As they await to make significant on-field improvements, the Blue Jays have loaded up on front-office talent, hiring David Bell as the team’s new vice-president of baseball operations and assistant general manager.
According to the team, which dropped the news Friday evening, Bell will oversee the player development and physical and mental performance departments. As well, he’ll contribute to what the team describes as “major league strategic planning decisions.”
Most of Bell’s recent experience is more hands on, game-related. He spent most of the previous six seasons as manager of the Cincinnati Reds before being fired by the club in September. Prior to that assignment, he spent a decade working in various coaching and player development roles with the Reds, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants organizations.
In his six seasons as manager with the Reds, the team posted a 409-456 record. Before landing in that job with the Reds, Bell had been interviewed for the Jays managerial spot that eventually went to Charlie Montoyo.
A Cincinnati native, Bell had a 17-year pro career as an infielder, including a stint with the Buffalo Bisons in 1995.
The hiring comes as baseball’s free-agent period heats up and three weeks before the Winter Meetings which will be held in Dallas from Dec. 9-12.