David Bell is all in as the new manager of the Cincinnati Reds

David Bell knows what it would mean to Cincinnati if he were able to bring a winning team to the Queen City. Bell will be relentless in trying to do just that for the Cincinnati Reds and their fans.

At today’s introductory press conference, David Bell gave the Cincinnati Reds fan base a glimpse into his philosophy and how he hopes to change the direction of a franchise that has become lost over the last few years.

Bell spoke with a great deal of confidence in what he feels this team can accomplish. He mentioned that he plans to focus on the things that the team can control, such as the way the team prepares, the way they compete, and the way the team, as a whole, is built.

The word toughness was tossed about during the press conference and Bell spoke to that, saying that he has a certain set of expectations and he wants every player to be the best that they can be. Bell said he expects his players to have respect, to be prepared, and to play the game hard.

Bell played under such managers as Lou Pinella, Mike Hargrove, Tony LaRussa, Dusty Baker, Charlie Manual, and Larry Bowa, but Bell sounds like he wants to focus on his own strengths. So, while he may apply some principles that he’s learned along the way, it sounds like Bell is going to go about things his way.

"“As a player, you watch things, but the most important thing is to be yourself. You find out what’s going to work for you and your own style and see things you maybe want to do differently. But, it was an incredible opportunity to play for each and every one of those guys. Not to mention all the great coaches on those staffs and the teammates.”"

As the San Francisco Giants Vice President of Player Development, Bell said that he worked with close to 300 players and 80 staff members, and said that working together and being consistent was very important. Bell’s experience in that role, albeit for only one season, might prove to be invaluable for the Cincinnati Reds going forward.

Bell used the term “bridge that gap” in reference to being sure that the front office and what the players are doing on the field are in alignment. He even included player development and scouting as well. Bell’s time in his role with the Giants last season appears to have given him a perspective that very few managerial candidates had.

David Bell exuded confidence during the press conference and Reds Country should be excited. Some critics of the hire will point to Bell being hired because of his ties to the city and the organization. I’d argue that because of that, no manager is going to know more about how much winning a championship for the city of Cincinnati than David Bell.