Notebook: Twins Community Mourns the Loss of Mike Bell

My bet is it's not COVID. It's 38 and Happless. Cringed at the signing. Still cringing. That was relentless and ugly. Still. Happless.

Opposite reaction to J.A. Happ's outing. I was actually impressed. He was getting hammered, but clearly it wasn't bothering him. He was simply throwing pitches, then observing where they wound up in and around the zone. His intention, according to a couple of very good Twins ex-pitchers (Santana and Hawkins), was to gather information, make some corrections, then be ready for the season.

 

If Happ is that cool a customer, he may well be a very solid pitcher. Supporting evidence: After getting hammered like that, a rookie usually would get wild, start firing fastballs like a bad shotgun. Happ continued to throw his low-zone sliders and changes. No apparent deviation from the plan. Conclusion: He didn't care about the game's outcome. He was using the hitters for pitching practice. Yet another reason for fans to discount the results of spring training games. Sometimes a pitcher really is just sharpening his tools. 

 I think we'd all prefer to see him sharpening pitches that are less hittable. 

I listened to the Baltimore game last week when he got roughed up a bit. The Oriole announcers said he was pretty clearly just working on hitting specific spots. They made it sound like he wasn't getting hammered, he was just doing what he thought he needed to work on and if the Orioles hit him, so be it. Hopefully he's getting ready.

 

And I wouldn't be disappointed to see the Dobber get a chance either.

I listened to the Baltimore game last week when he got roughed up a bit. The Oriole announcers said he was pretty clearly just working on hitting specific spots. They made it sound like he wasn't getting hammered, he was just doing what he thought he needed to work on and if the Orioles hit him, so be it. Hopefully he's getting ready.

"Hitting specific spots" seems like something that can be done in drills, and doesn't require an opposing batter to stand there and swing (or not swing). If he's not ready to actually pitch, so be it, he got a late start; but give the innings to someone who is actually ready.

 

"Hitting specific spots" seems like something that can be done in drills, and doesn't require an opposing batter to stand there and swing (or not swing). If he's not ready to actually pitch, so be it, he got a late start; but give the innings to someone who is actually ready.

Upon second reading, I guess I want to complete my thought by saying that this reductio ad absurdum leads me to think that Happ was actually doing more than just "hitting spots" that the other team's announcer was saying. I would hope.

I take little stock in what vet pitchers do in ST both good and bad.  If you know you are going to make the team many players will just work on things and not care about results.  Lets wait and see what the regular season brings before we are ready to release Happ.  He is slotted as 4th starter too, not like we are hoping he would step in to be a top guy. 

what a shame about Mike Bell. That's just horrible and tragic. Seems appropriate that they played the game, though, considering what a baseball family he was part of and the baseball lifer he was.

 

Gotta say, that news makes it a little harder to give a crap whether JA Happ is ready/not ready, washed up/doing veteran pitching things, or any of it.

 

RIP, Mike Bell.

RIP Mike Bell. Prayers for hius  family and friends.

Sano's HR is a great tribute to Mike. It'd be better if they'd won but sei le vie (pardon my terrible French). My opinion is still, we need at least 2 long relievers 3 would be better. I'm afraid that our BP could easily be over worked under these circumstances. A long reliever can take the place of 2 or 3 short.

Sano's HR is a great tribute to Mike. It'd be better if they'd won but sei le vie (pardon my terrible French). My opinion is still, we need at least 2 long relievers 3 would be better. I'm afraid that our BP could easily be over worked under these circumstances. A long reliever can take the place of 2 or 3 short.

 

 

(for future reference, it’s c’est la vie )

Just horrible news for the entire Bell family. Cancer is never a thing to be taken lightly, but I sure thought from the initial reports this was something they had addressed and he had a hopeful prognosis. Love and prayers for the entire Bell family!

 

As far as the game and Happ, meh, he's behind schedule and trying to ramp up as quickly as be can. I refuse to not be concerned but I recognize it's early for him, he has a couple more starts to go, and a lot of times veteran arms like Happ ARE just getting in innings and working on things. We've all seen veteran guys just turn on a switch when the season starts and they suddenly look like themselves. Will that happen here? No way to know. But having Dobber ready to go if he needs a little more time or needs a piggyback is quite the luxury.

 

Opposite reaction to J.A. Happ's outing. I was actually impressed. He was getting hammered, but clearly it wasn't bothering him. He was simply throwing pitches, then observing where they wound up in and around the zone. His intention, according to a couple of very good Twins ex-pitchers (Santana and Hawkins), was to gather information, make some corrections, then be ready for the season.

 

If Happ is that cool a customer, he may well be a very solid pitcher. Supporting evidence: After getting hammered like that, a rookie usually would get wild, start firing fastballs like a bad shotgun. Happ continued to throw his low-zone sliders and changes. No apparent deviation from the plan. Conclusion: He didn't care about the game's outcome. He was using the hitters for pitching practice. Yet another reason for fans to discount the results of spring training games. Sometimes a pitcher really is just sharpening his tools. 

 

 

You are so kind. 

I now totally despise him.

He cost me $20. to a Braves fan friend. Maeda on the mound.... and then that crap.  

I bet he doesn't make it much past the all-star break, if not before.

Those tools didn't get any sharper as the outing went on, if that was what he was doing.

38 and cooked.

 

You are so kind. 

I now totally despise him.

He cost me $20. to a Braves fan friend. Maeda on the mound.... and then that crap.  

I bet he doesn't make it much past the all-star break, if not before.

Those tools didn't get any sharper as the outing went on, if that was what he was doing.

38 and cooked.

Yikes, you bet $20 bucks on a 38 year old pitcher? 

Another twenty reasons not to bet on sports...

Okay, where are those little emoticons...

 <--- there's where you put that money!

 

Yikes, you bet $20 bucks on a 38 year old pitcher? 

Another twenty reasons not to bet on sports...

Okay, where are those little emoticons...

 <--- there's where you put that money!

 

I didn't know at the time Happless would be after Maeda! I was goaded into it.

 

Upon second reading, I guess I want to complete my thought by saying that this reductio ad absurdum leads me to think that Happ was actually doing more than just "hitting spots" that the other team's announcer was saying. I would hope.

All I know is what I hear on the radio. It sounded like kind of a weird thing to say. It sounded to me like the announcer thought Happ was throwing the pitches that were called and the Orioles were getting batting practice.

 

 

Yikes, you bet $20 bucks on a 38 year old pitcher? 

Another twenty reasons not to bet on sports...

Okay, where are those little emoticons...

 <--- there's where you put that mone

in a spring training game???

All I know is what I hear on the radio. It sounded like kind of a weird thing to say. It sounded to me like the announcer thought Happ was throwing the pitches that were called and the Orioles were getting batting practice.

Either the announcer was being nice, or else the guy in the control booth was in his ear telling him dead air was unacceptable so just say something.

 

 

Either the announcer was being nice, or else the guy in the control booth was in his ear telling him dead air was unacceptable so just say something.
 

Sorry that a quote from a radio announcer has you so perturbed. They must be working on their deliveries as well.

 

Haven't we heard about pitchers using spring training games to work on location many times before? It was his second appearance. The way it was worded was kind of strange, but that's what I took it to mean. Anyway, I have no idea if Happ is going to be a decent #4 or not, but I hope (and expect) that the Dobber gets a chance and does well.

RIP to Mike Bell. So sad and tragic