Bell a possible trade target
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Bell a possible trade target
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
PHOENIX -- Heath Bell was a popular man during the All-Star Game media festivities. He figures to be traded by the last-place Padres before the July 31 deadline and the Phillies are a logical destination.
Bell acknowledged as much Monday.
"I'm going to work my butt off and give everything I have to the San Diego Padres," Bell said. "When they tell me that I'm in Philly or St. Louis or Texas or the Yankees or the Angels, whoever it is, I'm going to give my heart and soul to that team."
The San Diego closer said he'd be willing to serve as a setup man for a contending team this season, but will seek a closing job in free agency this winter. Bell, 33, has a 2.43 ERA with 26 saves this season. He is an All-Star for the third straight year.
If Jose Contreras' elbow issue is serious, which is certainly a possibility, the Phillies could seek insurance for the back of the bullpen. Any contribution from Brad Lidge is questionable. Antonio Bastardo has been fantastic, but is only six innings away from equaling his 2010 total. And Michael Stutes is more than halfway to his 2010 innings total.
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. is on record saying he'd prefer to add a relief arm before a bat.
Bell is making $7.5 million in 2011. The Padres also have Ryan Ludwick, a righthanded power-hitting outfielder that could attract the Phillies.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
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I actually think we have the pieces already. It's a good thing that Mayberry, Brown and Martinez get there spot starts here and there. This big league experience is going to do them good. I know Martinez has a low batting average right now but he has shown that he can hit. I see him as a possible replacement for Rollins as far. As far as Stutes and Bastardo go, I think they are proving that they can pitch as well. Yes.. They will go through growing pains but I think this is the best team to go through the growing pains with.— roque32- I don't get the bullpen obsession its not like we're blowing leads we're losing 2-1 games!
- Dear Ruben, you are doing a great job but you really need a bat not a reliever.— Kioto
- "Antonio Bastardo has been fantastic, but is only six innings away from equaling his 2010 total." Really?? Should we shut him down from his 4 innings a week routine at this point? Maybe if this was a starter, I'd be worried - this guy is locked in and should be a no-brainer for closer detail for the rest of the season. come to think of it, I've worked almost as many hours in 2011 as all of 2010 - I'm going to ask my boss to sideline me for the rest of the year and "ease" me into the next few years...
— gregious - HOW BOUT WHEELS TO THE HAIR CLUB FOR MEN.THEY DON'T EVEN WANT HIM. LOL— AP 1
- WHY??
- I like Mayberry and think in time with his swing we will be happy. Take Herndon ...please....and dump Baez at any cost. Both are true liabilities. We are one injury away from real trouble in our bullpen so we could use another piece.— Hearts
- Bruno - LOL!— SBHAMILTON
- I'm not parting with Sardinha under any trade scenario. What more do the Padres want, aren't Baez, Kendrick etc. enough.— moremaui
- The headline brought back bad memories of David Bell. Shiver me timbers!— Timmy
- The Phillies need to upgrade the bullpen,if they don't its going to be a long winter.Next year they will have plenty off the books.Rollins,Lidge,Raul,Owsalt all will be gone.Great players ,but its time to move on.— BASEBALL714
- If we're reading about it, chances are it doesn't happen. Ok, so Bell is going to a contender. And Ludwick is nothing special but neither was Cody Ross last year.— PhillySubsMac
- Regardless of who Amaro "gets" if anyone, the only thing that should scare a true Phillies fan is WHO will he give up and how debilitating will it be for their future. Brown and Worley have to be untouchable. They have plenty of expendables like Ibanez, Herndon, Lidge, Carpenter Francisco and Beer gut Blanton to name a few.— daystrum
- Nobody seems to mention the obvious question, IF the Phils get a so called power RH bat for the outfield, why does it have to be right field when they have Brown who is steadily improving as his numbers attest to while Ibanez continues to get older and is a habitual streak hitter who usually falls into a deep slump in the second half plus is always a liability defensively? But seriously folks, I agree with most astute Phillies fans that its more important to seal up a leaky bullpen that as of now, can only be defended by three reliable pitchers, Stutes, Bastardo and Madson. Bell would fit nicely but Amaro HAS to extricate Herndon (not worthy of a high school team), Baez, Carpenter, Lidge, and definitely include Blanton, Kendrick and possibly Ibanez and Francisco as trade bait which would also shed salary. Keeping Brown in right field who is by all accounts, likely going to become a huge, impactful hitter for the Phils sagging line up, is critical for the stretch run. Brown has 30-40 home run a year potential if the Phils stick with him. Look at how the Yankees Granderson and Jose Bautista struggled early in their careers until they found their swing. Never give up on a talent if it has true potential. Lets take a look at what some hall of famers hit in their first FULL rookie seasons which are not out of reach for Brown if he has a solid second half.
Mickey Mantel - 267
Willy Stargell - 243
Mike Schmidt - 196
Pete Rose - 273 (should be in Hall of Fame)
Willy Mays - 274
Johnny Bench - 275
None of those guys hit 300 and all of them are hard core, viable members of the HAF. Brown is hitting around 250 and I am not at all proposing he is a future HAF player but his stats are on target to match the above mentioned players first full rookie years. Never say never:-)
— daystrum 
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