The Padres aren't too optimistic about their chances of retaining Heath Bell, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. They club has offered a two-year deal to the closer but he can likely get three years for more than $30MM elsewhere, Heyman adds.
Bell will obviously attract a great deal of attention from teams, including the Red Sox who also be in on Ryan Madson following Jonathan Papelbon's signing with the Phillies. Last week, Bell said in an interview that he’d prefer to sign with the Padres, Angels or Dodgers and would also like to play for the Red Sox or Phillies, though it's probably safe to say that the Phillies are no longer a possibility for Bell.
No surprise there…guess 2 picks are coming to SD…wonder who will close games here
If the changes to the draft happen SD would only get a sandwich pick
I won’t like this new rule. Then if the Cards lose Albert all we get is a freakin supplemental rounder.
I am a Mets fan so i feel the same way you do but i am hearing it’s going to happen.In the long run i think it is good for the sport.Baseball is the only sport in which a player can get drafted after the first round and get first round money because they tells thems they are unsignable.That stuff has to end
The players and (a majority of) owners are for eliminating draft pick compensation: it makes signing free agents easier.
Giving up draft picks is only good for a specific team in a specific context–the home team losing a good player.
But often the player (and perhaps 31 other teams) would like a shot at a new contract without the home team throwing up a road block.
So it’s hard to find support for keeping draft pick compensation unless you’re a small market team: they’re the biggest losers.
It’s more likely that we’ll pick out a different veteran closer, but if we had to pick someone out from our system, I’d like to see Ernesto Frieri or Josh Spence out there in the 9th.
Not domineering stuff, but consistent enough to probably notch 75% saves rate.
If we’re looking for vets, I bet we’re getting Broxton.
lol
What ever happened to Bell accepting arbitration?
Arbitration has yet to be offered by the Padres. Guess why?
No I think the deadline for accepting hasn’t passed.
Brynes said on day 1, they would offer arbs and be happy if he signs.
Offers are due by November 23. Have to be accepted by December 7th. Any day now, the terms of the new CBA, which are expected to change the compensation formula, will be announced. Might apply for this year, or might not take effect until 2013.
Uncertainty rules the day. It’ll all be sorted out soon. But I’m sure that if the Padres offer arby and some other club steps up with a three year deal, he’ll walk.
The Red Sox have been in love with Bell for way too long, so I can’t help but see them overpaying in the wake of Papelbon’s departure (and I’m sure Bell and his agent know that). Not sure he’d necessarily make the move from PETCO to Fenway very easily though. Hrm…
his road splits are honestly not that far off his home splits.
And after seeing his K/9 drop by nearly four strikeouts in 2011, neither are particularly good.
The fact that his home runs also went up, pitching primarily in SD, also concerns me.
Be that as it may, the change of pitching for the Padres in PETCO in the NL West is VERY different than pitching for the Red Sox in Fenway in the AL East. I would be nervous if the Sox end up committing a lot to him, although we need another ninth inning option aside from Daniel Bard, so who knows.
Pitching in high pressure situations (Fenway) channels the energy of guys like Heath Bell a lot better than a Monday night to 15,000 at Petco.
I’d be more worried about the move from the feeble NL West to the AL East
Yeah, the whole package is really not something I’m optimistic about.
I hope they stay far away from him.
Seriously, no need for Eric Gagne 2.0. They already have Jenks.
Aww rats, I had forgotten about Eric Gagne for a wonderful, peaceful second.
I think the Sox are going to go with Bard.
For years they have pumped him up as the future closer. Get a couple of extra arms to help him in the pen, and go with the cost effective kid that the franchise believes in.
Red Sox should spend their money on SP on Beltran.
The Padres aren’t even contenders anyway. Let Bell go and take some time to rebuild
their 1 year away. Wake up!
Can someone tell me why the interest in heath bell has decreased. IT seems like 2 years ago he was the main trade target for every contender. What happened?
Bell is 33, and he has declining strikeout rates. Some GM’s question how he would hold up over a 3-year deal
his k/9 went up from 09 to 10, it dropped this year. yet to be seen if its declining or if it was an outlier
Strange, It is hard to believe the Red Soxs were going to give up Rizzo for him.
In fairness to the Red Sox, Rizzo isn’t all that special if you ask me.
In March Rizzo was hitting over 400 in AAA and fans were demanding for his call-up, claiming that he was already ready to fill Adrian’s shoes. In less than 140 mlb abs Rizzo hit under 150 avg and fans and poster are saying he isn’t special.
Granted, these people don’t care that he was the best hitter in AAA before his call-up, and if he had spent the entire season their that he may have put up the best hitting season in the minors. They don’t know that he’s a survivor and victor over cancer. Never mind that he plays above average defense and is only 21; Adrian sucked until he was 24; but unlike Agon Rizzo’s swing is still too long. The kid might have broken the Florida high school home run record when he was in high school, but after seeing him in his call-up does anyone still think he’s special?
Just goes to show how easily demand can change. If Rizzo starts the year in AAA he’ll probably be a top 5 prospect on everybody’s list come the Allstar break.
FWIW, I was never one of those people. It doesn’t take much to hit for an absurd average in the PCL. Collin Cowgill hit .350 there, and he’s no everyday player despite great defense at a more challenging position. Rizzo looks like an average regular to me.
True, his FB velocity didn’t drop off in 2011 as per PitchFX
yeah, and he’s actually 34.
I hope one of those questioning GMs is Theo Epstein. I like Bell–but not at Wrigley playing day games for the Cubs.
Not a lot of teams want to pay Heath more than 30 million over 3 years, plus surrender their 1st round pick.
Most contending teams interested in Bell would have to forego participating in the 1st round. But really, his interest is only decreased by the perception built on the internet and by the media. San Diego wants Bell back, they don’t want to invest 20% of their payroll in a closer; but their willing to do that in 2012 with so many of their players being cost effective.
Bell wants to be in San Diego and every other team knows that, so that also kills some of his interest. If Texas traded for him instead of Adams there is a great chance that he would have declined their arbs and signed back with the pads on a friendly deal during this offseason, he still might sign that 2 year offer; and the great thing for the pads is their 1st is protected.
The pads if they want can go after any type A because their 1st is protected. But another reason that Bell’s perception is down nationally is because Mike Adams value was higher. The padres got two pitching prospects that were in AA last year; and they’re higher on both of them than they are on Casey Kelly. Mike Adams is the best set up man in baseball, and still has a year on his friendly contract; but unfortunatley the Rangers didn’t utilize him in the playoffs because Ron Washington is unfamiliar with him and didn’t trust him. However, the padres got two of their future starters for him so it was a great trade.
Really don’t want the Sox to over pay on Madson. At the same time, I’m very curious to how Bell would transfer over to the AL. I really wouldn’t be opposed to using Bard as closer and signing Joel Peralta to pitch in Bards old role.
Why someone would throw $30MM at a guy who could only muster a 3.23 FIP at freakin’ Petco last year is beyond me. Would be an awful signing for whoever is unfortunate enough to pony up that kind of money.
Bell is one of my favorite Padres, but every time he came in this season I worried. He obviously got the job done most of the time, but he sure makes it interesting some times. It never felt like it was easy for him. Spending a lot of money on a closer is not something the Padres should be doing.
With The Albert contract and Motte’s emergence, do the Cardinals pounce if the price drops?
I say no because the Cards have Motte,Salas and Sanchez who all can close.I have a feeling Albert is going to Miami.The Cards will be fine with Wainwright coming back.You can but Berkman at 1B and Craig can play RF for your Cards
you think albert is leaving, why because of matheny as the new skipper?
People think strikeouts are the end all, be all. Little do they know there are other ways of getting a batter out besides a strikeout. I’d be more concerned with his BB 7 Hits ratio. The less a guys on base the better. Don’t worry about his SO’s declining, not a big deal. The object is to get guys out by any means necessary. I’d actually like to see Texas get involved with the intention of moving Feliz to the Rotation or set-up. Little different than the AL East or NL West.
padres aren’t going to overpay for him. as much as i like bell i’d rather have the pads keep him on a year of arbitration and trade him at the deadline if they are out of it, or just get the 2 picks if he declines.
it doesn’t make sense for the pads to get stuck on 3 year deal with a reliever being their highest paid player.
I’ve said it all along, posturing on Bell’s side. Padres offer arbitration, (which they intend to do) and he signs with the Angels (or another team) that will offer what Bell is seeking.
I believe the same. Only question at this point is when will the new CBA draft comp rules be effective?
From my recollection, the FO had a pretty good idea if that were to be the case. We’ll see.