San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell unable to kick off starting jitters again
If there’s one thing Heath Bell has qualms with, it’s his start in Spring Training and Major League Baseball. The San Diego Padres closer has a lot to contend with and his stint in his debut this year didn’t pick off to a good start.
The pitcher has talked about having problems in his start in all formats of baseball, adding that it had everything to do with the psyche. Bell says he only gets jitters twice a year, which speaks volumes of his outing with Oakland Athletics recently. Bell
looks awkwardly on to a season starting role and a spring training debuting feature. In a 7 – 6 win over the A’s at Peoria Stadium in Arizona, Bell showcased his nerves, but his fifth inning stint was memorable by many managers’ assessment. Heath took 12 pitches
to take out three hitters, tow coming from strikeouts.
“I was really nervous,” Bell said. “I just felt like it was a long day and a long game, and just like, 'blah.' But I went in there and kept the pitches down, and that's how you pitch.”
Starting late in Spring Training due to a calf injury, Bell managed to impress manager Bud Black as he pitched his vintage 94 mph fastballs. His most impressive improvement came in the form of his changeup. Rarely using the technique, Bell mixed his pitches
up well as he took out Jai Miller swinging and caught Matt Carson looking.
“I felt really good,” Bell said. “I felt like I wanted to go out there and throw low strikes, and I was able to accomplish that, except for with my off–speed. I think I was just rushing my curveball a little bit. But the changeup was really nice and the
fastball was down in the zone.”
Bell’s changeup was impressive as his two attempts were spot in where as in 2010, four of his attempts went for ‘balls’.
“I have the confidence to throw it now, but I just need to locate it and throw it. Today, I located two of them, so I was pretty happy,” Bell said. Two of the changeups he pitched, went for strikes against the A’s in the game. There’s a good sign after all.
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