Heath Justin Bell (born September 29, 1977) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue (medical), fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection (sports), ejection, or for other strategic ...
. As a
closer with the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
from 2009 to 2011, Bell was a three-time
All-Star and twice won the
Rolaids Relief Man Award
The Rolaids Relief Man Award was an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given from 1976 to 2012 to the top relief pitchers of the regular season, one in the American League (AL) and one in the National League (NL).
Relief pitchers enter th ...
. He was also awarded the
Delivery Man of the Year Award
Major League Baseball (MLB) annually honored its best relief pitcher with the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year Award from 2005 through 2013. It was initially part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and package delivery company DH ...
and
''The Sporting News'' Reliever of the Year Award.
Bell played multiple sports, including baseball, in high school. He moved on to
community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...
, where he was an
All-American. He began his professional career with the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
, making his major league debut in 2004, and spending three seasons at both the
minor
Minor may refer to:
* Minor (law), a person under the age of certain legal activities.
** A person who has not reached the age of majority
* Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education
Music theory
*Minor chord
** Barb ...
and major league levels. In 2007, he was traded to San Diego, where he was a
setup man
In baseball, a setup man (or set-up man, also sometimes referred to as a setup pitcher or setup reliever) is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the eighth inning, with the closer pitching the ninth.
As ...
before replacing
Trevor Hoffman
Trevor William Hoffman (born October 13, 1967) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2010. A long-time closer, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego P ...
as the Padres' closer. From 2010 through 2011, Bell successfully converted 41 straight
save opportunities, which tied Hoffman's team record. A
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
after the 2011 season, he signed with the
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
, and later played with the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
and
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
. He retired before the 2015 season.
Early years
Bell was born in
Oceanside, California
Oceanside is a city on the South Coast (California), South Coast of California, located in San Diego County, California, San Diego County. The city had a population of 167,086 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. The city is a popular ...
. He attended
Columbus Tustin Middle School
Tustin Unified School District was created from the 1972 voter-approved unification of the Tustin Elementary School District and the Tustin Union High School District. It is located in Tustin, a city in Orange County, California, United States. ...
and
Tustin High School
Tustin High School is a public high school in Tustin, California, United States. It is part of the Tustin Unified School District. It was established in 1921 as the Tustin Union High School.
History
Founded in 1921, Tustin High School was ori ...
in
Tustin, California
Tustin is a city located in Orange County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. In 2020, Tustin had a population of 80,276. The city is located next to the county seat, Santa Ana, and does not include the unincorporated community ...
, which is about from Oceanside. He lettered in football, basketball, and baseball.
Bell attended
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College is a public community college in Santa Ana, California.
History
In 1915, Santa Ana Junior College opened its doors to 25 students as a department of Santa Ana High School. It was the second community college founded in Orange ...
where he was named a freshman
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
n in 1997.
In 1997 Bell made two appearances in the
National Baseball Congress
The National Baseball Congress of Wichita, Kansas is an organization of 17 amateur and semi-professional baseball leagues operating in the United States and Canada. Since its founding in 1935 by Hap Dumont, it has conducted an annual North America ...
world series while playing for the
El Dorado Broncos
The El Dorado Broncos were a summer collegiate wood-bat baseball club based in El Dorado, Kansas, in the United States, that began as the Hutchinson Broncos in the Victory League in 1970. The Broncos moved from Hutchinson to become the Wichita Bro ...
. He did not give up any runs and was named the league's
Graduate of the Year in 2011. He was selected by the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home venu ...
in the 69th round of the
1997 amateur draft, but did not sign.
[
]
Professional career
New York Mets
Bell did not begin his professional career until 1998, when he signed with the New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
as an undrafted free agent.[ He made his major league debut on August 24, 2004 pitching two scoreless ]inning
In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other team ...
s with three strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s against the San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
.[ The righty spent the next two seasons shuttling between the Mets and their Triple-A affiliate ]Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
. Bell said coaches in the Mets' minor leagues told him his best opportunity to succeed was to leave the organization as other people did not believe in him.[
]
San Diego Padres
On November 15, 2006, Bell was traded to San Diego, along with pitcher Royce Ring
Roger Royce Ring (born December 21, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees.
Early life
Ring was bo ...
, for outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...
Ben Johnson Ben, Benjamin or Benny Johnson may refer to:
In sports Association football
* Ben Johnson (footballer, born 2000), English footballer
* Ben Johnson (soccer) (born 1977), American soccer player
Other codes of football
*Ben Johnson (Australian foot ...
and relief pitcher Jon Adkins
Jonathan Scott Adkins (born August 30, 1977) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played for the Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, and Cincinnati Reds from 2003 to 2008, and an MLB scout for the Los An ...
. He was part of the Padres bullpen, where he replaced Scott Linebrink
Scott Cameron Linebrink (born August 4, 1976) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He attended Texas State University before getting drafted, but finished his degree after his retirement at Concordia University (Texas) in Austin.
...
as the 8th inning setup man
In baseball, a setup man (or set-up man, also sometimes referred to as a setup pitcher or setup reliever) is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the eighth inning, with the closer pitching the ninth.
As ...
before Trevor Hoffman
Trevor William Hoffman (born October 13, 1967) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2010. A long-time closer, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego P ...
closed games. In 2009, Hoffman signed with the Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
and Bell was promoted to closer. Bell sprints from the bullpen and into a save situation accompanied by the song " Blow Me Away" by Breaking Benjamin
Breaking Benjamin is an American Rock music, rock band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, formed in 1999 by lead singer and guitarist Benjamin Burnley and drummer Jeremy Hummel. The first lineup of the band also included guitarist Aaron Fink an ...
. Bell's save situations are referred to by fans as "Bell's Hell", a play on Hoffman's famous " Hells Bells".
In 2009, Bell received the Delivery Man of the Month Award
Major League Baseball (MLB) honored its best relief pitchers with a Delivery Man of the Month Award for one pitcher during each month of the regular season from 2005 through 2013. The awards were initially part of a sponsorship agreement between ...
in April after converting all eight of his save opportunities in scoreless innings of work while striking out nine batters. He was named to the National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL) All-Star Team on July 5. He, along with teammate Adrián González
Adrián González Savín (born May 8, 1982), also known by his nicknames "A-Gon" and "Titán", is a Mexican-American former professional baseball first baseman He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, ...
, represented the Padres at the 2009 MLB All-Star Game in St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
on July 14. Bell came on in the 8th inning and gave up a triple to Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson Jr. (born March 16, 1981), nicknamed the "Grandyman", is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Ang ...
followed by a sacrifice fly to Adam Jones to make the score 4–3 in the American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
's favor; Bell was the losing pitcher in the game. Bell ended the 2009 season leading the National League in saves with 42 in his first year as a full-time closer. He won the NL Rolaids Relief Man Award
The Rolaids Relief Man Award was an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given from 1976 to 2012 to the top relief pitchers of the regular season, one in the American League (AL) and one in the National League (NL).
Relief pitchers enter th ...
In 2010, Bell was named to his second consecutive NL All-Star team in July. Starting May 29, he converted 34 consecutive saves to end the season, the longest streak by a Padres since Hoffman. Bell collected saves on a season-high four consecutive days from August 10–13. For the year, Bell had a career-high 47 saves, which ranked second in MLB and was second in team history behind Hoffman's 53 in 1998. Bell's .940 save percentage (47 of 50) led all of MLB. He did not allow any of his nine inherited runner
This is an alphabetical list of selected unofficial and specialized terms, phrases, and other jargon used in baseball, along with their definitions, including illustrative examples for many entries.
...
s to score, and he had six saves of more than one inning pitched. Bell won the Delivery Man of the Year Award
Major League Baseball (MLB) annually honored its best relief pitcher with the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year Award from 2005 through 2013. It was initially part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and package delivery company DH ...
, ''The Sporting News'' NL Reliever of the Year Award, and the NL Rolaids Relief Man Award.
Bell was the highest paid Padres player in 2011 at $7.5 million salary and would be eligible for free agency
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
at the end of the season. He converted his first seven save opportunities of 2011, which tied him with Hoffman for the Padres club record of 41 consecutive successful save conversions. The streak also tied him with Hoffman and Rod Beck
Rodney Roy Beck (August 3, 1968 – June 23, 2007), nicknamed "Shooter", was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants (–), Chicago Cubs (–), Boston Red Sox (1999–) and San Diego Padres (–). He batte ...
for the then-fourth longest in MLB history. Bell blew his next save opportunity, a 3–0 lead, after he opened the ninth inning walking the first two batters, and third baseman Chase Headley
Chase Jordan Headley (born May 9, 1984) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. A switch-hitter, Headley made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the San Diego Padres in 2007, and also played for the New York Yankees.
H ...
made a two-out, two-run throwing error to tie the game. On May 14, Bell recorded his 100th career save in a 9–7 win over the Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
. Bell was selected to his third consecutive All-Star game. Entering the game in the eight inning, Bell sprinted from the bullpen and did a slide in front of the pitcher's mound, taking out a chunk of the infield grass and leaving grass stains on his pants. "I wanted the fans to have fun with this", said Bell.[ With the team 12 games under .500 coming out of the All-Star break, general manager ]Jed Hoyer
Jed Hoyer (born December 7, 1973) is the president of baseball operations of the Chicago Cubs. He has been the general manager of the San Diego Padres and the assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox.
Early and personal life
Hoyer was bor ...
said the Padres would pursue a long-term contract with Bell if they did not get a desirable trade offer for him. Ultimately Bell was not traded at the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31, but Hoyer admitted Bell's greatest value to the team might come as a free agent if Bell refuses salary arbitration Free agency in Major League Baseball (MLB) concerns players whose contracts with a team have expired and who are therefore eligible to sign with another team. Free agents may be eligible for pendulum arbitration, also called "salary arbitration" or ...
and signs elsewhere—the Padres would receive two first-round draft picks in June 2012 as compensation. Bell said he planned to accept arbitration from the Padres if they did not agree on a multi-year deal. He finished the season 43 of 48 in save opportunities with a 2.44 ERA, but he struck out less than 30 percent of all opponents’ at-bats for the first time as a Padre.
Bell wanted a three-year contract from the Padres, who instead offered two years with an option for 2014. Talks stalled after Hoyer left the Padres and was replaced by Josh Byrnes
Josh Byrnes (born June 23, 1970) is an American baseball executive who is senior vice president of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Byrnes began his career in 1994 as an intern with the Cleveland I ...
as general manager. The Padres offered arbitration, but Bell backed away from his earlier intention to accept arbitration. The Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
, the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
, Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
were also interested in signing him. Bell had a 27–19 record with a 2.53 earned run average and 134 saves in 354 appearances with the Padres over five seasons.[ His 132 saves in the last three seasons led the majors.]
Miami Marlins
On December 5, 2011, Bell signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
. He was temporarily demoted from the closer role in May after beginning the 2012 season blowing four of his first seven save opportunities with an 0–3 record and an 11.42 ERA in 11 games. Bell said he had been battling an undisclosed personal issue, and he felt "completely lost" in Miami being apart from his family.[
On May 11, 2012, Marlins manager ]Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José Guillén Barrios (; born January 20, 1964) is a former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for 16 seasons, primarily with the Chicago White Sox, from 1985 to 2000. During tha ...
placed Bell back to the closer role, and his ERA dropped below 10.00 later that month. He was again demoted after the All-Star break, when he was 2-5 with a 6.75 ERA and six blown saves in 25 opportunities, and Steve Cishek
Steven R. Cishek () (born June 18, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Cishek played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida / Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, Chic ...
assumed the closer role. Late in the season, a rift between Bell and Guillen developed with each proclaiming waning respect for one another. Bell acknowledged his teammates likely lost respect for him after the incident. Bell had an 0.69 ERA over his last 13 appearances before blowing a 3–0 lead in the eighth inning in his last game of the year. He ended the season 4–5 with a 5.09 ERA and 19-for-27 in save chances.
Arizona Diamondbacks
On October 20, 2012, the Marlins traded Bell to the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
in a three-team trade in which the Marlins acquired minor leaguer Yordy Cabrera. Arizona already had incumbent closer J. J. Putz. The Marlins agreed to pay $8 million of the remaining $21 million still owed Bell over the subsequent two years. He began the season as a middle reliever
In baseball, a middle reliever or middle relief pitcher, is a relief pitcher who typically pitches during the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings of a standard baseball game. In leagues with no designated hitter, such as in the National League pri ...
behind Putz and setup man David Hernandez. On May 8, Bell was promoted to closer after Putz was placed on the disabled list with a strained right elbow.
Tampa Bay Rays
On December 3, 2013, Bell was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
in a three-team deal also involving the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. He was designated for assignment on May 4, 2014, before being released on May 11. Bell had a 7.27 ERA in 13 appearances with the Rays.
Baltimore Orioles/New York Yankees
On May 16, 2014, Bell agreed to a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
. He appeared in just 10 games for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...
before he opted out of his deal on June 8. A few days later, on June 13, he signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
. On June 24, the Yankees released Bell just 11 days after signing him. He had a 7.50 ERA in six innings (over five games) for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (often abbreviated to SWB RailRiders) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. They are located in Moosic, Pen ...
.
Retirement
On December 22, 2014, Bell signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
that included an invitation to major league spring training, however he was released on March 23. He announced his retirement from baseball the following day.
Bell holds the National League record for consecutive errorless games as a pitcher, 549, which he set while playing for multiple teams during 2004–2013.
Scouting report
Generally a power pitcher
Power pitcher is a term in baseball for a pitcher who relies on pitch velocity at the expense of accuracy. Power pitchers usually record a high number of strikeouts, and statistics such as strikeouts per 9 innings pitched are common measures of ...
, Bell averaged nearly a full strikeout per inning but also proved to be hittable in his 2005 sophomore season allowing 10.8 hits per nine innings
In baseball statistics, hits per nine innings (denoted by H/9) is the average number of hits allowed by a pitcher in a nine inning period; calculated as: (hits allowed x 9) / innings pitched. This is a measure of a pitcher's success based on the ...
and a very high 5.59 earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
. Bell has a 94–98 mph fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...
, usually sitting between 95 and 96. He also has an 11–5 curveball
In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
in the low 80s. Keith Law of ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
wrote in 2011 that Bell had a straight fastball and pitches in the upper half of the zone, and benefited from pitching in the spacious Petco Park
Petco Park is a baseball stadium in Downtown San Diego, California. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres, and has also been used as a venue for concerts, soccer, golf, and rugby.
The ballpark is located between Se ...
as a Padre.
Personal life
Bell is married to Nicole, and they have four children. They reside in Poway in San Diego County.[ He is the cousin of actor and singer-songwriter ]Drake Bell
Jared Drake Bell (born June 27, 1986) is an American actor, singer, songwriter, and musician. Born in Newport Beach, California, he began his career as an actor in the early 1990s at the age of five with his first televised appearance on ''Hom ...
, and former basketball player Erik Meek
Erik Joal Meek (born January 17, 1973)
''www.dukeupdate.com.'' Retrieved May 12, 2013. is an American retired professi ...
.
Bell joined the Hope For Leadership Foundation, a Christian-based movement that promotes sports and civic programs for inner-city kids.[
Bell is known for being a Christian]
He participated in a first-person story with Athletes For God
telling the role his faith played in his journey through the minors and major leagues.
See also
* List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
The following is a list of annual leaders in saves in Major League Baseball (MLB), with separate lists for the American League and the National League. The list includes several professional leagues and associations that were never part of MLB.
...
References
External links
Pura Pelota (VPBL stats)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Heath
1977 births
Living people
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Baseball players from California
Binghamton Mets players
Capital City Bombers players
Christians from California
Kingsport Mets players
Leones del Caracas players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Major League Baseball pitchers
Miami Marlins players
National League All-Stars
National League saves champions
New York Mets players
Norfolk Tides players
People from Port St. Lucie, Florida
San Diego Padres players
Santa Ana Dons baseball players
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders players
Sportspeople from Oceanside, California
Sportspeople from Orange County, California
St. Lucie Mets players
Tampa Bay Rays players
World Baseball Classic players of the United States
2009 World Baseball Classic players
Anchorage Bucs players