Comments on: Ozzie Guillen puts some weight on Heath Bell

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 23:14:33 +0000

He’s completely out of shape, and he’s wilting in the heat. It may not be his weight gain that’s fully responsible, but it’s also not entirely coincidence that his ten-game streak without giving up a run foundered with the current heat wave and humidity spike. He’s a year older, and pushing 35 or so that extra weight bears down more onerously than it would on someone younger. If he starts seriously reconditioning himself, he’ll find it a lot easier to make the technical adjustments he needs to make to become effective again. If not, he’ll be out there fighting himself as well as the opposing batters every time he’s called upon.

By: spudchukar

spudchukar — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 19:59:06 +0000

It isn’t that simple. His failures this year cannot just be blamed on the park change. The new Miami park is no hitters haven either. He just has not pitched well, and the results would be similar if he were pitching like this in San Diego.

By: psousa1

psousa1 — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 19:00:27 +0000

Boy, if Bobby Valentine ever made that quote about one of his pitchers the Boston media would be up in arms and the national media would all be in hysterics, with tears in their eyes, screaming “you must fire him! We don’t know why, but you must fire him!”

By: jlovenotjlo

jlovenotjlo — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:24:24 +0000

The Miami Marlins are starting to remind me a lot of the 2007-2011 Chicago White Sox. Losing streak, winning streak, losing streak. Lots of talent, and eventually no success. All the while a manager continually calls out his players, puts “pressure” on them, etc.

What do the 2012 Miami Marlins and the 2007-2011 Chicago White Sox have in common? And how are the 2012 Chicago White Sox doing with a very different managerial style?

By: rcali

rcali — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:47:05 +0000

Heath Bell just ate Mujica, Cishek, and Oviedo. There is no longer a closer by committee situation.

By: sisqsage

sisqsage — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:38:03 +0000

That Franchise scene on Showtime made Bell look like a total loser. His confidence is shot. If he’s so worried about having everyone’s back, here’s a suggestion: stop blowing leads (and saves) in the 9th inning. That vast PETCO Park outfield and hard to reach fences in San Diego hid a lot of this guy’s flaws. He’s also not playing 70 percent of his schedule against so-so NL West teams anymore.

By: Kevin S.

Kevin S. — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:36:37 +0000

Minor quibble – Bell is pitching exactly how he *should* be pitching, in that his complete and utter collapse upon leaving Petco was entirely predictable. That the Marlins ignored that and broke the bank for him anyway isn’t his fault.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:36:16 +0000

The problem with the show for me is that there wasn’t much in it that hadn’t already been covered six ways to Sunday by the local media, including spawrts tawrk raydeeo and the Macondo Feeshwrapper. Some of this stuff will be news north of the border but it’s retreaded dirt bike tire down here.

Heath Bell claimed his weight gain wasn’t his problem day ‘fore yesterday. Heath, can you spell d-e-n-i-a-l ?

By: El Bravo

El Bravo — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:41:52 +0000

You ain’t kidding. That hour-long premiere was excellent. It was much better than the half-hour orig cut I watched a few weeks back. The issue is, this episode takes us up to mid-June. How the heck will they fill even 30 minutes with interesting footage for the rest of the show’s season? The “next on” shows Giancarlo going into surgery. Will that be the whole episode? I have a feeling the level of blah stuff is going to dramatically increase. All this said, that hour premiere was fantastic stuff.

As to your comment on the Bell meeting, you are right on again. It is amazing how insecure he is, given you know, that he’s a f@cking closer. I really wouldn’t expect that level of insecurity for someone in his position. He isn’t used to failing and is handling it extremely poorly. Ozzie did say the right stuff ,and in his traditional style at that. He said exactly what he’s saying in the above quote….he really hasn’t changed his tune at all. What I did NOT believe was when the Prez (forgot his name) asked Ozzie if he was keeping him as closer b/c of his fat paycheck, and Ozzie said “I don’t give a fuck how much you pay him, that’s your fault.” I don’t buy it, Ozzie has that dude’s salary on the back of his mind just like the rest of the org does. Just like Ozzie couldn’t bench Dunn last year as much as he wanted/should have.

By: darthicarus

darthicarus — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:06:47 +0000

It’s funny because he used the word weight & Heath is a tubby pile of goo. What will Craig think of next!

By: Chip Caray's Eyebrows

Chip Caray's Eyebrows — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:00:18 +0000

I have two: It’s a genius headline, and Heath Bell is a fat f–k.

By: echech88

echech88 — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:58:08 +0000

1. The Franchise is actually really interesting.

2. The scene in question does not reflect well on Bell at all. They do a good job of documenting how awful he had been, how even the management that is paying him wants him out and how Ozzie is really the only one who had his back…and yet Bell goes in to tell Ozzie how he feels insecure he’s going to get yanked after he “gives up a single and then walks the next guy”

Money down the drain. For a team that pinches pennies so much, it’s mind blowing that this is how they decided to spend $9M of their new budget

By: kopy

kopy — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:52:56 +0000

Oh come on, nobody has any thoughts on the headline?

By: icanspeel

icanspeel — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:11:43 +0000

I also think Bell may be discovering that money isn’t everything. When he was on the Padres he made less, but had far less pressure to perform and even though his skills were declining, he had more fun last year (Like sliding on the mound at the All-Star game) so he was less stressed and still successful.

By: danaking

danaking — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:09:12 +0000

This might be one of the most thoughtful comments Ozzie has ever made. He’s not throwing Bell under the bus; he’s just stating a fact. If bell continues to stink, the Marlins aren’t going anywhere. Period. Unless someone else gets the gig.

Bell’s request put Ozzie on the spot and reminds me of two of Earl Weaver’s favorite sayings:
1. If you never make any promises you never have to break them.
2. He has 25 guys to worry about, not just one. He’ll make the decision that gives the 25 the best chance to win.

By: darthicarus

darthicarus — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:05:46 +0000

I’m sure Heath can find $27 million reasons to have fun. Hell, I don’t like my jobs some days but if I suck at it I get fired…Heath gets benched and is told to “figure things out”. I’m pretty sure I could live with that.

By: pellypell

pellypell — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:54:24 +0000

Good. Guillen tells it like it is. Tired of these ball players being treated with kid gloves. Take a spoonful of concrete before bed and harden up!