Now here’s an interesting guy. Heath Bell is in his first year as Padres closer, doing his best to follow in the footsteps of all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman. Closing is nothing new for him, though; in nine minor league seasons, Bell recorded 108 saves, including 42 at Triple-A Norfolk. All told, he pitched 468.2 innings in the Mets’ system, with 544 strikeouts and 128 walks. The Padres noticed, shipping Ben Johnson and Jon Adkins to New York for Bell following the 2006 season. Since coming to San Diego, Bell has established himself as one of the best relief pitchers in the game, racking up 187 strikeouts against 60 walks in 183.1 innings, with a 2.55 ERA. He’s yet to allow a run this season, as he’s eight-for-eight in save opportunities, and has struck out 14 men against just two walks in 11.2 innings.
Heath sat down with us last week, and we talked about what it’s like to follow a legend, his apparent dislike for ESPN, pitch f/x, and a number of other things. Check this space tomorrow morning for our exclusive interview.
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