Saturday, February 20, 1999Bell on fast track to major leagues
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati EnquirerSARASOTA, Fla. — Rob Bell was reminded of the fickle side of athletics when he visited a nearby golf driving range the other day.
“I was hitting the stuffing out of them,” Bell said Friday. “Then, before you knew it, my shots were all over the place. I left half the bucket there.”
Though Bell is much better at pitching than golfing, he knows he can stay on his career fairway as long as he doesn't combine expectations with assumptions. Bell's status as the Reds' top pitching prospect gives him a clear path to Cinergy Field, where he could arrive as early as next season. Yet the 22-year-old right-hander sounds prepared to work harder than a groundskeeper.
“All a prospect is is unproven talent,” Bell said after the Reds pitchers and catchers held their second spring workout. “Is it nice to hear nice things? Yeah. Is it nice that people know who you are when you get there? Absolute ly. I want expectations to live up to ... That's a good pressure to have. I don't think you can ever let any of it go to your head. If you get caught up in all that stuff that gets written and happens off the field, you'll find yourself a step behind.”
The Reds' braintrust considers Bell a step ahead of their other minor-leaguers, if not more. He's envisioned as a potential No.2 or No.3 starter with enough ability to win 15 to 20 games a year.
“No one's ever perfect in projecting a player,” Reds General Manager Jim Bowden said. “But all our scouts project him as a Brett Tomko-type performer.”
Bell immediately vaulted to the top of Cincinnati's list of prospects — according to Baseball America, the authority on minor-league and player-development matters — once he was acquired from Atlanta with left-hander Denny Neagle and right fielder Michael Tucker for second baseman Bret Boone and left-hander Mike Remlinger last Nov. 10.
“We weren't making the deal without Bell,” Bowden said.
Bowden said Bell's fastball has the potential to become as formidable as that of Atlanta's John Smoltz, the 1996 National League Cy Young Award winner. Bell's curveball has been widely compared to that of Colorado's Darryl Kile, who is re nowned for buckling hitters' knees.
Bell spoke modestly about his gifts.
“People have different strengths,” he said. “Some people have a fastball that jumps out of their hand at 97, 98 miles an hour. I'm a right-hander; right-handers that throw in the 90s are a dime a dozen ... I'm watching guys out here I don't even know who have nasty stuff. You want to do all the things that separate yourself from them.”
Bell seemed to set himself apart in manager Jack McKeon's mind.
“Darned right I liked what I saw,” McKeon said after watching Bell throw a round of batting practice. “If you didn't, you're in trouble.”
Though Bell probably will begin the season with Double-A Chattanooga, he's not eager to move his gear to the minor-league side of the clubhouse.
“I want to stay around as long as I can,” he said. “I want to show these guys that as soon as something happens, I'm going to be the guy they want to call up.”
To capitalize on his stay in big-league camp, Bell intends to keep watching veterans such as Steve Avery, Pete Harnisch and Neagle to learn their work habits.
“If I can watch what they do and apply what's made them successful to my game, I'll make myself more well-rounded,” said Bell, whom Atlanta selected in the third round of the 1995 draft.
As with many minor-leaguers, Bell's won-loss record — 27-28 — is meaningless. Look more closely at his strikeouts (444 in 440 innings, spanning four seasons) and walks (only 2.7 per nine innings, outstanding control for a young pitcher).
Last year was typical for Bell. He posted a 3.28 ERA with 197 strikeouts and only 46 walks in 178ô innings for Single-A Danville, yet finished only 7-9. But the 97s finished last in the Carolina League in batting (.227) and runs (452, or 3.2 per game).
“I made sure I didn't let that affect me,” Bell said of the lack of offensive support. “When I pitched, my mindset was, "Today's going to be the day I turn everything around for these guys.'”
Bell's day with Cincinnati could be coming soon.
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