Headlines

  • Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Diagnosed With Torn ACL
  • Braves Claim Ha-Seong Kim From Rays
  • Jason Adam Likely Headed For Season-Ending Quad Surgery
  • Mariners Promote Harry Ford, Release Donovan Solano
  • Phillies Sign Walker Buehler To Minors Contract
  • Red Sox Extend Aroldis Chapman
  • 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
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 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

Heath Bell’s Trade Value

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 24, 2011 at 9:15pm CDT

The last time a team traded Heath Bell, they ended up regretting it, but the 2006 deal that sent Bell and Royce Ring from the Mets to the Padres for Jon Adkins and Ben Johnson hasn't prevented the 33-year-old closer from appearing in a near-constant stream of trade rumors.

We checked in on Bell’s trade value before the 2010 season started and again last May. The rumors continued throughout the summer and restarted last offseason, when a deal seemed distinctly possible. Now that the Padres are off to a 19-29 start, the rumors have started once again.

The Rangers and a number of other teams have inquired on Bell, so let’s take stock of his trade value yet again (though the Padres are just listening at this point). He can still pitch, though he’s succeeding with a different method this year. Bell has a 2.12 ERA with nine saves and though his strikeout rate has dropped to 6.4 K/9, his ground ball rate is up to 54.9%. His fastball checks in at an impressive 93.4 mph.

Demand for a pitcher with numbers like that figures to be strong, especially since Bell has a track record of All-Star level production. A number of contenders – the Angels, Rangers, Tigers and Cardinals, for example – could use relief help and may have interest in Bell. Consider that few teams appear ready to sell and his value only increases.

Bell makes $7.5MM this year and hits free agency after the season, which will limit his value to an extent. Not every team has a few million kicking around for a mid-summer acquisition, especially one who’s on the brink of free agency.

Bell should net his team a pair of high draft picks in 2012, which increases his trade value. He was first among all NL relievers in last year’s Elias rankings and though this year’s rankings have yet to be determined, another stellar season figures to place Bell in Type A territory. That means the Padres or any other team would be able to obtain two picks by offering arbitration, assuming Bell turns it down.

Though Bell could technically accept arbitration and take a one-year deal for $10MM or so, that seems highly unlikely. He said while discussing an extension this spring that his “biggest thing is that [he’d] like three years." And he has surely noticed that teams are willing to part with draft picks for top relievers. Clubs grumble about it, but they have surrendered draft choices to sign Scott Downs, Grant Balfour, Rafael Soriano, Jose Valverde, Mike Gonzalez, Billy Wagner, Juan Cruz, Brian Fuentes and Francisco Rodriguez over the course of the past three offseasons.

If the Padres don’t like the offers they receive, they can sit back, offer Bell arbitration and obtain a pair of high picks in 2012. Given Bell’s history of production, his 2011 success and the number of contenders with bullpen issues, the Padres may not have to wait a year to cash in on Bell. I won’t be surprised if some team offers the Padres a top prospect for their closer this summer in spite of his generous salary.

Share 0 Retweet 14 Send via email0

San Diego Padres Heath Bell

Draft Notes: Gray, Bichette, Rendon, Mets
Main
Quick Hits: Orioles, Cardinals, De La Rosa, Matsuzaka
View Comments (0)
Post a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Diagnosed With Torn ACL

    Braves Claim Ha-Seong Kim From Rays

    Jason Adam Likely Headed For Season-Ending Quad Surgery

    Mariners Promote Harry Ford, Release Donovan Solano

    Phillies Sign Walker Buehler To Minors Contract

    Red Sox Extend Aroldis Chapman

    Administrative Leave For Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz Extended “Until Further Notice”

    Cubs To Sign Carlos Santana

    Red Sox Release Walker Buehler

    Pirates Place Isiah Kiner-Falefa On Outright Waivers

    Randy Rodriguez Recommended To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Padres Place Xander Bogaerts On IL With Foot Fracture

    Cardinals To Promote Jimmy Crooks

    Red Sox To Promote Payton Tolle

    Corey Seager To Undergo Appendectomy, Not Ruled Out For Season

    Frankie Montas To Undergo UCL Surgery

    Guardians Release Carlos Santana

    Brewers Place Trevor Megill On IL Due To Flexor Strain, Sign Erick Fedde

    Guardians Place Carlos Santana On Outright Waivers

    Astros Reinstate Yordan Alvarez From Injured List

    Recent

    Orioles Designate Corbin Martin, Elvin Rodríguez For Assignment

    Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Diagnosed With Torn ACL

    Tigers Move Chris Paddack To Bullpen

    Diamondbacks Outright Tristin English

    Blue Jays Select Ryan Borucki

    Reds Designate Joe La Sorsa For Assignment

    Diamondbacks Notes: Gurriel, Kelly, Gallen

    Rockies Claim Roansy Contreras

    Nationals Sign Jorge Alfaro

    Cubs Sign Joe Ross To Minor League Deal

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

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    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
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 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