page_title: Heath Bell
section_title: Miami Marlins
hierarchical_section_title: Heath Bell / Professional career / Miami Marlins
caption_attribution_description: English: Heath Bell
context_page_description: Heath Justin Bell is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. As a closer with the San Diego Padres from 2009 to 2011, Bell was a three-time All-Star and twice won the Rolaids Relief Man Award. He was also awarded the DHL Delivery Man of the Year Award and The Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award.
  Bell played multiple sports, including baseball, in high school. He moved on to community college, where he was an All-American. He began his professional career with the New York Mets, making his major league debut in 2004, and spending three seasons at both the minor and major league levels. In 2007, he was traded to San Diego, where he was a setup man before replacing Trevor Hoffman as the Padres' closer. From 2010 through 2011, Bell successfully converted 41 straight save opportunities, which tied Hoffman's team record. A free agent after the 2011 season, he signed with the Miami Marlins, and later played with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays. He retired before the 2015 season.
context_section_description: On December 5, 2011, Bell signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Miami Marlins. He was temporarily demoted from the closer role in May after beginning the 2012 season blowing four of his first seven save opportunities with an 0–3 record and an 11.42 ERA in 11 games. Bell said he had been battling an undisclosed personal issue, and he felt "completely lost" in Miami being apart from his family.
  On May 11, 2012, Marlins manager Ozzie Guillén placed Bell back to the closer role,  and his ERA dropped below 10.00 later that month. He was again demoted after the All-Star break, when he was 2-5 with a 6.75 ERA and six blown saves in 25 opportunities, and Steve Cishek assumed the closer role. Late in the season, a rift between Bell and Guillen developed with each proclaiming waning respect for one another. Bell acknowledged his teammates likely lost respect for him after the incident. Bell had an 0.69 ERA over his last 13 appearances before blowing a 3–0 lead in the eighth inning in his last game of the year. He ended the season 4–5 with a 5.09 ERA and 19-for-27 in save chances.
caption: Bell pitching for the Miami Marlins in 2012
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