (J Pat Carter/AP)
DALLAS — These are heady times for the Miami (née Florida) Marlins. They are the darlings of the winter meetings with expenditures totaling $133 million in two days. And now, reportedly, they have offered Albert Pujols a 10-year contract.
They have Jose Reyes, the dynamic former Mets shortstop who will move franchise player Hanley Ramirez to third base. They have a new stadium and fancy uniforms. (Even Billy The Marlin received a makeover!) They have Ozzie Guillen, baseball's most bombastic manager.
They also have Heath Bell, the gregarious closer who once slid into the mound upon his entrance in an All-Star Game. Bell was here in Texas for his formal unveiling Monday. And Bell likes his team's chances.
"I think we can win the division right now," Bell told CBSSports.com. "The Phillies, I think we can beat 'em. ... Ryan Howard is hurt. They might not be getting Jimmy Rollins back."
The Phillies, of course, will remain division favorites until someone knocks them from their five-year perch. There is no doubt that the National League East, a division the Phillies held a lead for on all but three days of the season, will be stronger in 2012 than 2011. The Washington Nationals will have a full season of Stephen Strasburg and have money to spend this winter. The Braves have a cadre of young pitching and talent. And the Marlins, they have stolen the national spotlight already.
Miami has starting pitching issues that remain unsolved. (They are apparently enamored with Mark Buehrle, like many.) But an agreement with the game's best player in Pujols would certainly tempt many prognosticators to make the Marlins everyone's sexy pick.
(An aside: Makes you think how different these winter meetings could be for the Phillies had they not signed Ryan Howard to a five-year, $125 million extension in April 2010. Would they be in on Pujols? They would certainly have interest in Prince Fielder, five years Howard's younger.)
"It's a good division, man. It's going to be a grinder," Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "I like our chances, but it's going to be a dogfight."
And you'd expect the man to say nothing less, considering the Phillies have won 199 games in the previous two seasons combined. With an improved division on paper, that doesn't guarantee anything in 2012.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Comments (93)
"This guy is already on the downside and now must pitch in a totally different park not the friendly San Diego one."
Have you checked out the size of the new Marlins park? If anything it will be even friendlier!
— fcolmenarez
Comment removed.- Does Bell remember the last time that he pitched for a team in the NL East? I do, can he say Chocked!— jpelle36
- Bell, talk is cheap because the proof is on the field. I hope your starter and ace can start more than 22 games this season or your Pen is going to get real tired real quick. As a lifelong Phillies fans, I know what the Marlins owners are doing for their fans in South Florida will make the NL East and Baseball better. Winning is still done on the field and the Phillies are not the only team in the NL East.— jpelle36
- One thing is certainly excellent about this: To hear and enjoy--after so many struggling seasons that the Phils have endured--that now we are the targets that everyone else is pointing to, wanting to be.— JDKelly
- Comment removed.
- It'll be fun to see who goes south first - Guillen or Hanley Ramirez or Jose Reyes. What great chemistry - three head cases. Remember last year's "If I get a hit, I'm coming out so I can win a batting title" TEAM player Reyes? Then there's the possibility of "if I'm not sure it's a base hit, I'm not running" Pujols. Heath Bell, just focus on the $$$.— dwp66
- remember the redsox laser show? this is weak comparison even with fat albert(w/o pitching) when the rainbows come to the bank we'll bring are own lasers.— the-um-miester
- Heath Bell: You have traded your meager west-coast existence for a meager east-coast existence, you are just too self-absorbed to realize it yet. The Marlins are the Padres of the NL East. Signing a cancer from the Mets is not going to put anyone over the top. Just shut up and play a few games before popping off, otherwise you'll only look like a fool later. A good season for the Marlins would be to keep the Nationals at bay. (HTML deleted)— jman
- What do you expect Bell to say? "We hope we can finish second".
Just say no to J-Roll!— Lil Ratman - Give these idiots a few months on the Miami/Cuba/Colombian night scene and their introduction or reacquaintance with the llello diet and they will be out of baseball.— flyers Groupie
- somebody tell this fat joke to shut his mouth— AlexSp
- Fat boy must be high on HGH again...— spittooncj
- Reyes and Ramirez playing on the same team? The new ball park won't be able to contain those egos. Looks like Heath weighs twice as much as his cousin Drake.— Disco Dave
- One question bushmclworlcomenron....if we are all a bunch of "know it all idiots" why do you have an account on a website of the Philadelphia News? you're a dope— jmoff27
- OK this is how it is.Marlins have improved a lot. Phils have aged this off season.Phils boost great pitching,but if they can't hit with men on base the great pitching will do as it has the last two years that is go home with HOWARD ,PENCE ,UTLEY, the list goes on and on. The way the Phils G M is dealing the Marlins look like winners and they don't have pujols yrt.— tobyjoe
- Might be time to sign Prince Fielder and worry about dumping Howard's contract after he heals. Higher ticket prices could tide the Phillies' billionaire owners through the "hard times."— orange rhino
- If the Marlins do get Pujols, you can start calling them the Yankees of the NL.— verve
- No, the Yankees have a track record of actually DOING something. What are the Marlins, except a loser team with loser fans (all two-thousand of them), and have foolishly spent money on a new stadium in a certain-to-be-proven-futile attempt to generate fan interest in a poor team. So they won 2 titles in their existence. They were bought by Huizenga (nothing wrong with that in itself) but he quickly ran out of money, dismantled the team, and had to sell. The loser fans jumped off the bandwagon, showing their true colors as a historically minor-league fan base.
In recent years, they have had their minor-league-quality team back, but don't even support that. Sad commentary on the population of the Miami area.— jman - The phils are the team to beat on paper. I think they'll miss the playoffs this year. sorry— MIKEI
- That may be, if they don't get production out of Utley & Howard. But it certainly won't be because of the marlins. — jman
- frankenslade nailed it. miami temperatures are already high...throw a little latin machismo and this thing is set to explode mile high. Wait til Hanley does his Jimmy Rollins imitation down the first base line. Guillen will self-destruct— Sackbutt
- Idiots like this always run their mouths in the off-season. The guy slid into the mound when coming into the All-star game from the bullpen. He's clearly brain-damaged, lol.— JimG
- Marlins have to stay healthy first before they start running their mouths. Their two best positions players, Ramirez and Reyes missed a combined 106 games and their best pitcher Josh Johnson only managed 9 starts. Meanwhile, the Phillies who were far from being the epitome of good health, won a league leading 102 games.— CGPhilly
- "Phillies have great pitching, but one good hitter (Pence), while the fish have a few good pitchers and bunch of guys who can hit.
— 4thand10"
--
4thand10, fyi - the Phillies led the league in scoring after Utley joined them in May.
— schmenkman - Fortunately (for him and his team) he stopped short of calling the Marlins a "Dream Team"— plymtg
- Saying it and doing it are two different things. Exhbit A: Philadelphia Eagles, Exhibit B: Phillies— Planet of the lacking analytical skills
- last time I checked the phillies have been in existence for 127 years and have won 2 world championships, you know as many as the marlins who have been in existence for 18 years... — smiggs13
- People who begin their comments with "Last time I checked..." tend to be moronic jackazzes. — jman
- Another fat clown with a big mouth! Ask Reyes how his former teams did shooting off their mouths about beating the phillies.— twpman
- Comment removed.
- Yeah, I heard this same sort of thing after the Eagles went wild in free agency. Everyone should learn by now that teams win, not individual players. I actually like that the Marlins are doing this. It may be just the thing to get the Phillies out of their comfort zone. Amaro also isn't finished. I still think he is going to produce a big bat before the season starts.— Hemingway
- Phillies have great pitching, but one good hitter (Pence), while the fish have a few good pitchers and bunch of guys who can hit.— 4thand10
- Stand down Mr Bell and enjoy your down time. Doc Halladay and the
rest of the Phils look forward to seeing you in South Philly on
April 9th.— mdcasino - The Marlins now have a major problem with Hanley Ramirez. He does NOT want to play 3B. Ozzie will speak with him, but expect a trade for starting pitching/prospects to another team. Is Reyes a true upgrade over Hanley? Maybe, maybe not. Bell is a good closer, but at 37, does he really have 3 solid years left in the tank? Again, maybe, since his mentor was Trevor Hoffman. Miami has a good young, and up and coming team. Reyes is not exactly smooth in the clubhouse. It has been and always be about Reyes, not the team.— drhoffman
- Bell doesnt now what he's talking about... with or without howard we will make the playoffs. we had the best record in baseball last year. our pitching is dominant. and our lineup isnt too bad. our bench still needs speed but its improved. aramis would be big. get Howard to learn how to follow a count and lay off a couple pitches this team is back in the WS.— Apollo Creed
- I am sure I will be criticized for this comment but Latin players are generally in it for themselves and don't buy into the concept of team ball. You put to many of them on your team and you are destined for team chemistry issues....Just ask the Mets....Reyes, while talented is a total primodona and is not good for any team..I remember when they were losing to the Phillies by 8 runs or so last year and he went yard, he started doing his little dance thing when he touched home plate....you guys can have him...— briman
- I don't understand how anyone can consider the Marlins better than the Phillies at this point. For as much as people complain about Howard, he is actually 32 and his deal will average out to $22m a year. Pujols is undeniably a better hitter, but he's also not 31 and has been putting off elbow surgery until he gets a megadeal (ten years for a guy who could be 33 or 34? child please). I also highly doubt a player of his caliber would sign a deal without a no-trade clause. Prince may be 5 years younger than Howard, but he is also 45 lbs. heavier and 6 inches shorter. Yeah, his body should hold up real well, just look at Cecil who played over 154 games every year in his first 4 years of regular playing time, then only played more than 136 games once the rest of his career. Bell is just mad because the Phillies decided he wasn’t worth trading for at the deadline last year and then turned down acquiring him again in free agency because he isn't that good. He has played in one of the most pitcher friendly parks in baseball the last several years. Good news for the Marlins is he probably won't get deported like their last closer.— Ship_Of_Fools
- Here we go again! The amazin' aMarlins attempting to buy a team to win, and if they do they will slip back into the oblivion they have seldom escaped. 2 championships 22 last place finishes. They have yet to figure that, with the exception of the Spring, Floridians don't seem to attend baseball games!— BEMiller
- AH...the NEW Dream Team, it worked out so well for the other "Dream Teams" so why not? After the last couple of years I'd love the "underdog" status!!!— sarah89
- Bell may be right but he's premature. First, they will need a year to come together as a team. Also, they don't have Pujols yet. We haven't lost Jimmy yet. Etc. Our pitching staff from Halladay on down is much better than Miami's. There's also a chance that, if they sign Pujols, the owner realizes in 2013 or 2014 that the stadium in a highway-challenged part of Miami doesn't generate the $$ he thought it would. In which case, pieces can spun off after a year or two. See: Mets, New York.— eman
- DREAM TEAM!!!— Penfold18
- Quite simply, no they cannot.— CosmoK
- Wow! Last time I looked, the Phillies won 97 and 102 games during the last two regular seasons, faltered in the playoffs, but to argue that they are not the favorites for another title is laughable. Dream teams have a way of failing. Marlins have pitching issues and pitching and defense win games, both of which the Phillies have had and still have in abundance. Someone might remind Bell he is not pitching in pitcher-friendly West Coast stadiums any more.— chuckw
- I'd be surprised if he didn't think this way. Ballplayers are expensive; talk is cheap— retzlaff
- Marlins have a $200M+/10 year offer on the table.— Steve Jeltz
"Anything but a parade next year will be considered a failure..."
- Dude, that is ridiculous. When every short series is a crapshoot, and you have to get through THREE of them to get to the parade, the stars (and I don't mean the playes) rarely align.
n62, the Phillies are still the 2012 WS favorites -- you may want to put some money down.
— schmenkman- Isn't it nice that NL people speak of the Phils they way AL people usually talk about the Yankees. I prefer a parade, but this feels pretty good.— chuck.goodwin
- Wait til he comes to OUR house... We will Ring His Bell....— gjrocko
- This guy is already on the downside and now must pitch in a totally different park not the friendly San Diego one. His body type tells me that he will be underperfoming that contract very quickly. We can all argue the length of Pap's contract but he was a much better choice as the Phillies closer.— matty177
- Talk is cheap.....especially at this time of year....but if they get pujouls it would make them an interesting team and not a pushover...— nuggett
- big names, but still.... where are the fans??— drpdalton
- After watching the Heat and eagles I'm a bit jaudiced about "Dream teams". Great pitching will always rule (except maybe in a 5 game series). Some good points made above about durability and team chemistry.— rowley916
- i know baseball drafts are a crapshoot, but i remember seeing the reports on Joe Savery when he was drafted in round 1 in 2007 and he didnt seem like a first round pick..then i see that the Marlins drafted Mike Stanton in round 2 of that draft..all you have to do is look at the guy for two seconds and you can tell he's a stud..how did he get to round 2?— jim715
- How about Mike Piazza, the greatest hitting catcher ever?...Drafted in the 62nd round, and as a favor to boot! — bearsfriend
- Starting pitching is the weakness of the Marlins compared to the Phillies. They'll still be a team to contend with but I still give the Phillies the edge based on pitching right now. We'll have to see how the landscape looks after the hot stove dust has settled. I also expect the Nats to be playing better ball (I know, they can't play *worse* ball). It should be a closer division next year which means more reason to tune in.
— s - funny, Heath seemed content with losing in comfortable San Diego before the Marlins threw cash at him- but im shocked that he's not saying the Marlins are shooting for second place. Hey, a good Marlins team to battle would be more fun than watching those games in an empty stadium the last few years..cant wait for the Hanley Asante Ramirez Soap opera to play out and Charlie and Ozzie to go at it.i doubt either one could understand what the other is saying.— jim715
- When were the Marlins tough???????? What place did they finish in last year???????????— phillynupe4
- Same place the Phillies finished....as losers.
But guess what? The Marlins finished fairly strong while only having a fraction of the payroll that the Phillies had. The Phillies try to buy championships now just like their sister AL club, the Yankees. One word for the Phillies: overrated.— bushmciworlcomenron - Buying a championship, now that's a statement. And that worked for us for the last few years, how? We have the money to spend on good players because the Phillies fans come to the games and sell out games. Let's see with this new ball park how this will work for you. — cahris
- Comment removed.
- Oops..Buehrle— EL Zorro
- The Marlins were tough BEFORE these deals so they will be TOUGHER for sure. The aging Howard, Utley, Polonco and Rollins infield is trouble and everyone knows it. Sure, they could rally for another great year but don't count on it.— psuwelsh
- They still don;t have the pitching, but their line up as it is with Reyes is scary. If they get Pujols watch out. They won't need 2, 3 or 4 aces. that doesn't guarantee you nothing. See the Phillies. The Cards won with one. A CJ Wilson or Burhlue, to go along with Johnson, and the other young but inconsistent starters (Nolasco, Sanchez), could get them over the hump. They still could bring back Javier Vazquez, who finished pretty strong the last month or so winning his last 5 decisions with an ERA of 0.71, 0.632 WHIP and two complete games, although he said he was retiring, but the was before he finished strong. He also had some issues with Guillen when he played for the White Sox. But the Reyes, Bell and maybe the Pujols signing could change all that.— EL Zorro
- Anything but a parade next year will be considered a failure......who cares what other players and media think......hopefully there is a sense of urgency between the foul lines at the Bank next year to get it done.
Enough of the talk!— eagles2010 - You posters are funny and have short memories! Did we not just now see talent thrown together and all the talk about donination and winning things before a game was even played? In Halliday,Hamels and Lee the Phils still have the best rotation in baseball,aside from possibly the Giants.And it has been shown that pitching beats hitting every tine.if the Phils can sign Aramis Ramirez from Chicago and get a middle reliver, I don't see anyone in the NL East giving them any kind of run for the division.But you guys may be right, look at how the Redskins and Eagles and Red Sox and others put a bunch of talent together, shook it up, and....— antmry312
- You're comparing adding components that don't fit in a scheme that doesn't equate to baseball? You're lost auntie...Heck, minus the stinkin costly turnovers,blown leads in the fourth quarter, the Birds should have about 8 wins.....If you're saying adding Jose Reyes,Heath Bell, and maybe Albert Pujois wouldn't help the Miami Marlins get better, you're in deep denial!..... — bearsfriend
- We will win the World Series this year. Let everyone pick the Marlins and Braves as we parade down Broad Street.— adipaolo
- nice comment Wilhelm Von Humboldt you dope.
— wearepsu00 - The Phillies lineup is getting older, slower, and less athletic as each year goes by. The changing of the guard in the NL East is creeping up quickly. That's baseball.— Jeff Dowder
- What do the Marlins have to do with "changing of the guard"? They stink, and will continue to stink, albeit with a marquee player or 2 added to the payroll. The Marlins are lucky to have 3 things going for them in 2010:
1) A shiny, new stadium to divert fan attention away from a poor team
2) Playing in a division where the Nationals and Mets will probably be as bad, if not worse then the Marlins.
— jman - Comment removed.
- Bell will eat his way out of baseball.— hey buddy
- Ozzie vs Cholly. 'Nuff said.— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- n62, over 162 games the Phillies are still the team to beat in the East. Your snide comments, meant to troll but by accident a little relevant, have been a problem in the postseason, true. But the Phils are still the team to beat unless Pujols and Reyes can pitch too.— regassert6
- "You have to score to win. You have to get some hits to score. I don't see either of those two things happening." -- Roy Halladay— T-Money
- Since when is this news? Weak offense, aging and oft-injured position players, a "slugger" that is an offensive liability, no bullpen....anyone can beat the Phillies.— n62
- Now, that Miami has reportedly signed Pujols for 10 years, we have to face him more often. Miami will be considered the team to beat. I think they should also sign Madson & Rollins. Then RAJ will make a dumb pressure move by trading Hamels.— sonnybuoy01
- They might be able to take a couple games from us, especially if they ink Pujols, but no way they take us in a 5 or 7 game series. Sounds like they are building a Dream Team. We all know how those work out.— BleedPhilly
- I look forward to 3-way hissy fits involving Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, and Ozzie Guillen. Then Logan Morrisn can tweet about it. They better offer Pujols a 15-year deal to steer that ship.— frankenslade
- Beautiful! — bearsfriend
- The division is definitely getting better....but Phils have Halladay, Lee, Hamels and Papelbon...that's why Phils are still the best.— frank105
- Right, just like they were the "best" this year. BTW, Papelbon is an arrogant sob, he'll fit in well with Philly fans who are self-centered egotistical know-it-all idiots. — bushmciworlcomenron
- @bushmciworlcomeron I don't see how you can dispute the fact that the Phillies were the best team in the division last season. — rocker4prez
- and the Braves were "the best team in the division" for what, 15 years running?
winning the division is not the goal.
(unless you are the Eagles)— ekw555 - if were all "know it all idiots" why do you have an account on the website of the Philadelphia news? You're a dope. — jmoff27
- Jose will not put up the same numbers now that he got his money. Hanley is upset at the move to third. This dream team will not win the division.— mikemaddog
- I'll be laughing when Bell's on the DL in May, Reyes and Rameriz poison Ozzie Guillen's clubhouse. Saw they were looking at Zambrano too - that would give this team one full boat of hotheads. Why Pujols would want to go to this team is beyond me (aside from big guaranteed money for ten years, of course)— bdm155
- I'll be laughing when Bell sweats Moses Malone style in the sweltering humidity of South Florida....That being said, what's he supposed to say...He just said what many of these up and coming teams are feeling...that the Phillies reign is coming to an end...Fine. That's why they play the games..See him in April. — bearsfriend
- I could see why Bell would be popping off. Considering that he's coming over from the Padres (aka the NL West's version of the Nats) and considering all the moves the Marlins are reportedly involved in, I'd be excited too.— PinkstonsStrengthCoach
- Bell says, "they might not get rollins back". what bell doesnt understand is that subtracting rollins and his selfish approach to hitting is exactly what the team needs to win the division, — zwarte piet
- Anyone can beat the Phillies. Just look at how a wild card team embarrassed them this year. I'd lose the go fella, the Phillies are overrated, particularly considering they're the Yankees of the National League. — bushmciworlcomenron
- Yeah sure. Despite winning the division 5 straight years, any team CAN beat them. Just hasn't happened over the course of 162 in quite a while though, has it? — evanbaseball
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