Cincinnati Reds in Review: RP Trevor Bell

There are certain members of the Cincinnati Reds that are invariably fun, if for no other reason than in 10-15 years when you scan back over the roster, you will point and go, “Oh my God! I remember that guy!”

Of course, that guy will have had virtually zero impact on anything that happened during the season and you will get a confidence boost for having a memory that allows you to pick up on obscure members of the Cincinnati Reds roster.

This is your time to appreciate Trevor Bell.

Trevor Bell – Relief Pitcher

Once upon a time, Trevor Bell was a beast. A first-round pick (supplemental round) of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2005, Bell was a flame-throwing youngster out of La Crescenta, California, with an electric fastball and seemingly all the potential in the world.

As with most young pitchers, the Angels attempted to make him a starter at first. And initially, he succeeded. So much so, that he debuted with Anaheim in 2009. He was tagged in his first 20.1 innings of work, allowing an obscene 22 earned runs.

Fast-forward to 2013, and Bell was coming off being released by the Detroit Tigers. He would sign on with the Cincinnati Reds and split his time between Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Louisville that season. His ERA did not get above two down at Pensacola and he was so impressive that he earned himself a non-roster invite to Spring Training.

He made the most of his opportunity at Goodyear by pitching so well that manager Bryan Price could not ignore him. It also helped his odds that Aroldis Chapman and Jonathan Broxton would have to begin the season on the DL.

Appearing in the Major Leagues for the first time since 2011 as a member of the Angels, nothing went right for Bell in 2014. He would record two outs in two appearances, being bludgeoned by the St. Louis Cardinals both times out.

It would be less than a month before Bell’s arm would act up and he would be shut down for the season due to Tommy John Surgery.

Bell’s Stat Line:

0-0, 67.50 ERA, 0.2 IP, 5 ER, 10.50 WHIP, .714 OAV

Top Trevor Bell Moment:

Plain and simple, it is making the Reds’ Opening Day roster. Literally nothing went right for Bell once the calendar turned to April, having his dreams dashed so quickly by being hit hard, and then told he needed Tommy John Surgery.

Bell is an easy guy to like. He came to the Reds and dominated the minor leagues before having one of the most impressive Spring Training’s in memory.

Low-Point of the Season for Trevor Bell:

Normally, finishing the season with a 67.50 ERA and a WHIP that begins with 10 would be enough to make anyone want to bury their head in the sand. But this isn’t merely a comical statistical outlier; this may have actually been the last time Bell ever appears in a Major League game.

Final Grade: F

Due to the Tommy John Surgery, he now becomes “damaged goods.” We have seen countless pitchers over the years recover from such surgeries and come back much, much better than before. For all we know, Bell may be a closer on a Postseason contender in two seasons.

But the very real possibility is that Bell may have thrown his final ball for a Major League club. And that would be a low point.