15
2009
For Whom The “Bell” Tolls
An article by 
What a punkass Heath Bell turned out to be. I’m not saying that because the National League lost to the junior circuit (Again!), but because I just read his post game comments and it showed me what a jerk he really is.
For those of you who made the wise decision not to watch last night’s mid-summer classic, Heath Bell was charged with the loss after allowing a triple to the Detroit Tigers’ Curtis Granderson who then scored on a sac fly by the Oriole’s Adam Jones in the eighth inning to break the 3-3 tie and put the AL on top. After the game, a brash and unremorseful Heath Bell had this to say,
“I’m driving with my eyes closed. I was never given a scouting report.”
Rather than assuming even a tiny bit of responsibility, he placed the blame squarely on… hmmm… Joe Torre? Charlie Manuel? Any of the other coaches? It’s the biggest cop-out I’ve heard in quite some time, but it gets even worse. When asked to respond on potentially costing home-field advantage for the Dodgers in the World Series, Bell said:
“Well, they’ve won so many games this year. And I’ve ruined games for the Dodgers like two or three times with saves against them. I guess I’m just doing what I normally do.”
Did he really just say that? (What a freaking loser!) Finally, he goes on to further explain how little he cared about the loss;
“This was a very good wakeup call because this doesn’t count on my record. I didn’t ruin it for the Padres, my ultimate team.”
This is one of the reasons why the NL has lost to the AL for thirteen straight years. Having just one guy like Heath Bell on your squad is like the ultimate kiss of death. And who knows, maybe this “I don’t give a shit” attitude is more prevalent than we think.
If we lived in a world where everything was fair and justice always prevailed, Heath Bell would never be allowed to play in another All Star Game no matter how well he pitches in the future.
When a player openly belittles the game the way Bell did, a game that Major League Baseball has placed so much significance on, than that player should never be allowed to step foot on the field of another All Star game.
You know what really makes me feel bad right now? All the times that I have bashed Omar Minaya on this site for trading Heath Bell to the Padres.
Knowing now, what a selfish loser Bell really is, the truth of the matter is that I would never want a guy like him in our clubhouse anyway.
This entire episode gives me a greater appreciation for our players, and Carlos Beltran in particular.
I recall how devastated Beltran was after striking out to end the 2006 NLCS and ending the Mets quest for a third World Series title. I remember in spring training of this season when he told reporters that he is still haunted by the memory of that Adam Wainright curve ball, and that it has motivated him to be a better and more aggressive hitter. (And he certainly has been.)
The way Heath Bell handled himself after the game is really an insult to the vast majority of players who do care about winning.
Heath Bell not only cheapens the All Star game, he rots the fabric of the national pastime itself.
I have officially jumped off the “why did we trade Heath Bell” bandwagon. Last night. Bell gave me the reason why.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
Went to my first Mets game, a Mayors Trophy game at Shea, in '73. We beat the Yankees 8-4 and I was hooked. I marched in two Banner Day parades, and before the Grand Slam single, there was the "Hendu Can Do" grand slam - I was there. I've collected Mets memorabilia all my life and started Mets Merized Online to feed my addiction.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationals | 26 | 18 | .591 | - |
| Braves | 26 | 19 | .578 | 0.5 |
| Mets | 24 | 20 | .545 | 2.0 |
| Marlins | 24 | 20 | .545 | 2.0 |
| Phillies | 22 | 23 | .489 | 4.5 |
Last updated: 05/24/2012
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Wow, who peed in your cereal this morning? That’s a little bit too harsh a criticism. It’s just an exhibition game and he’s right, it doesn’t go on his record.
Why should the ammont of money a potential team can make be decied by a player who has no shot at going to the playoffs anyway???? This Heath Bell story is just another reason why putting home field advantage on the line is so stupid. Players just dont have the pride they once did. You will never see a Pete Rose- Ray Fosse type play in the All-Star game again (yet another reason Rose should be in the Hall Of Fame). Game 7 of the World Series is too important for so many reasons to have players from clubs who have no motivation to win the game possibly being put in position to decide it.
Joe, I think you definitely need a Mets win in Atlanta come Thursday!
God knows we all do.
Bell…fuggedabout’em
Well I’m glad you’re off the whole trading Heath Bell rant, I was kind of tired of your references to it whenever our bullpen had a bad day. As for Bell’s performance, it sucked real bad. Will the NL ever win an all star game again? As for Bell’s comments after the game, I was very angry and pissed off. I can’t believe he would say those things knowing full well that they would appear in the next days paper. I guess he doesn’t care what we the fans think.
I am glad about one thing and that is that our guys performed well and Wright scored the first run and got the first hit. K-Rod pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th. Once again though we lost by one stupid run.
When a player openly belittles the game the way Bell did, a game that Major League Baseball has placed so much significance on, than that player should never be allowed to step foot on the field of another All Star game.
Joe the problem is not Bell, the problem is as you said the MLB puts too much significance on the game. The game should be just what it is, an exhibition, like a couple of the other writers wrote here yesterday.
What Bell said was foolish, and even if he felt that way he never should have said it out loud, but all the players probably feel the way he does. I don’t think anybody on the NL team was bothered by the loss.
I totally agree with your points about losing with class, and the Beltran example.
But Bell’s right on some points. The Padres are the team that matters to him, not the NL, not the WBC. It doesn’t go against his record. And it is a stupid game that should not determine home field. Not that it’s helped the AL, the leagues have split the six WS’s since the rule took place in 03.
Another problem with the game, why should he have interest? He’s a Padre, he’s not going to the WS.
But I do understand why Dodger or Giant fans should be furious.
You’re supposed to have pride in your work no matter if it counts or not.
I’m glad he’s not a Met as well. We don’t need that garbage.
Amen, you take pride in what you do and you try to do the best you can and not make excuses and just man up. This is Bud’s fault for the home field advantage in WS. Either way you want to do your best and take blame when you fail. He could of asked Torre before pitching how to pitch these guys.
Anyway, just another contribution by a great Padres bullpen. Remember when Hoffman cost the NL the game when he came in and allowed AL to score and go ahead? That change up didn’t fool anybody back then. The Padres representatives have not looked like all stars. Bell is where he needs to be with a loser.
I appreciate your enthusiasm for baseball Joe D, but its only the all star game dude.
Heath Bell should be blacklisted by NL Managers. Make sure his dumass doesn’t go to the all star game. Yeah, he’s a pussy.
For everyone who just said it’s only the All Star game, would you be feeling different if the Mets were the best team in the NL right now? I would say that most of you would be on here saying the same stuff Joe said about Bell.
Or Charlie Manuel who could not be a happy man afterwards. Bell is a primadonna.
So it looks like the Mets will be at Fenway for Game 1 of the World Series, and not Citi Field.
Nah, I didn’t think this was harsh, Joe D. In fact, Heath Bell is just symptomatic as a whole of the guys who are put on the team to begin with. In 2006, Beltran played his tushy off and was probably going to be ASG MVP, and then Cabrera dorn’d the ball – do you think he honestly cared about home field in the WS? The Marlins weren’t going to make it. Then guys like Berkman…I want to say Biggio (one of the B’s on Astros) were basically on record saying, yeah we won’t lose sleep over losing. As big a baseball fan as I am, I refuse to participate in that sh*t show. I take time off and reflect on the Mets
.
Joe, you are correct and to the point.
Bell needed to do his job to the best of his ability and let the chips fall where they may. Too bad he didn’t act responsibly without scapegoat comments. If he didn’t know what was the pitching plan, why didn’t he ask? Torre could have helped him either with personal knowledge or through his contacts in the American League.
Bell is still mad at some of the Mets management because of perceived slight while in New York. In some ways he has never gotten over it and carries a chip on his shoulder. This episode reminds me somewhat of Tom Glavine’s attitude when he bombed in his last appearance at Shea.
Reminds me of Tom Glavine’s attitude after he won his 300th game of his career. He just didn’t seem to care too much once he got 300.
There’s a reason I hate this guy.
I would think a lot of managers will remember these comments. It should be a cold day in Hell before Heath Bell need worry about pitching in the All Star Game again. Those comments were reprehensible.
Mask, I hope they do remember them. Most managers do play to win because they have a more obvious vested interest than the players. Comments like Bell made, won’t go unremembered.
The N.L. Managers may not be too kind for Bell next year when the All-Star Game is at Anaheim.