Buddy Bell

Bell was born while his father was playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He attended Moeller High School in Cincinnati.{{cite news |last=Ossino |first=Del |date=Jun 16, 1969 |title=Bell, Crable Go Big League (Sign With AL Clubs) |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer}} He was drafted in 1969 by the Indians and was regarded as a promising prospect from the beginning. He first appeared in the Major Leagues with the Indians in {{baseball year|1972}}, appearing mostly in the outfield as a rookie, but afterwards becoming a fixture at third base. The {{convert|6|ft|1|in|abbr=on}}, {{convert|185|lb|abbr=on}} Bell was a solid, but not overpowering, right-handed hitter on a mostly lackluster Indians team. He was named to the All-Star team in 1973.

After the {{baseball year|1978}} season Bell was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Toby Harrah — another solid, veteran third baseman. Bell enjoyed his best season with the Rangers in {{baseball year|1979}}, collecting 200 hits, 101 RBI, and his first Gold Glove Award. From 1979 through 1984, Bell won the Gold Glove for third base in the American League. He also won the Silver Slugger Award in 1984. He finished in the top ten in batting average in 1980 and 1984.

In fielding, Bell was spectacular and often played far off the third base line, taking many base hits from opposing batters. In Total zone runs (a defensive statistic) he is ninth all time (ahead of Willie Mays) and 2nd among all third baseman (behind Brooks Robinson). His Range factor (another defensive stat) is fifth all-time among third baseman. He was in the top 10 in fielding percentage 10 times and finished first three times.

In the middle of the {{baseball year|1985}} season, Bell was sent to the Cincinnati Reds, where his father had been a popular player in the 1950s. Buddy responded with two more solid years playing for second place teams under Pete Rose. In {{baseball year|1986}}, he hit a career-high 20 home runs. In the {{baseball year|1988}} season he began to fade and was traded to the Houston Astros. Bell was released in December and returned with the Rangers before the {{baseball year|1989}} season, in which he appeared sparingly. In an 18-year career, Bell posted a .279 batting average with 201 home runs and 1106 RBI in 2405 games. He won six Gold Gloves, and made five All-Star Game appearances.

Following retirement, Bell worked for several years as a coach for the Reds, and from 1994-95 for the Indians. He managed the Detroit Tigers from 1996–98. He then managed the Colorado Rockies from {{baseball year|2000}} through part of {{baseball year|2002}} when he was fired in April after a 6–16 start. As a manager both for Detroit and Colorado, Bell compiled a 184–277 record.

In November {{baseball year|2002}}, Bell returned to coaching for the Cleveland Indians. On May 31, 2005, the Kansas City Royals hired Bell as their manager, three weeks after Tony Peña resigned. Bell won his first four games as a manager, becoming only the second Royals manager (after Whitey Herzog) to do so and guiding the Royals to their first four-game winning streak since {{baseball year|2003}}.

Bell took a medical leave of absence from the team on September 20, 2006, after a lump was discovered on his tonsils. Bell had experienced difficulty swallowing in the previous weeks,[http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/15576946.htm]{{dead link|date=June 2019}} and went to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, following the advice of Royals medical staff. On August 1, 2007, Bell announced that he would not be returning to the Royals bench at the conclusion of the 2007 season. Bell stated that his decision was his own, not based on pressure from the Royals front office, and that he wished to spend more time with his family.[http://www.kansascity.com/sports/royals/story/214535.html]{{dead link|date=June 2019}}

{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}

• Houston Astros award winners and league leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
• Third-generation Major League Baseball families
• List of second-generation Major League Baseball players

{{Reflist}}

{{Baseballstats|br=b/bellbu01|fangraphs=1000799|brm=bell--002dav|retro=B/Pbellb001}}

{{baseball-reference manager|bellbu01}}

{{S-start}}

{{s-sports}}

{{Succession box| before = | title = Cleveland Indians infield coach | years = {{baseball year|1994}}–{{baseball year|1995}}|after = Toby Harrah}}

{{Succession box| before = Jeff Datz | title = Cleveland Indians bench coach | years = {{baseball year|2003}}–{{baseball year|2005}}|after = Robby Thompson}}

{{S-end}}

{{Lou Gehrig Memorial Award}}

{{AL 3B Silver Slugger Award}}

{{AL 3B Gold Glove Award}}

{{Detroit Tigers managers}}

{{Colorado Rockies managers}}

{{Kansas City Royals managers}}

{{Texas Rangers Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Buddy}}

Category:1951 births

Category:Living people

Category:American League All-Stars

Category:Baseball players from Pittsburgh

Category:Cardenales de Lara players

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela

Category:Chicago White Sox executives

Category:Cleveland Indians coaches

Category:Cleveland Indians players

Category:Cincinnati Reds players

Category:Colorado Rockies managers

Category:Detroit Tigers managers

Category:Gold Glove Award winners

Category:Gulf Coast Indians players

Category:Houston Astros players

Category:Kansas City Royals managers

Category:Major League Baseball third basemen

Category:Miami RedHawks baseball players

Category:Silver Slugger Award winners

Category:Sumter Indians players

Category:Texas Rangers players

Category:United States national baseball team managers

Category:Wichita Aeros players

Category:Baseball players from Cincinnati

Category:Moeller High School alumni