The Blue Jays announced the hiring of former Reds manager David Bell as their vice president of baseball operations and an assistant general manager. Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reported the news (on X) before the club announcement.
“Bell will oversee the Player Development and Physical & Mental Performance departments, while also contributing to Major League strategic planning decisions and advising on player evaluations and acquisitions,” Toronto announced in a press release. Bell becomes the third assistant GM under Ross Atkins in the baseball operations hierarchy. Michael Murov and Joe Sheehan also hold that title. Former Astros general manager James Click plays a key role as vice president of baseball strategy.
The 52-year-old Bell moves back into player development after six seasons in the dugout. Bell has experience in that capacity, as he worked in the Giants’ player development department in 2018. The Reds hired him to manage going into the ’19 season. The Reds went 409-456 during Bell’s managerial run. Their only postseason appearance came in the expanded field in 2020.
Things looked to be trending up when the Reds surprisingly won 82 games in 2023. They took a step back this year and Cincinnati fired Bell in the final week of a losing season. They coaxed Terry Francona out of retirement at the start of the offseason. Bell’s contract with the Reds ran through the 2026 season.
That’s what the Jays need – more executives. There’s your missing piece. Problem solved.
Need a VP of cup holders and banners…
Is there a Loonie Dog czar? A loonie dogger perhaps?
Hmm, interesting… or not. I’m not really sure.
I honestly never thought bell belonged in the majors at any capacity. This is as bad as any move I’ve ever seen the jays make !
Mental performance- his first year as manager he got thrown out of more games than any major in MLB history (WOW)
Player development- the reds youth is loaded ! Who did he develop ? Lodolo is making 2 mil in his first arb season which is a clear example of lack of development when a premier college pitcher is barely making more than league minimum in arb.
Strategic Planning – in 6 seasons in cincy the only time he met standard was a 2 month period toward the end of the 23 season
Acquisition- who did the reds acquire under his leadership that’s worthy of note ?
Crazy hire ! Him and Atkins must be besties
I am not exactly a Bell fan either, but player development is a different department as manager. They are supposed to be ready when they hit the bigs and it is obvious a lot of these guys aren’t. It is not like they are rushed, either.
Bell worked in player development for the Giants a while back, for what it’s worth.
The person in charge of most of those guys development in Cincinnati since the horrible 2020 draft has quickly moved up to the top job. He’s not good at that either.
Your player development comment is misplaced. But let’s assume Bell was responsible for Cincy’s player development: you really cherry-picked by just referencing Lodolo. A wiry, lefty pitcher struggles with injuries early in his career… Who’s ever heard of such a thing???
Never mind that Hunter Greene is a star, EDLC is a star, Mark McLain looked great before his shoulder injury, and then Stephenson, Steer, Abbott, Diaz, India, and Friedl are all pretty good homegrown players. And that doesn’t include CES or Marte, whose 2024 was a lost year for their respective reasons.
So, if Bell were to get credit for the Reds’ player development, it could be argued he’s a superstar of the craft!
If all those dudes were stars, then reds would have won a lot more games and bell would still have his job. He’d literally still be under contract. But they paid him to not manage this year. Hmmmmm
I used lodolo bc arbitration reflects a players value. He was the top college arm in the draft and has shown times of being absolutely dominant yet isn’t making any money bc he’s misused. And maybe all those other guys would not be hurt and loosing seasons if their potential was maximized? Lord knows reds got the talent !
Its called injuries. It happens. Usually not all at once. As for Lodolo, most players do not get significant bumps their first year.
Both Greene and Lodolo struggled with pitch efficiency. How long before first round picks Greene and Stephenson lived up to their billing? De La Cruz took it upon himself to work with Juan Soto in the offseason to work on playe discipline. Steer, CES, Marte and Arroyo came from other organizations.
Aquino, Callahan, Senzel, Hendrick, Fairchild, busts, among others. The whole 2020 draft was diastrous. When is the last time they developed a relief pitcher not named Diaz? They have to go outside for relievers. What impact position players are not at least two years away? Hinds and Dunn look far from ready too.
For a team counting solely on draft and develop, there are a lot of holes which they refuse to fill.
The 2020 draft was just 5 rounds and scouting was way off for all teams since the college and high school seasons were canceled due to Covid.
Not really. It was actually a loaded 5 rounds and many organizations hit well in all rounds. Reds just missed in all 5. It happens
Moonlight, if those are Bell’s credits we should point out that they haven’t reached a postseason in a rather soft division.
Or maybe he’s a better executive than manager
None of that was his job with the Reds. Did you enjoy your senseless rant?
Really ? You don’t the manager of the team impacts all those areas ?? Reds just randomly higher Francona’s buddy or did he influence that decision ? Rotf.
And yes I did. Put up w that bad hire managing the reds for 6 seasons : /
Getting to the playoffs and competing for a World Series was his job as manager. Just like Shapiro and Atkins, his team finished 3rd, but made a Wild Card series in an expanded playoff format and then got swept in the pandemic shortened 2020 season. His team finished 3rd place or worse in their division six times in six tries, similar to the Blue Jays, who’ve finished 3rd place or worse in the AL East seven times in the past eight years. That’s mediocrity, something that defines Shapiro and Atkins. He’ll fit right in.
100% agree
As long as Shapiro and Atkins and LaCava and Click are there, the BlueJays are winning nothing.
Bell is not moving the needle to winning a WS.
jimmertee;
Mr. Shapiro is a bureaucrat. He has a history of giving jobs to baseball people that are related to people he likes to keep them afloat financially and keep them in the game. He makes up job titles. He’s in a competitive business that he runs like the US Federal government and Canada’s government. When something goes wrong no one can find who the responsible person(s) is/are…so after the problem is talked about for a while, it’s forgotten.
What does Don Mattingly do? Whose toes is he stepping on? Other then sit in on meetings and give his opinion to someone, what does Mr. Click do?
Lots of people like Shapiro. Including the local media – who he’s always generous to….the key to good pub.
The Jays may not be winning anything, but they’re selling entertainment and if you’re a baseball fan in Canada this is where you have to go……at least until the Savanna Bananas show up for a game.
Agreed. Do you remember the scene in ‘Moneyball’ when Shapiro, who’d just been promoted to GM in Cleveland after the 2001 season, meets with Billy Beane? There were something like 10 people in the room for Cleveland; it was just Beane for Oakland, and his team had just won 102 games and lost in the ALDS to the Yankees. Shapiro likes “collaborating”, but it leads to mediocrity. Cleveland finished 3rd place or worse seven times in his nine seasons as GM, with a 704-754 (.483) record and zero World Series appearances. Decision making doesn’t always improve with more data or more people. It can produce passivity, mission creep and hesitation.
It’s a good move, Bell is an idiot so he’ll fit right in. Ahahaha!
Assistant GMs are supposed to move the needle towards winning a WS?
Hope he can keep his temper in check
Why doesn’t it link to his baseball reference page?
Next Jays Manager when Schneider gets fired?
Maybe the new GM when Atkins gets fired
Must be nice to be paid by the Reds while you join the new team and get paid as well. I wonder how that works for taxes. Does he have to pay taxes in Toronto on the Reds salary?
That’s not how that works. I will let someone else explain it to you.
Unfortunately being VP of Baeseball Ops does not usually allow one to come out of the dugout and argue with umpires. Because that’s about the only thing I ever thought that Bell brought to the table as a manager, arguing a lot with umpires.
Seems like a lot of management layers for a team that has underperformed.
It’s kinda like Shatkins went on Shark Tank looking for investors. When Mr Wonderful asked what he’s gonna do with the money, he says, “Install a layer of mediocre middle management.” And for that reason Rogers should be out.
Seems like he got fired to a better job. The poor guy. Wish somebody would have done me like that before I retired. Way to land on your feet dude!
I never thought Bell deserved his fate in Cincinnati, a manager can’t control injuries and with cheap ownership, there’s only so much he can do
The 2 Cleveland Clowns are still here, The Nighmare in Toronto is still going !!
Until the really bad GM shapiro and his useless carryon baggage atkins are FIRED , the Nightmare continues….!
David Bell in charge of player development. As long as they stick with drafting only 3B prospects the Jays should be fine.
Shocking news!!!
Would he not be 4th assistant GM, Tony Lacava is still employed by Bluejays
Ross lead finger pointer.
That’s , “Ross lead lackie to shapiro ” … 🙂
Can he pitch ?
Must have made one heck of a pitch to get an executive job created for him.
The Blue Jays really like second generation baseball men.
And David is at least 3rd generation (Gus, Buddy, David).