Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen is leaning toward giving Heath Bell another shot as the club's closer, wrote MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. Bell struggled early on in the role, blowing three saves in April, one in May, and another two in July, and posting a 5.36 ERA on the season, before the Marlins gave the ball in the ninth inning to Steve Cishek. Cishek has been closing for most of the second half. He's got seven saves and an impressive 1.74 ERA
Bell, signed to a three-year, $27-million deal in December as part of the Marlins' free agency shopping spree, has been excellent over his last 10 outings: he's pitched nine innings and allowed no earned runs and only three hits. He's struck out eight and walked three.
Here's what Ozzie Guillen had to say, via The Associated Press:
"[Bell] should be there. And I don't make that decision for him. He makes that decision for himself. He should be there. Now I think he's back where he was, or what he is, and we're going to give him another opportunity. I think Heath Bell - I said from the beginning - we were a better ballclub when he was closing. That's his job. Right now he's pitched good enough to get back to the closing role."
Finally, about Bell, the "Mets would be wise to re-visit the pre-deadline talk of a trade of Jason Bay to the Marlins in exchange for Heath Bell and John Buck," wrote CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman, as all three players could benefit from a change of scenery.
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