San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell still has hard feelings about his time as a Met, yo-yoing between Triple-A Norfolk and the majors.
Heath Bell
Relief Pitcher
San Diego Padres
While discussing the revolving up-and-down career of fellow Padres reliever Adam Russell between the minors and big leagues, Bell noted that his distaste still lingers.
“For me, it was 11 times in ’06, but only nine of them counted,” Bell told the San Diego Union-Tribune, as the Mets prepared to open a three-game series at Petco Park on Monday. “There were a few where I got called up, took batting practice and was told, ‘Oh wait, we’re not activating you.’ Or you get the phone call after you get off the plane and they’re telling you ‘Just wait there.’
“Then there are the times when they told me, ‘Go to the hotel, but we’re not sure you’ll be activated.’ So you go to the bar and there are, like, three of us. There’d be two pitchers and a position player, all three of us waiting to find out if we’re going to be activated.
“One time, (the Mets) had me take batting practice because they weren’t sure another (late addition) was going to show up, then he showed up and they had me clear out my locker for him before he got there.
“That’s why I have a lot of hostility toward my ex-team,” Bell said. “I got told things I found out weren’t true. I wasn’t always hearing the whole story. With Russ, at least they’re saying, ‘Hey, we need a long guy (Sean Gallagher).’ At least here, they’re telling the truth. And we know Russ will be back."