Headlines

  • Brewers Activate Brandon Woodruff
  • Clarke Schmidt Expected To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Bobby Jenks Passes Away
  • Braves Release Alex Verdugo
  • Top 40 Trade Candidates For The 2025 Deadline
  • Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025 Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Poll: Ryan Madson Vs. Heath Bell

By Tim Dierkes | October 10, 2011 at 12:30pm CDT

Most statistics say Phillies closer Ryan Madson had a better 2011 than Padres stopper Heath Bell.  Madson is three years younger, but Bell has tallied three consecutive 40-save seasons.  Both righties are Type A free agents, and guessing their contracts is an interesting exercise.

In the last three years, Madson has increased his strikeout rate to more than a batter per inning while maintaining strong walk and groundball rates.  He had a reputation as someone who was better off in the eighth than the ninth inning heading into this year, but Madson silenced those critics by converting 32 of 34 opportunities once pressed into duty.  He's represented by Scott Boras, and will find a three-year deal with ease.  No free agent reliever has gotten a four-year deal since Francisco Cordero and Scott Linebrink four years ago, but I think Madson has a shot.

Bell experienced a marked decline in strikeout rate this year, showing signs of his old rate only in September.  He still limited hits and home runs and converted 43 of 48 save opportunities.  Bell wants and expects to remain in San Diego, saying in August that he'd accept arbitration if the Padres offer.  Padres owner Jeff Moorad said one year was preferable to the team in some ways.  It was reported later that month that the Padres offered a two-year, $14MM deal while Bell was seeking $27-30MM over three years.  Bell is represented by ACES, an agency known for getting strong multiyear deals for veteran free agents.

For the sake of argument, let's say both relievers reach the open market.  That's not hard to picture with Madson, who will certainly cost a draft pick to sign.  For Bell to reach the open market, the Padres would probably have to decline to offer him arbitration.  So in this scenario Madson costs a draft pick to sign and Bell does not.  Working under these assumptions, which reliever gets a bigger overall contract, Madson or Bell? 

Share 0 Retweet 7 Send via email0

MLBTR Polls Philadelphia Phillies San Diego Padres Heath Bell Ryan Madson

Free Agent Stock Watch: Freddy Garcia
Main
Arbitration Eligibles: Cincinnati Reds
View Comments (26)
Post a Comment

26 Comments

  1. Brad Johnson

    14 years ago

    The cynic in me wonders if Bell isn’t playing the Padres with this talk of accepting arbitration just so he can avoid losing money to Type A status.

    Reply
  2. rfffr

    14 years ago

    Madson will get more because I feel he’ll sign with a team that will pay him. Maybe the Angels

    Reply
  3. stl_cards16

    14 years ago

    I would prefer Madsen if the money and years are the same.  But, if you could get Bell for a year less and not have to give up the draft pick, then I would probly lean toward Bell.

    Reply
  4. ARodinyourPujols

    14 years ago

    I would be very cautious signing Bell to any length. He isn’t the prototypical closer and his numbers would scare me pitching outside of Petco every game. I would lean towards Madson but someone is going to pay Bell more. 

    Reply
    • padreshobo

      14 years ago

      23 of his saves this year came outside of Petco. That being said, I wouldn’t throw a bunch of money at him. So many of his saves this year felt super sketchy. 

      Reply
  5. Christopher David

    14 years ago

    If the question were “who would you prefer to sign” I would go w/ Madson. He’s younger, and he still seems hungry to prove himself, as he’s not had a full year as a closer. Bell is older, fatter, and kind of a clown. Giving up a 1st Round pick for a closer is fairly prohibitive, but I have the feeling it may not get to that. I think the Phils are going to work something out and keep him.

    I would also like to point out that while Bell has far more saves this year, Madson (1) didn’t start the year as the Phils closer, (2) was briefly injured, (3) pitches in a notoriously hitter-friendly park, whereas Bell is in a notoriously pitcher-friendly park, and (4) doesn’t have nearly as many save opportunities because of great starting pitching, and an offense that every once in awhile manages to put up enough runs to send a janitor out to the mound instead of a pitcher. I think if Madson had Bell’s opportunities, he would easily have as many, or maybe even more saves.

    Reply
  6. bjsguess

    14 years ago

    We are dealing with REALLY small sample sizes but Heath Bell has been just effective on the road as he has been at Petco. Any discussion around him being a product of Petco is misguided.

    Personally, I do place stock in a guy with a track record in the 9th inning. Madson will probably be just fine but if I’m going to drop $30m on a closer I want someone who has been doing it well for more than one year.

    Reply
    • Scott

      14 years ago

      same goes for a starting pitcher (C.J. Wilson). If I’m dropping A.j Burnett money on a starter i want one who has been doing it for more than 2 years! Thoughts?

      Reply
  7. NomarGarciaparra

    14 years ago

    If Bell won’t cost picks, he would be a good pickup for the Red Sox. However, his low K rate this season is somewhat concerning.

    Reply
  8. Justin J. Bartz

    14 years ago

    “No free agent reliever hasn’t gotten a four-year deal…”

    Hasn’t gotten?  So they’ve all received four-year contracts aside from those two?

    Reply
  9. Phillies_Aces35

    14 years ago

    I’d give the money to Madson. I don’t put any stock into the lack of 9th inning experience because a set up man generally faces the heart of a line up just as much, if not as often. All Madson had to do was get over the mental hurdle of being a closer, which he has done this year.

    … plus his agent is Scott Boras and Boras always finds someone stupid enough to pay $$$ for his clients. “Ryan Madson = Trevor Hoffman.”

    Reply
    • nm344

      14 years ago

      Umm, Boras said Madson = Rivera before he even signed his last extension

      Reply
  10. Steve Cochrane

    14 years ago

    What about Rafael Betancourt as a closer? Same age group, much better numbers and more affordable. If we don’t pay for saves in fantasy, why should the majors?

    Reply
  11. Scott

    14 years ago

    If Heath Bell gets offered arbitration why would he take it? If Bell hits free agency he’ll be getting a multiyr deal at a price similar to what he’d get in arb. per yr. I’m thinking 2 yr $17.75-19 for Heath on the market. Thoughts?

    Reply
  12. Scott

    14 years ago

    If Heath Bell gets offered arbitration why would he take it? If Bell hits free agency he’ll be getting a multiyr deal at a price similar to what he’d get in arb. per yr. I’m thinking 2 yr $17.75-19 for Heath on the market. Thoughts?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Brewers Activate Brandon Woodruff

    Clarke Schmidt Expected To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Bobby Jenks Passes Away

    Braves Release Alex Verdugo

    Top 40 Trade Candidates For The 2025 Deadline

    Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim

    Yankees Have Shown Interest In Ryan McMahon

    Royals Interested In Bryan Reynolds

    Rangers Option Josh Jung

    Kevin Pillar Announces Retirement

    Braves Place Spencer Schwellenbach On IL With Elbow Fracture

    Giants Exercise 2026 Option On Manager Bob Melvin

    Yordan Alvarez Shut Down Due To Setback With Hand Injury

    Astros Place Jeremy Peña On Injured List With Fractured Rib

    Tucker Barnhart To Retire

    Tyler Mahle To Be Sidelined Beyond Trade Deadline

    Reds Release Jeimer Candelario

    Dave Parker Passes Away

    Griffin Canning Diagnosed With Ruptured Achilles

    Pirates Reportedly Have Very Few Untouchable Players At Trade Deadline

    Recent

    Rays Sign Peter Strzelecki To Minor League Contract

    MLB Announces 2025 All-Star Rosters

    Rhys Hoskins Suffers Grade 2 Thumb Sprain, Headed To IL

    Pirates Re-Sign Yohan Ramírez, Release Peter Strzelecki

    Diamondbacks Place Pavin Smith On IL, Select Tristin English

    Details On Bryan Reynolds’ Limited No-Trade Protection

    Tigers Select PJ Poulin

    Blue Jays Place Andres Gimenez On 10-Day Injured List

    Yankees Sign Geoff Hartlieb To Major League Deal

    Nationals Recall Shinnosuke Ogasawara For MLB Debut

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Sandy Alcantara Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Alex Bregman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version