Bell a peculiar choice for Royals
By Ken Rosenthal - SportingNews
Buddy Bell is a curious choice to manage the Royals.
Curious, because Bell was fired by the Tigers after growing frustrated in a low-payroll situation and engaging in a personality conflict with general manager Randy Smith.
Curious, because Bell reacted in similar fashion when his next team, the Rockies, went backwards, leading to a breakdown in communication with G.M. Dan O'Dowd and another dismissal.
Bell, 53, played 18 seasons in the majors and was on five All-Star teams. Royals G.M. Allard Baird -- like Smith and O'Dowd -- never played professional baseball, a natural source of tension. None of the three has been a successful G.M.
This is a manager who is going to be patient in a situation as bleak as Kansas City's?
Bell's most recent boss, Indians G.M. Mark Shapiro, says yes -- and Shapiro didn't play professional baseball, either.
"He was one of the most patient guys we had," says Shapiro of Bell, who had been the Indians' bench coach since 2003. "He's coming off a rebuilding program here -- his expectations are in line with what is going on there.
"We involved him in every aspect. He's a strong personality, but strong in a positive way. He was a force in helping us make good decisions, a leader in our organization on every level.
"He was respected and liked by every player. And he played a huge role for (manager) Eric (Wedge). He was a guy who advised him and challenged him."
Still, many scouts and executives believe that the Royals should have allowed interim manager Bob Schaefer to finish the season. The team then could have chosen from an even larger pool of candidates in the offseason -- or perhaps kept Schaefer, a respected baseball lifer.
There simply was no need to rush, and Baird will have a difficult time explaining this decision to his increasingly restless fan base.
Other candidates -- Art Howe, Jerry Narron, Jerry Manuel -- seemed to fit the Royals' need for a patient, teaching manager. Grady Little, perhaps the best choice of all, did not even get an interview.
Bell had one winning record in five full seasons with the Tigers and Rockies -- his first season with the Rockies, when the team finished 82-80, improving by 10 games. He's a good baseball man, and may prove to be a decent choice, if he has learned from his experiences.
Shapiro doesn't think it will be a problem. But it's tough to bet on anything with the Royals.
By Ken Rosenthal - SportingNews
Buddy Bell is a curious choice to manage the Royals.
Curious, because Bell was fired by the Tigers after growing frustrated in a low-payroll situation and engaging in a personality conflict with general manager Randy Smith.
Curious, because Bell reacted in similar fashion when his next team, the Rockies, went backwards, leading to a breakdown in communication with G.M. Dan O'Dowd and another dismissal.
Bell, 53, played 18 seasons in the majors and was on five All-Star teams. Royals G.M. Allard Baird -- like Smith and O'Dowd -- never played professional baseball, a natural source of tension. None of the three has been a successful G.M.
This is a manager who is going to be patient in a situation as bleak as Kansas City's?
Bell's most recent boss, Indians G.M. Mark Shapiro, says yes -- and Shapiro didn't play professional baseball, either.
"He was one of the most patient guys we had," says Shapiro of Bell, who had been the Indians' bench coach since 2003. "He's coming off a rebuilding program here -- his expectations are in line with what is going on there.
"We involved him in every aspect. He's a strong personality, but strong in a positive way. He was a force in helping us make good decisions, a leader in our organization on every level.
"He was respected and liked by every player. And he played a huge role for (manager) Eric (Wedge). He was a guy who advised him and challenged him."
Still, many scouts and executives believe that the Royals should have allowed interim manager Bob Schaefer to finish the season. The team then could have chosen from an even larger pool of candidates in the offseason -- or perhaps kept Schaefer, a respected baseball lifer.
There simply was no need to rush, and Baird will have a difficult time explaining this decision to his increasingly restless fan base.
Other candidates -- Art Howe, Jerry Narron, Jerry Manuel -- seemed to fit the Royals' need for a patient, teaching manager. Grady Little, perhaps the best choice of all, did not even get an interview.
Bell had one winning record in five full seasons with the Tigers and Rockies -- his first season with the Rockies, when the team finished 82-80, improving by 10 games. He's a good baseball man, and may prove to be a decent choice, if he has learned from his experiences.
Shapiro doesn't think it will be a problem. But it's tough to bet on anything with the Royals.
