Reds news: Dick Williams foresees David Bell and coaching staff coming back

Unsurprisingly, Reds manager David Bell is expected to return in 2021.

This shouldn’t’ come as a shock, but the Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations Dick Williams expects manager David Bell and his coaching staff to return in 2021. To be perfectly honest, I’m at a loss as to why anyone would think otherwise.

According to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, when asked during today’s press conference as to the status of David Bell and the Reds coaching staff, Williams response was, “I foresee this staff coming back. They deserve every chance to come back.”

After missing out on the postseason during his first year as manager, Bell rallied the troops over the final few weeks of the season and the Reds snuck into the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Unfortunately, it seemed as though the Cincinnati hitters forgot how to swing the bat and were blanked in back-to-back games by the Atlanta Braves and eliminated from the playoffs.

No matter which way you slice it, the 2020 season was a disappointment for the Cincinnati Reds. This team expected to be in the race for the NL Central Division crown, but finished behind the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. However, given the way this pandemic-shortened season played out, just getting to the postseason was an accomplishment.

Spring training was halted, the Player’s Association and MLB went through months of negotiations before finally deciding on a 60-game slate with no fans in attendance. The circumstances of this season was something foreign to the players, coaches and fans. That has to be taken into account when you’re looking to evaluate performances from the 2020 season.

We’ve already seen the Minnesota Twins, who won the American League Central, get bounced out the playoffs. The Chicago White Sox, one of the best teams in the AL, will be watching the remainder of the postseason from home. Today, the Miami Marlins, who lost 105 games last season, defeated the Chicago Cubs.

David Bell needs to be given the benefit of the doubt, and it looks as though the Cincinnati Reds front office is willing to give him and his staff at least one more season on the bench. Here’s hoping that 2021 sees Cincinnati in the playoffs for a second consecutive year.