Before the Pirates traded Josh Bell to the Nationals, the team had some cursory negotiations about an extension with the first baseman’s agent Scott Boras, Bell told reporters (including Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic). The two sides went “back and forth” on a long-term deal, Bell said, “but in regards to numbers or anything like that, I don’t think it ever got to that point.” Bell is eligible for free agency after the 2022 season, when he’ll be 30 years old.
Given how the Pirates appear to be open to dealing virtually anyone as they rebuild their team, it’s fair to wonder whether even an extension might have kept Bell in Pittsburgh — some clubs might have intrigued at having additional years of control and added cost certainty. Then again, given how Bell struggled in 2020, trade suitors might have balked at paying significant guaranteed money to a player coming off such a tough year. Regardless, Bell will need a strong bounce-back year with the Nationals to ensure himself at least a bigger arbitration raise in 2022, and to help build his case for either an extension with Washington or a notable free agent payday in two years’ time.
More from the National League…
- Speaking of Boras, the agent recently appeared on a podcast with NBC Sports Chicago’s Gordon Wittenmyer and Maddie Lee to discuss the Cubs and Boras client Kris Bryant (and former Cub and current free agent Jake Arrieta), plus also several bigger-picture issues surrounding the game. The podcast explores such topics such as the offseason free agent market, the upcoming CBA talks and the relationship between the league and the players’ union, the business of baseball at the ownership level, and much more.
- Francisco Cervelli provided the Marlins with some pop behind the plate last season, but after the veteran’s season was cut short by a concussion (that led to Cervelli’s retirement), neither Jorge Alfaro or Chad Wallach delivered much hitting-wise. However, while another catcher could still be added, it looks like the Marlins are still planning to deploy Alfaro and Wallach as the primary catching duo going into 2021, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald writes. The team is hopeful that Alfaro can become a more reliable defensive option and also unlock the batting potential that made him such a highly-touted prospect — Alfaro has delivered some decent numbers in his young career but with a lot of strikeouts and not much consistency. Wallach, meanwhile, offers more solid glovework, but little in the way of offensive production.
As a Mets fan. I’m not really looking forward to face bell. I’m expecting 2019 production from him.
He’ll peform better in the Nats lineup, but 2019 seems like an outlier. Even then it wasn’t a consistent season. I think he’ll provide some pop, but I don’t expect All-Star caliber numbers.
That’s fair. With Turner and Soto batting ahead of him, he should see better pitches. Nor will he be expected to carry the team or be the focal point of the offense.
I would be happy with 20 -25 homers, .260 avg and .350 obp. The homer total may be hard since it will probably not be 162 games. Hoping for 130.
Think you’re aiming a little high on the BA.
Problem with Bell is he can’t play everyday and when he’s forced to bat right handed his production suffers. As a Pirate fan it was frustrating to see him pad his numbers when games were in the balance!! Give me a clutch hitter anytime.
When a player hits their homers or doubles isn’t a matter of talent, it’s a matter of luck
Yeah, I don’t think he’ll reach that level of performance again either. 2017 seems closer to what I’d expect from him going forward.
Why? Bell has had literally 6 weeks of great production since making it to Pittsburgh. He MIGHT be good for 25-30 HR and 80-90 RBI. He’ll definitely be good for 120 Ks.
You nats fans will come up with anything. The bottom line is that Bell would swing at anything. If he was a quality hitter he’d have a ton of walks based on the pitches he was getting. He wasn’t getting anything to hit last year because he would swing at anything. I get so tired of hearing he won’t have to carry the team or see better pitchers. Good players can carry a team and good hitters can find a way to get on when he’s not getting good pitches.
*You nats fans will come up with anything.*
Which one is the Nats fan? The one that wrote “As a Mets fan……I’m expecting 2019 production from him.” Or the one with the Phillies player in his name?
I assume he was replying to jediknight.
You are correct
Tjeck Lets be real here. Bell isn’t that much of a free swinger. Does he strike out at a high rate, yes, but not agrigiously so. And FanGrapshs and other stats will tell you he walks at a pretty good rate.
Agreed, his K rate is acceptable and his career OBP is pretty solid.
TJECK is prob a Pirates fan so I can see where he’s coming from, Bell just had a terrible year and will now be playing against them.
Don’t worry, the Mutts are gonna own the offseason with their big signing of superstar free agent James McCann! They have really opened up the pocketbook this year!
Specially from a line up that still features Turner, and Soto despite losing Harper, and Rendon. Two players the Nats should have worked to lock out rather than doing so with Strasburg. Robles should break out soon as well rather than later.
1.Turner SS
2.Bell 1B
3.Soto LF
4.Rendon 3B
5.Harper RF
6.Robles CF (full break out)
Would have been very enticing to watch!
Once you hire Boras, expect to be traded. Cheap teams ain’t dealing w him.
…But they are dealing his clients
Bores is an a…ss bite! Nobody should deal with him. Bad for the game. He’s one of the reasons prices are off the board to go to a game. Good luck taking your family to a game. He is bad for the game. MLB should of dealt with him 20 years ago joke.
I love boras. He routinely gets owners to pay 30 year olds hundreds of millions. Best sports agent period. He has absolutely nothing to do with how much it cost people to go to a game.
He’s good for his big time clients but no so good for the lesser ones (Stephen Drew, for example)… And the high salaries he obtains for his clients certainly influences high ticket prices.
All things being fair to Alfaro, he did hit 18 Home Runs in 2019 so the potential for power is there. Wallach unfortunately did not inherit any of his father’s ability and is what he will be–AAAA roster fodder.
I was fine with trading Alfaro and Sixto for Realmuto, if it only meant RESIGNING the damn man.
Alfaro might never hit Realmuto’s level, but it’s gonna suck if JT walks and Alfaro blossoms into a great catcher for Miami. Then who are we left with. No one.
The whole thing sucks.
But Miami definitely won that trade. Klentak oughta be hung by his thumbs.
Miami is very likely going to win that trade, but Sixto hasn’t played a full season yet. Let’s wait and see.
At this point it comes down to what that draft pick Philly gets for Realmuto ends up doing.
Trade was won by Miami the second it happened. They got a good haul at that moment for a player that was going to do nothing for them. Unless they could have predicted the 2020 season. Philly could have won the trade as well and still can but for Miami it was win from day one, even if philly won two championships and the comp pick becomes a hall of famer. Pirates won the bell and marte trade. Rangers won the lynn trade etc. You can’t lose when you trade a player off a team that can’t win.
Realmuto staying in Philly was never part of the deal. It is Klentak’s fault and Klentak’s fault ONLY for thinking Realmuto would magically fall in love with the place in two years and take a huge discount to sign there.
You don’t know what Klentak was thinking or what was offered. Don’t make assumptions about something you know nothing about.
I do know he assumed that Realmuto would sign an extension just because he traded for him. That strategy basically never works.
Alfaro has more playoff experience than realmuto.
Isn’t that wild? The Marlins are cleaning house and they make the playoffs while teams like the mets and phillies are adding big contracts.
I love it.
Yeah that postseason batting line of 000/000/000 across 3 PA in 2 games should really help him next year come playoff time. Can’t put a price on experience!
@BobGibsonFan – Here’s another fun stat. Sixto had the same WAR as JT last year.
@lolzmets – Nobody cares what Klentak was thinking because he’s a moron. You on the other hand see him as some kind of higher intelligence life form. Stop doing drugs.
Not to rub salt in the wound, but everyone seems to keep forgetting about the left handed pitcher who was a throw in who many people thought was the best left handed pitcher in the Phils system and we haven’t even seen yet pitch for the marlins. So this trade could theoretically end up looking substantially worse than it already does if that dude pans out as well lmao….
No disrespect, but Josh Bell is trash
It sure reads like disrespect. Why would you write something so silly?
Sorry. I just had to get that off my chest.
No disrespect, but your comment is trash
No disrespect, but Josh Bell could care less what you think of him.
*couldn’t care less
I am impressed. Its isnt often you sea the horrorible trol commenter also as well be them gramer police commentor.
I see him as a 280-25-90 guy with a decent obp
I see gum drops falling from the sky too!
Based on what exactly?
Oh, 280 pounds, 25 errors, 90 hits. Yeah, I can see that.
Might be wise to take what happened this past season statistically with a grain of salt. These players are creatures of habit and thrive under a environment where routine is paramount. Nothing about this past season was routine.
Gosh I bet that hadn’t occurred to anyone already.
Bell seems like the kinda guy that has similar potential to level off and be lucky to get $7M and $10M his last two years of arbitration and then hope for a 3 year/$46.5M contract at best…. or powers through to $8M and $14M and gets a 5 year/$145M deal. and nobody is sure which player he ends up as and Boras almost never wants his clients to take the sure money.
In other words: Neither Boras nor any teams are really sure of the kind of player they’re getting in Bell and no long term deal would make perfect sense right now, either at full freight or at a discount.
If I was them I would go year to year and just see what happens.
Why do fans have to make such polarizing comments? Bell is decent, the return is okay, and the trade is fine. “Bell is trash” ” the return is garbage” wtf? He’s not a superstar and the return is on par with that. It’s a trade that benefits both teams.
Because it’s part of the DNA of simple minded people to make extreme, black/white statements rather than provide any thoughtful analysis that contributes to the discussion.
Most fans are just that, fans. They see that for the 3rd year in a row their team traded away it’s best player and got nothing in return. Just so nutting can save money. He needs to sell the team. We will never win with him.
Nats fans see they got this big all star that hit all those home runs for a guy who stunk all of 2020 and some 19 year old they never heard of. He can’t be any good because he isn’t in some websites top 100. We robbed the pirates. Funny because they are pirates and we stole from them. If we can get one more big bat we can totally when the world series again.
“Most fans are just that, fans” … This is the kind of content I’m here for
Bell actually has better career numbers than I thought. Prior to last year’s totals, his career BA was just under .270 and his OBP was well over .350. Now that he’s in a lineup with more protection (better hitters), he should see better pitches so projecting a slash line of .275 / .350 / .480 with an OPS of .850 is certainly within reason. If Washington is able to get something close to this offensive output from Bell then they will be very happy they made this deal. He’s still only 28 years old too, so he still has another 2-3 years of prime production ahead of him. The more I research Bell, the more I like this deal for Washington.
He’s trash. Nats are trash. Mets are going to win the division. Richest owner in baseball. Going to get Baur and Springer and everybody. No other team will ever win the nl east again. Ever.
For some reason (oh right, the insipid reject nuance) people forget that Bell was a ROY finalist.
I guess those two hots months in 2019 are why he was third in ROY in 2017.
Has he been a roller coaster of ups and downs? Yes. But, the “he only had two hot months” takes are factually incorrect.
Watched Alfaro when he came over from the Rangers in the Cole Hamels trade. Let me tell you two things about him: He has an unbelievable throwing arm and when he connects, he has some of the hardest exit velocity in the league.
His problem is he strikes out 33% of the time. Difficult to succeed like that
Boras and chief of baseball operations nutting wallett could not come to terms on deal
Jake Arretta come back on a one year deal at a fair market price no Boris crap that ruin teams Jake give Chicago with Ya D
If all players earned league minimum or less, I guarantee the difference in ticket price would be negligible at-best. Corporate sponsors, greed, and supply-and-demand drive prices more than player salaries. Players simply want their share of the revenue, considering they’re the actual product.
I know you didn’t say they are the primary driver of ticket prices, but they really aren’t. If teams were compelled to charge due to their expenses, that’s a failing business plan. They’re charging because fans are willing to pay.