Toronto Sun: Jays target Heath Bell

[polo007]

http://www.lfpress.com/sports/columnist ... 31376.html

“The Blue Jays have the money, their best option is Heath Bell,” said one evaluator familiar with the closing landscape.

“I don’t care if he is three years older than Ryan Madson, money shouldn’t be a problem,” he said. “Toronto was on Jonathan Paplebon before the Philadelphia Phillies signed Jonathan Paplebon.”

The Phillies gave the former Boston Red Sox closer a four-year, $50-million US deal with a vesting option of $13 million based on number of games finished.

Bell is the best fit for the Jays as he is the best on the market. The former San Diego Padres closer has more experience than B.J. Ryan had when the Jays gave him a five-year, $47-million contract.

A California native, Bell has said he prefers signing with a coast team but dollar signs have a way of changing one’s destination.

NO YU FOR YOU

Insiders say Jays president Paul Beeston is not a fan of the current posting system in place which sees teams pay anywhere from $50-to-$100 million to the Nippon Ham Fighters for just the right to negotiate with right-hander Yu Darvish. Consider the Jays interest lukewarm.

YANKS LOOKING

The New York Yankees are interested in right-hander Kyle Drabek, who made 14 starts in the Jays rotation and the next 15 at triple-A Las Vegas. The Yanks have CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett in the rotation. They are reported to have re-signed right-hander Freddy Garcia. Yankees people are asking Jays scouts questions and as well as Phillies people, who had Drabek in the minors: Why the control problems after never having any? Why did the Jays take his cutter away? Can he be fixed?

ELSEWHERE

The Kansas City Royals will start with Lorenzo Cain in centre, but with concerns about whether the 25-year-old (42 career starts) will hit has the Royals looking at Colby Rasmus of the Jays ... The Phillies have discussed possible ways on how to re-acquire catcher Travis D’Araund from the Jays. Good luck.

[Homer Jay]

Uggh to Bell... that has Ryan 2.0 written all over it.

Sucks about Darvish, but I doubt he would fire up the fan base anyway here.

If Yanks can be suckered into Drabek go right ahead. Drabek/Snider for Gardiner please

I'd do Hosmer for Rasmus

D'Arnaud for Halladay... git er done.

[akakalakin]

can't they find anyone fatter?

[OldNo7]

Bell wants to stay on the West coast, thankfully. Papelbon was the only closer I would have been comfortable paying big money to.

[J.Kim]

Sucks about Darvish, but I doubt he would fire up the fan base anyway here.

SMOKESCREEN?!

[DonYon]

Sucks about Darvish, but I doubt he would fire up the fan base anyway here.

SMOKESCREEN?!

ASIANS UNITEEEEEE

[kavan]

I dont know I think Heath Bell maybe worth the money. I have said it all along I wish we traded for him during the season. We need him just because Ryan blew up doesnt mean he will. I think we need a Closer at the back end of our bulpen.

I read something about Albert the 1B from some team out west.. why are we talking about Bell ?? loll ..
No but on a real note I think if we can fill our DH with Albert and our closer spot with Bell. This team fights for AL East top spot.

[Weems]

Pass on Heath Bell.

[Wo1verine]

Pass on Heath Bell.

[MikeM]

Does it even say that we want him?

[dballislife]

anyone of heath, madson or f rod i b happy

[kavan]

anyone of heath, madson or f rod i b happy

I like either or myself.. We just need someone other then Rauch closing.

[Weems]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.ph ... k-effects/

An article on Bell and the Petco effect with a convenient comparison to his and Frank Francisco's numbers over the past 3 seasons. Here are those numbers:

Name BB% K% HR/9 BABIP LOB% ERA- FIP- xFIP-
Bell 8.9% 26.3% 0.36 0.293 79.10% 64 70 79
Francisco 7.9% 26.5% 1.06 0.299 76.00% 85 79 79

Almost identical. The dramatically fewer HR Bell gives up (perhaps in large part due to Petco) is the difference in ERA- and FIP-. At least in the numbers. I wouldn't care for him against AL competition at his price tag.

[Skin Blues]

Dear god, I hope the Jays don't bother with Bell. He has bad news written all over him. He'll be a strguggling middle reliever making way too much money before the Jays are ever in the playoffs, even if that day comes in 2012. It doesn't take much to be an ace relief pitcher in the NL West, especially with Petco as a home park.

I agree with whoever said Papelbon is the one they would have trusted. It's a lot of cash, but he's been elite - in the AL East - for a long time. And he's not a massively overweight 34-year-old. So he's got that going for him.

K-Rod probably wants too much money and has a sh*tty attitude. Cordero has a plummeting K-rate and has struggled to keep his K/BB above 2 over past 4 seasons, all while in the NL. Madson is the best available but will take a big money and years investment. Probably a waste, but if we're gonna sign a big RP it might as well be the most reliable one. Trading for Uehara is probably a better option. Lidge, Mota, and hell, just keep Frankie. Significant resources should ideally not be used to bringh in relief pitchers. I have no issue with them doing the same thing they did last season. Didn't turn out perfect, but it's a good strategy. It'd be a shame if that skewed Blown Save total causes AA to allocate too many resources to relief pitchers for 2012 as a sort of PR appeasement to the fans.

[Lateral Quicks]

I disagree with many on this board re: the importance of a closer. I think a good closer improves team confidence and that in turn leads to wins.

That said, I'm against emptying the vault for one, especially a Heath Bell who is on the other side of his career. I wouldn't be against trading a good prospect or two for a younger closer candidate, though.

[dagger]

JimBowdenESPNxm JIM BOWDEN
A source close to Heath Bell said his FA deal is about done but no word on what team it is... so not sure you should have read this tweet

[turner10]

Heyman's first two guesses for Bell are Marlins or Jays

SI_JonHeyman Jon Heyman
says @JimBowdenESPNxm, heath bell close to deal somewhere. best guesses here: fla or tor. bal, laa, bos also seek closer

[baulderdash77]

Seriously Heath Bell would make a major difference for out team. I don't want to hear BJ Ryan- sometimes pitchers get hurt, that doesn't mean you never sign another pitcher.

[turner10]

straight from the man himself hah maybe there isn't a deal? who knows.

HeathBell21 Heath Bell
The most exciting thing that happened today..put up my Christmas lights. No news people.

[Randle McMurphy]

Please no.