Minor League Podcast with former MLB 3rd Baseman David Bell (February 2018)
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What is good, everybody. I'm Cody Pass be back with this offseason addition off the minor league podcast. It's been a busy offseason, or the Giants can't really speak for the rest of baseball as this winter just gets colder and colder and colder. If you're a free agent or anybody else trying to play the game, it's been a little weird. But we're here to talk about the Giants, who have made a lot of moves who have kept the stove hot. Obviously, the Andrew McCutchen deal. The Giants trading away a couple of top prospects in that Brian Reynolds Count Creek, who is highly touted for years and came up through the system last year to become a solid relief pitcher for the team. So a big piece gone, but obviously a bigger piece here in San Francisco. Longoria deal obviously saw number one prospect Christian Arroyo heading over to Tampa. But really, you could argue the biggest move of the Giants have made this offseason came way before any of those moves ever happened, and it was kind of a behind the scenes thing. The minor league system has completely changed. Almost every single coach and manager was once in the Giants farm system, have been replaced in. The Giants have a new vice president of player development, making minor league decisions from the very top. And it's a familiar name and a familiar face for Giants fans who have been watching this team since at least 2002. That guy would be former third baseman David Bell, of course, will live on in Giants history, forever and ever. Or scoring the winning run. A walk off run after Kenny Lofton's on a base hit against the Cardinals in the 2000 and two national championships. Siri's that sent the Giants to their first World Series since 1989. So a guy who was only here for one year but has become beloved, I would say amongst Giants fans for that iconic moment, and now he's back in the orange and black in a front office role. Bell family has had a long history in Major League baseball as players, managers and now in the front office. His father, Buddy, is a front office advisor for the Cincinnati Reds. David's brother also has a player development job with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and now David Bell who was on the coaching managing path for a few years there in Major league baseball, a coach for the Cubs of the Cardinals is now in a front office role. I had a chance to talk with David about the future off the Giants minor league system, what he hopes to accomplish in the job and what it feels like to just be back in San Francisco. So without further ado, here is David Bell. David. Thanks so much for joining me. Yeah, I mean, just one season in San Francisco. But I think it's safe to say you made quite an impression here, of course, scoring that winning run that will live in Giants history in the 2002 NLCS. So just first things first. What's it like to be back here all these years later? And I'm sure you've got a lot of wonderful memories playing here. I really do. It was just such a great year, and I know it was only one year, but I'm just so special on and it was it was, well, unfinished business. But when you get to Game seven in the series, that that's a great season. So um never knew for sure if I'd make it back. And it has been kind of a dream come true, being back assed part of San Francisco Giants and in a role that, uh, obviously the fan base here is one of the most passionate in all of baseball. Have you had a chance to hear from any Giants fans? What's the reaction been like from them? Not yet. And that's such a great point. I mean, one of the the things that really stand out about my time here and I've been back over the years since. But the fans here different. The fans are special. I personally believe that the best in the phone, that plan here in this stadium, that's the one thing that really stands out. Just the energy of the crowd. It's a positive crowd, and they're enjoying him at the game. And really look, in fact, that's that. You know, I actually think about the fans playing in this ballpark and just to divide the of being a Giants uniform a lot that it really is different than anything I've ever been. I haven't been around the fans like yet, but, uh, open, you know, come around the ballpark a bit this year. Be nice, Teoh. Reconnect and be part of that environment. Of course, I don't get it dug out, baby and stands. I haven't haven't done that in years, so But I'm just in so many ways. It's just a great feeling to be back here. Yeah, I mean, you hear always wants a giant, always a giant, and then get, actually get in the stands. He interact with fans. You realize, man, whether you played one game where you played 1000 games, fans were going to remember you around here. I want to talk about your paths to the now towards the front, a front office gig here with the Giants from when you retired from the game of baseball. And did you know the moment you retired that you wanted to go into coaching, going to managing from basically maybe not the very last day you played. But pretty soon after he retired, Did you realize that's where you want it to go? You know, not really. It was something I had thought about it a player. But when you're playing, you think you're gonna play forever on, you know Unfortunately, we don't. Some of us don't do the best of, you know, coming toe reality. You know, it's gonna end at some point for a couple years. I really Yeah, searched and make sure you know it's gonna be whatever I did next. We're gonna be the right thing. And then it became really clear that I was blessed with some really good experiences and down a lot of good people. I don't like being able to contribute that back to the game and into players with something that that was really worth wild and so took about two years and had an opportunity to go manage with the Cincinnati Reds in Double A and really from there to become more more that there's just so much opportunity and responsibility to the game into to our players and along the way it has some really good expenses of the coach, a major league coach, mightily manager and now being this job, it's kind of, Ah, a lot of ways. It's just a combination of a lot of different things have been exposed to in an opportunity to kind of put it all together and do a really big on a really big scale, you know, 70 staff players approximately. It's just opportunity every day, and we haven't even started yet. This is just the office. It's just been incredible. The amount of pieces and parts to this that you know you're able toe to do the best you can. And, um, you know, put things in place to make, um contribute. Eso delve a little more into that. Obviously, you mentioned you managed to have been a coach in the major leagues with the Cubs, most recently with the Cardinals, but now, obviously moving into a different role here and more of a front office role just kind of delve more into what was attractive about that type of job. Rather than being on the coat being on the coaching staff, what was attractive about making that move into a front office role? It's a great question, I've joked. It's my first real job ever know the first time it really it really is. Which is such a, you know, so grateful for, for to be able to be on the field for that long and since a kid, but really first time out of uniform, first time out of the dugout and initially that there was a couple of things over appealing about a new challenge. You know, something that I haven't had experience of of doing. But then the more I thought about it back, you mentioned earlier just the the amount of opportunity to make a difference in an impact. But then maybe the deciding factor more important than anything, it was just that it was a giant. I really don't believe that done this many, any situation there, any circumstance. But when it became clear that no, this was not eternity here instead of just go with the Giants, it was gonna be came in no brainer. Just with the people better here in place and all the hard work and consistency that's been in place here for so many years and all the success that they had just says so much about people in this organization. And I had the fortunate getting to know a lot of these people both the year out of here is a player. And then, you know, here and there have been being able to run into people, and even though if you're a year that for somebody's and I've always felt that connection for innovation, and I think as you stay in the game for a long period of time, Uh, that personal connection to an organization becomes more and more important on, and I have moved around quite a bit. So over the last couple of years, I kind of had in the back of my mind, and you really be nice to get somewhere. And and who knows, maybe stay for the rest room career. We can really feel attached and connected. This organization was at the top for sure made it clear that was the right thing to do. Absolutely. And I mean, you kind of touched upon it there, a little bit thief feeling that I think a lot of people who work within the Giants organization and even from the outside looking in, they say it's almost this family sort of feeling that there's people walking around the offices who have been there 10 15 even 20 years, and it's a lot of the same faces. A very familiar feel is that sort of part of what you were talking about there, why this became an attractive job and like you said that if it wasn't the Giants, Maybe you don't take it on. Have you kind of gotten that vibe even early on that? This is almost a a family feel around the Giants officers. That's a that's exactly the feeling. And now, as things change and we adapt and we evolved, you know, as an organization, you know that you never go away, that that that's AH foundation on which this organization is built and you can You can continue toe, be cutting edge and look forward and look toe. Learn new things. But there's so much with, um and and power and tapping into the experience addition. And there's just so much to gain. Learn from that. And that's a big part of how we're moving forward and on the approach. In the in the Meiling Systems Captain Challenge be challenged, challenge everyone to keep getting better. And a big part of that is toe learn from our past. Speaking of family, staying with that theme. Obviously, when people hear your name the bell name, they think of a long lineage of baseball players in your family. Have you gotten any advice? I guess, particularly from your dad, who has really done done it all in major league baseball. You gonna manager now in more of a front office role? Have you seek any advice from him either? Whether it be when you were serving as a manager or now in this brand new role in front office, I have. I've always We've always had the connection of baseball, and I think we've looked at things in a similar way and have always relied on him and, you know, toe have, uh, have that relationship to be able to go and share ideas and ask questions. And it's been very and my brother also actually in the same Roland title. Even, uh, there's on the Diamondbacks. So that relationship has been been strong as well. And it would attack Pinto just just really mostly before taking just really trying to understand what I was getting into on, um, I think have a close relationship. Now your brother is with Is the Diamondbacks. Is that correct? Eso are if Giants topped the Diamondbacks to get into the playoffs or holiday is gonna be a little awkward around the Bill household. We were so used to that happening, I think it's funny question. Um, there's always that that joke but trying. We've never really all the years we haven't ever been in the same organization, so maybe that'll happen someday. But it's, uh, I think your question is actually a lot of the same minor league diamondback. And, of course, being in spring training will get him a lot competing. That'll be nice. So we really nice and a couple more for you. David and I want to get into the nitty gritty of the job here and obviously, coming into this job, you probably you may have heard about the struggles of this Giants farm system over the past few seasons. The team has thief first couple years of this decade, was just turning out prospects and obviously saw the payoff Three World championships in five years. But over the last few, we haven't seen as many come out of the minor league system, and the organization seems to have addressed those problems and then some by not only hiring you, but we have seen almost every mine early coaching staff revamped in this organization. So can you tell us a little bit about those changes and what differences can we expect from the organization player development strategy With you and these new minor league coaching staffs in place, Well, it became clear right away that there was a lot of really good people in the minor league system and we wanted to many people in places that possible number one. And when we've done that, we kept you're always looking to him in the right spot for you know, where they could be most impactful. But for the most part, this that this is really created. It was a tough year last year and it really created an opportunity to get better. And I think in baseball it's so important to learn from any failure because it's really, really in the end, it's really building my only opportunity to get better. So I think that cycle we're gonna look back at and be grateful that it happened even really talked to go through. And so it it's created this opportunity to really look at everything really close. You know, look at every area, make sure doing the best we can do in each and every area, something, some cases, we're not gonna change anything. In some cases, maybe there's little tweaks we can make here and there to improve them. So, um, in this job, um, that's kind of the approach I took. I kept people in place. You have so much to offer ever. Already here there were openings where I was ableto to bring in people that really hit on the criteria I was looking for two number one work well with all the people that are already here, create that team environment and include everyone into mobile doing on couldn't be happier with the job. Everyone to doing it way haven't even started yet. But we've had meetings. And you know, we've been working pretty close to get other arm unity during the op suits. And everyone is very energized and excited about the team that we were creating and looking really looking forward to working together to very exciting here and last one for you. I know you're still new to the job. Here s oh, maybe in terms of evaluating each player, haven't gone fully in depth on those yet, But I do want to kind of get your thoughts on some of the guys you might be really looking forward to watching over the next year and for the years to come. Just some of the names that early on have stuck out to you. Anybody that has really stuck out in your mind. You know, Kodiak, It's a great question on and, um, our approach each and everyone of the players in the mileage that were We're looking to maximize their potential, and it's gonna be by taking this approach, there's gonna be kids that come out of nowhere. I really believe that you are. It's so important for us to control what we can control. And when we do that is communication, that carrying about them and given them every single opportunity to improve and get better and being bred next to him all one way even giving him space to fail so that they can so they can learn from you know him and support him through it. But give them that that opportunity to learn how to get through things on their own. It's going to be well thought out that's gonna be extremely holistic. We have so many resource is at our fingertips to help the news players become the best that they can be, and it's so exciting when we have a group of people that there are tapping into that, including everyone in discussions and decisions and truly looking that how do we help this player? And also, how do we help a person an individual be the best that they can be? And that that that's our approach? And we see everyone of use declares That is heaven. I pretended to impact the major league team. Great stuff. Well, David, thanks so much for joining me. I know a lot of Giants fans are very excited to have you back on board, and it sounds like the minor league system is gonna be in very good hands. So, David, hopefully we could talk down the road and take care. Thank you, Cody, any time. And I really appreciate you having me on my thanks once again to David Bell for joining me. And I don't want to say anything in the interviewed and want to make a deal older, anything, but. And do I have a lot of good memories as a kid watching David Bell picket at third base and he's a pretty decent hitter at the plate as well. J T. Snow Jeff can't Rich or Alia David Bell. I'll put that in field amongst almost any in San Francisco Giants history. I know just dropped a bit of a hot take for you at the end of the podcast. Well, that's going to wrap things up for this addition of the can be our minor league podcasts. We'll have a few more offseason additions for you, and then, once the regular season gets going, way will kick into gear as well. Until then, I'm Cody Pass me that will talk to you soon.