By Kevin Gorman
February 19, 2018
(Christopher Horner/Tribune-Review)
BRADENTON, Fla. — By the time the Pirates officially opened spring training Monday, Josh Bell already was well into his daily routine at Pirate City.
Bell has been here for weeks, long before other veteran positions reported and even before the pitchers and catchers arrived.
Quietly, Bell is going about his business with the intention to improve upon a season in which he set an NL record for most home runs (26) by a switch-hitting rookie and finished third in NL rookie of the year voting.
"To each their own," Bell said. "A lot of guys have more comfortability in their late-slated slot than I have in years past, so I try to shake the cobwebs off early. Some guys don't need that. Some guys can roll out of bed and be ready for games. I just want to make sure."
Don't think for a second that Bell's work ethic has gone unnoticed by the Pirates' front office and coaching staff, who are as impressed by his dedication and drive as they are by his immense talent.
"Josh is one of the young, potential leaders of this group," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. "He had a great rookie season, and instead of taking a deep breath and saying, 'I've got this thing figure out,' he wants to go to the next level.
"He wants to get that much better defensively at first base and wants to become that much more of a dangerous hitter in the batter's box. We've worked to get him back to the hitter that he's capable of being with the power that he has, and he's got a chance to be a really good player for a long time."
Perhaps the Pirates' best since a guy they called Pops.
Bell, 25, is a candidate to become the Pirates' first All-Star first baseman since Jason Thompson, who hit 31 home runs with 101 RBIs in 1982. But Bell has the potential to be the club's best first baseman/cleanup hitter since the late, great Willie Stargell.
That would have been a stretch to say at this time last year. Bell underwent surgery on his left knee last February, and Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said the club "had to pump the air brakes a couple times" on Bell during spring training.
"It was a challenge," Hurdle said.
Bell still wasn't 100 percent at the start of the season, and it showed at the plate: He hit .138 through the first 10 games, didn't cross the Mendoza Line until the 14th game but finished with a .255 average and 90 RBIs.
That motivated Bell to get a head start this spring, so he attended mini-camp last month and has been working out at Pirate City since Feb. 4. He has adjusted to the team's schedule and got a head start his routine.
"Especially the start I had last year, it's not something I'm proud of," Bell said. "Getting on the field and getting comfortable hopefully lays the foundation for a good start."
Where Bell went into last season as an unproven player in the field and in the batting order, the Pirates now know they are set at both first base and the cleanup spot.
They are counting on him to be a cornerstone in the foundation of their future, possibly the next face of their franchise now that Andrew McCutchen is gone.
That Bell is avoiding such hyperbole is a sign of his maturity. So is his early arrival and understanding of how to prepare. Bell has shown leadership by bonding with third baseman Colin Moran, prompting Huntington to say, "If we get those two to do what they're capable of, we're going to have a chance to have a lot of fun on those corners for years."
The best part? Bell is a work in progress.
"There's still room for growth," All-Star second baseman Josh Harrison said. "You can definitely see the promise there, as long as he keeps at it. And, knowing him, I know he will."
Like someone shooting toward stardom.
Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at kgorman@tribweb.com or via Twitter @KGorman_Trib.
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