David Bell
David Michael Bell
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.
- High School Moeller High School
- Debut May 3, 1995
- Final Game October 1, 2006
- Born September 14, 1972 in Cincinnati, OH USA
Biographical Information[edit]
David Bell is the son of Buddy Bell and grandson of Gus Bell. His brother, Mike, played briefly with the Cincinnati Reds in 2000 and his nephew, Luke, Mike's son, began his professional career in 2023.
After hitting .292 with 9 home runs and 60 RBI for the Canton-Akron Indians in 1993, David was the Cleveland Indians Minor League Player of the Year in 1994, batting .293 with 18 home runs and 88 RBI with the Triple A Charlotte Knights. With no room at the inn in Cleveland due to the presence of future Hall of Famers on the infield corners, David was flipped to the St. Louis Cardinals in June 1995 as part of a package for Ken Hill. His best seasons came with the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2000s, when he joined his grandfather as the the first grandpa/grandson duo to hit for the cycle, turning the feat June 28, 2004, against the Montreal Expos. In the 2002 World Series, it was Bell racing home for the San Francisco Giants when J.T. Snow made the daring rescue of Giants three-year-old bat boy Darren Baker from being mowed down. Bell's big league career ended after a 2006 season split between Philadelphia and the Milwaukee Brewers. His name was later brought up in the 2007 Mitchell Report as a possible user of steroids and Human Growth Hormone.
Entering the world of coaching, Bell managed the Carolina Mudcats from 2009 to 2011. After the 2009 season he managed the Peoria Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League. Bell moved up to the Louisville Bats in 2012 and the Bats finished the season with a record of 51-93 (.354). He was named third base coach of the Chicago Cubs in 2013, but only stayed there one year. Bell next moved to the St. Louis Cardinals as an assistant hitting coach in 2014 and was promoted to bench coach in 2015. He left following the 2017 season. In 2018, he served as farm director for the San Francisco Giants, and after the season he was in the running for various managerial openings. On October 21, 2018, the Reds announced that they had selected Bell to be their manager for 2019, replacing Jim Riggleman. He was the fourth major league manager to be the son of a major league manager, his father Buddy having previously managed three different teams.
Bell spent six seasons as the Reds' manager, and brought them to the postseason just once, and that was under unusual circumstances. In 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of teams qualifying for the postseason was increased to eight which allowed the Reds to make it in spite of finishing just two games above .500. The Reds set an unenviable record in the Wild Card Series against the Atlanta Braves as they lost both games without being able to score a single run. Most of those six seasons, the Reds were out of contention, however, hitting bottom in 2022 when they lost 100 games. There were signs over the next two seasons that the team was rebuilding successfully by turning to youth, after they managed to finish above .500 in 2023. He was given an extension midway through that season, and many were hoping for Cincinnati to be at the heart of a race for at least a wild card spot in 2024. In spite of playing in a weak division, that did not happen as the Reds were never in the race. After a loss on September 22nd, Bell was fired with the team at 76-81. He was replaced on an interim basis by coach Freddie Benavides.
The following November, he was hired by the Toronto Blue Jays to serve as the Assistant General Manager and Vice-President of Baseball Operations, making him the right-hand man to GM Ross Atkins.
Notable Achievements[edit]
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 2 (1999 & 2002)
- Other Postseason Appearance: 1 (2020 - Wild Card)
| Preceded by Jim Riggleman |
Cincinnati Reds Manager 2019-2024 |
Succeeded by Freddie Benavides |
Year-by-Year Managerial Record[edit]
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Carolina Mudcats | Southern League | 62-73 | 2nd (t) | Cincinnati Reds | ||
| 2010 | Carolina Mudcats | Southern League | 58-79 | 9th | Cincinnati Reds | ||
| 2011 | Carolina Mudcats | Southern League | 53-86 | 10th | Cincinnati Reds | ||
| 2012 | Louisville Bats | International League | 51-93 | 14th | Cincinnati Reds | ||
| 2019 | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 75-87 | 4th | Cincinnati Reds | ||
| 2020 | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 31-29 | 3rd | Cincinnati Reds | Lost NLWCS | |
| 2021 | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 83-79 | 3rd | Cincinnati Reds | ||
| 2022 | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 62-100 | 4th (t) | Cincinnati Reds | ||
| 2023 | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 82-80 | 3rd | Cincinnati Reds | ||
| 2024 | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 76-81 | -- | Cincinnati Reds | replaced by Freddie Benavides on September 24 |
Further Reading[edit]
- Keegan Matheson: "Former Reds manager Bell joins Blue Jays' front office", mlb.com, November 15, 2024. [1]
- Bobby Nightengale and John Fay: "Cincinnati Reds choose David Bell as their new manager", The Cincinnati Enquirer, October 21, 2018. [2]
- Mark Sheldon: "Reds name David Bell new manager", mlb.com, October 22, 2018. [3]
- Mark Sheldon: "Reds part ways with manager Bell after six seasons", mlb.com, September 23, 2024. [4]
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