Derek Nathaniel Bell (born December 11, 1968 in Tampa, Florida) is a former Major League Baseball player. Primarily a right fielder and center fielder, Bell batted from the right side and threw with his right hand. He is 6'2" tall, and during his playing career, he weighed 215 pounds. Austin Kearns, an outfielder, catches a fly ball. ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) East Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Toronto Blue Jays (1977–present) Other nicknames The Jays Ballpark Rogers Centre (1989–present) a. ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Major league affiliations National League (1887–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 20, 21, 33, 40, 42 Name Pittsburgh Pirates (1891–present) Pittsburgh Innocents (1890) Pittsburg Alleghenies (1882–1889) (Also referred to as Infants in 1890) Ballpark PNC Park (2001–present) Three Rivers... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... In Major League Baseball history, Ty Cobb had a record 4,191 hits by 1928; Pete Rose would surpass it 57 years later, and finish with 4,256 career hits. ... In baseball statistics, a run batted in (RBI) is given to a batter for each run scored as the result of a batters plate appearance. ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) East Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Toronto Blue Jays (1977–present) Other nicknames The Jays Ballpark Rogers Centre (1989–present) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1969–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 6, 19, 31, 35, 42 Name San Diego Padres (1969–present) Other nicknames Pads, Friars Ballpark PETCO Park (2004–present) Qualcomm Stadium (1969-2003) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49, 5 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 14, 37, 41, 42 Name New York Mets (1962–present) Other nicknames The Amazin Mets, The Amazins, The Metropolitans, The Kings of Queens Ballpark Shea Stadium (1964–present) Polo Grounds (1962–1963) Major league... Major league affiliations National League (1887–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 20, 21, 33, 40, 42 Name Pittsburgh Pirates (1891–present) Pittsburgh Innocents (1890) Pittsburg Alleghenies (1882–1889) (Also referred to as Infants in 1890) Ballpark PNC Park (2001–present) Three Rivers... The International League (IL) is a minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States and Canada. ... In sports, a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests. ... Baseball America is an alternative Major League Baseball resource, with in-depth coverage of every level of the game and a particular focus on up-and-coming players. ... December 11 is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... MLB and Major Leagues redirect here. ... The position of the right fielder A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in right field (e. ... The position of the center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field - the baseball fielding position between left field and right field (e. ...

Amateur and minor league career

Bell played amateur baseball at C. Leon King High School in Tampa, where he attracted the attention of the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto selected him in the second round of the 1987 June draft, with the 49th overall pick. Bell signed with Toronto, and made his debut that same year in the New York-Penn League. He emerged as a top prospect with the Myrtle Beach Blue Jays the next year, when he was named to the South Atlantic League All-Star team. Bell's .344 batting average earned him the league batting title, and he also displayed substantial power, hitting 29 doubles, five triples, and 12 home runs in only 352 at bats. His success helped him earn a late-season promotion to class AA. C. Leon King High School opened in 1960 with 58 faculty members and 950 students. ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) East Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Toronto Blue Jays (1977–present) Other nicknames The Jays Ballpark Rogers Centre (1989–present) a. ... The New York - Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. ... The Myrtle Beach Blue Jays of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina began play in the South Atlantic League in 1986 after relocated from Florence, South Carolina (Florence Blue Jays). ... The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league which operates mostly in the southeastern United States, although it now has teams in New Jersey and Ohio. ... All-star (also, Allstar or All Star) is a term with meanings in both the worlds of sports and entertainment. ... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... In baseball, a double is the act of a batter safely reaching second base by striking the ball and getting to second before being made out, without the benefit of a fielders misplay (see error) or another runner being put out on a fielders choice. ... In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base by striking the ball and getting to third before being made out, without the benefit of a fielders misplay (see error) or another runner being put out on a fielders choice. ... Mark McGwire swinging for the fences. ... In baseball statistics, an at bat (AB) is used to calculate other data such as batting average. ...

Although he continued to advance, Bell struggled for the next two seasons, batting .242 at AA in 1989 and .261 at AAA the next year, while also drawing walks at an extremely low rate. He was much younger than most players in those leagues, however, placing him at a competitive disadvantage. He re-emerged as a top prospect in 1991 while repeating AAA with the Syracuse Chiefs. That year, Bell batted .346 with 22 doubles, 12 triples, 13 home runs, 57 walks, and 29 stolen bases. Bell made the International League All-Star team and won the IL's Most Valuable Player award, and Baseball America magazine named him the Minor League Player of the Year. The Syracuse SkyChiefs are a minor league baseball team based in Syracuse, New York, once known as simply the Syracuse Chiefs. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Intentional base on balls. ... The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1988. ... The International League (IL) is a minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States and Canada. ... In sports, a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests. ... Baseball America is an alternative Major League Baseball resource, with in-depth coverage of every level of the game and a particular focus on up-and-coming players. ... The Minor League Player of the Year Award is given to an outstanding minor league baseball player by the editors of Baseball America. ...

Major league career

Toronto

Bell made his major league debut on June 28, 1991, starting in left field in a 3-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners.^[1] He appeared in 61 games for the Blue Jays the next year, serving as the team's fourth outfielder as Toronto won its division and advanced to the World Series, ultimately defeating the Atlanta Braves in six games.On Fan Appreciation Day in 1991,the team played a trick on Bell.They gave away his green SUV.The winning seat was Section 123,Row 7,Seat 1. is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) West Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Seattle Mariners (1977–present) Other nicknames The Ms Ballpark Safeco Field (1999–present) King County Domed Stadium (Kingdome) (1977-1999) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) None... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston...

San Diego

Shortly before the beginning of the 1993 season, the Blue Jays traded Bell and Stoney Briggs to the San Diego Padres, in exchange for veteran outfielder Darrin Jackson. It was in San Diego where Bell first established himself as an everyday player. He was still somewhat unrefined as a player, batting .262 and striking out more than five times as often as he walked in 1994, but he also displayed a good base of pure skills by hitting 21 home runs and stealing 26 bases. Major league affiliations National League (1969–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 6, 19, 31, 35, 42 Name San Diego Padres (1969–present) Other nicknames Pads, Friars Ballpark PETCO Park (2004–present) Qualcomm Stadium (1969-2003) a. ... Jackson (right) with Ken Harrelson during a broadcast. ...

Bell improved his batting average to .311 in 1994, despite off-the-field distractions. On April 25, Bell and pitcher Scott Sanders were arrested in New York City before a game against the New York Mets, as police claimed that the pair had offered undercover policewomen $20 in exchange for oral sex.^[2] The charges were ultimately dropped on October 25.^[3] The incident was an embarrassment to the Padres, however, and on December 28, Bell was part of a 12-player trade between the Padres and the Houston Astros. Along with Bell, the Padres sent Doug Brocail, Ricky Gutierrez, Pedro A. Martínez, Phil Plantier, and Craig Shipley to Houston, receiving in return Ken Caminiti, Andujar Cedeno, Steve Finley, Roberto Petagine, Brian Williams, and Sean Fesh. Scott Gerald Sanders (born March 25, 1969 in Hannibal, Missouri) was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played from 1993-99. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 14, 37, 41, 42 Name New York Mets (1962–present) Other nicknames The Amazin Mets, The Amazins, The Metropolitans, The Kings of Queens Ballpark Shea Stadium (1964–present) Polo Grounds (1962–1963) Major league... Oral sex consists of all sexual activities that involve the use of the mouth, which may include use of the tongue, teeth, and throat, to stimulate genitalia. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49, 5 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... Douglas Keith Brocail (born May 16th, 1967 in Clearfield, Pennsylvania) is an American baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres franchise. ... Ricardo Ricky Gutiérrez (born May 23, 1970 in Miami, Florida) is a second baseman who plays with the Boston Red Sox. ... Pedro Martínez Aquino (b. ... Phil Plantier (born January 27, 1969 in Manchester, New Hampshire) is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as an outfielder from 1990-1997. ... Craig Barry Shipley (born January 7, 1963 in Parramatta, Australia) was an Infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1986-87), New York Mets (1989), San Diego Padres (1991-94 and 1996-97), Houston Astros (1995) and Anaheim Angels (1998). ... Kenneth Gene Caminiti (April 21, 1963 – October 10, 2004) was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball. ... Andújar Cedeño Donastorg (August 21, 1969 in La Romana, Dominican Republic – October 28, 2000 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) was a Major League Baseball Shortstop from 1990 to 1996. ... Steven Allen Finley (born March 12, 1965, in Union City, Tennessee) is a Major League Baseball center fielder who bats and throws left-handed. ... Roberto Antonio Petagine (born June 7, 1971 in Nueva Esparta State, Venezuela) is a first baseman in Major League Baseball who has played for the Houston Astros (1994), San Diego Padres (1995), New York Mets (1996-97), Cincinnati Reds (1999), Boston Red Sox (2005), and Seattle Mariners (2006). ... Brian ONeal Williams (born February 15, 1969 in Lancaster, South Carolina) is an American former Major League Baseball player. ...

Houston

Bell went on to enjoy one of the best seasons of his career in 1995. His .334 batting average was the fourth highest in the league, and he drew some consideration in league MVP voting, finishing in fourteenth place with 12 points. As one of "The Killer B's",^[4] Bell would continue as an important part of the ascendant Astros for five seasons, as the team won three straight division championships from 1997-1999. Bell's year-to-year performance varied considerably, but his peak came in 1998. That season, he batted .314 with 41 doubles and 22 home runs, good for an OPS of .855. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... OPS can also refer to a baseball term, On-base plus slugging. ...

1999 was the beginning of the end for Bell in Houston. His performance slipped substantially, and his .236 batting average and .656 OPS made him one of the worst everyday players in the league. He also compounded the problem with his personal behavior, in particular a confrontation with manager Larry Dierker on July 22. Dierker had suffered a near-fatal grand mal seizure in the dugout during a game on June 13, and the July 22 game marked his return from a month-long absence after emergency brain surgery. Bell was upset that Dierker had moved him from second to sixth in the batting order, and after the game, he said, "It's a slap in the face to be dropped to the sixth spot. I'm to the point now that I feel like I'm not wanted."^[5] Many Astros fans were upset that Bell had chosen to criticize Dierker on a day honoring him, and Dierker ultimately pulled Bell from the starting lineup later that season. Lawrence Edward Dierker (born September 22, 1946 in Hollywood, California) is a former pitcher and manager in Major League Baseball who had a 14-year playing career from 1964 to 1977 and a 5-year career leading the Houston Astros from 1997 to 2001. ... This article is about the medical term, epileptic seizure, as distinct from psychogenic non-epileptic seizure. ... Neurosurgery is the surgical discipline focused on treating the central and peripheral nervous system. ...

By now, the Astros viewed Bell as an expensive liability, and on December 23, they traded him and star pitcher Mike Hampton to the New York Mets for Roger Cedeno, Octavio Dotel, and Kyle Kessel. When assembling this trade, the Astros let it be known that they would not trade Hampton unless a trade partner was willing to also take Bell in the deal.^[2] Michael William Hampton (born September 9, 1972 in Brooksville, Florida, USA) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who plays for the Atlanta Braves. ... Roger Leandro Cedeño [ceh-DEH-nyo] (born August 16, 1974 in Valencia, Carabobo State, Venezuela), is a Major League Baseball right fielder and switch-hitter batter who plays for the St. ... Octavio Eduardo Dotel (born November 25, 1973 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a major league pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. ...

New York

Bell was unfazed by the deal. When informed that he'd been traded to the Mets, he said, "Christmas came early for me. I'm very happy. I told my agent I'm going to run, I'm so excited."^[2] With Bell as their starting right fielder, the Mets made the playoffs as the National League Wild Card. On August 22, Bell got the opportunity to pitch the eighth inning of a blowout against the Padres. His first pitch, which Bell described as an "eephus" pitch^[6], was clocked at 47 MPH, and he ultimately surrendered three hits and three walks, giving up four earned runs and one unearned run (resulting from an error by catcher Todd Pratt.^[7] In North American professional sports leagues, the term wild card refers to a team that qualifies for the championship playoffs without winning their specific subdivision (usually called a conference or division) outright. ... Todd Alan Pratt (b. ...

Bell sprained his ankle during the first game of the NLDS, and missed the remainder of the playoffs. The Mets defeated the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS and the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, but were defeated in five games by the New York Yankees in the World Series. Following the 2000 season, Bell's contract with the Mets expired and the team made no effort to retain his services. He later signed a 2-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the offseason, following the World Series. The 2000 National League Division Series (NLDS), the opening round of the 2000 National League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 3, and ended on Sunday, October 8, with the champions of the three NL divisions – along with a wild card team – participating in two best-of-five series. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885–1957) New York Gothams (1883–1885) Other nicknames Jints, Gigantes, G-Men Ballpark AT... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 42, 42, 45, 85 Name St. ... The 2000 National League Championship Series, to determine the champion of Major League Baseballs National League, was played between the Central Division champion St. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... Dates October 21, 2000–October 26, 2000 MVP Derek Jeter (New York Yankees) Television network FOX Announcers Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, and Bob Brenly Umpires Ed Montague, Jerry Crawford, Tim McClelland, Tim Welke, Charlie Reliford, Jeff Kellogg MTA logo for the 2000 Subway Series. ... Major league affiliations National League (1887–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 20, 21, 33, 40, 42 Name Pittsburgh Pirates (1891–present) Pittsburgh Innocents (1890) Pittsburg Alleghenies (1882–1889) (Also referred to as Infants in 1890) Ballpark PNC Park (2001–present) Three Rivers...

Pittsburgh

In spring training 2002, while with the Pirates, Bell, who had hit .173 the previous season, did not feel that he needed to prove he was worthy of a starting job. Also see: 2002 (number). ...

On March 18, Bell told reporters: is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

"Nobody told me I was in competition. If there is competition, somebody better let me know. If there is competition, they better eliminate me out of the race and go ahead and do what they're going to do with me. I ain't never hit in spring training and I never will. If it ain't settled with me out there, then they can trade me. I ain't going out there to hurt myself in spring training battling for a job. If it is [a competition], then I'm going into 'Operation Shutdown.' Tell them exactly what I said. I haven't competed for a job since 1991."

Bell jumped the team on March 29, was released on March 31, and never played in the Majors again. The Pirates ended up paying him $4.5 million not to play for them.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sports columnist Mark Madden summarized the incident with "Derek Bell becomes the ultimate Pirate: Lives on a boat and steals money."^[8]

Alleged drug use

A booking photo of Derek Bell, taken after his 2006 arrest for possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

On April 20, 2006, Derek Bell was charged with felony cocaine possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, after police found a warm crack pipe in the back seat of his car during a traffic stop.^[9] Image File history File links DerekBell_BookingPhoto. ... Image File history File links DerekBell_BookingPhoto. ... Al Capone. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Top 500 home run hitters of all time

In the sport of baseball, a home run is the act of hitting the ball in such a manner, whether out of the park or in (see inside the park home run), that allows the batter to safely reach home and score in one play. ...

External links

• Career Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com

References

1. ^ 06/28/91 Box Score, Retrosheet.org
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Mets acquire Hampton, Bell from Astros for Cedeno, Dotel", Associated Press, published December 24, 1999, accessed April 25, 2006
3. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASEBALL; Padres Are Cleared", The New York Times, published October 25, 1994, accessed April 25, 2006.
4. ^ "Chris Burke is the latest 'Killer B'", mlb.com, published October 14, 2005, accessed April 25, 2006.
5. ^ Dierker wins in return as Bell sounds off", Associated Press, published July 22, 1999, accessed April 25, 2004.
6. ^ "Derek Bell's "eephus" pitch", ESPN
7. ^ "08/22/05 Box Score", Retrosheet.org
8. ^ Madden, Mark. "Madden: Baker's son gives us a Series moment", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved on 2007-02-22. 
9. ^ "Derek Bell charged with cocaine possession", Associated Press, April 20, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-02-22.  Link goes to ESPN.