Reds Pass Over Jim Riggleman In Favor of David Bell as New Skipper

The Cincinnati Reds will announce David Bell as their next manager tomorrow morning. Bell was chosen over several candidates including Jim Riggleman who took over the club on April 20th after a 3-15 start under Bryan Price.

For a time, the Reds played .500 ball under Riggleman. By the end of July, the Reds were 45-44 under Riggleman's stewardship. However, the Reds fell under water during August and September for a combined 19-36 record. The Reds finished the season with a 67-95 record, 28.5 games back of the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers. So the Reds decided to go into another direction.

Like many clubs, the Reds have decided to go with a first time major league manager. But Bell is no stranger to the Reds or to baseball. Like New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, Bell is a third generation player. He is the son of All-Star third baseman Buddy Bell and the grandson of outfielder Gus Bell, both of whom played for the Reds as did his younger brother Mike Bell. Unlike his father, grandfather and younger brother, David Bell who played 12 big league seasons with six teams never wore a Reds uniform but managed in their minor league system from 2009 through 2012. Bell was part of the Chicago Cubs coaching staff in 2013 and the St. Louis Cardinals coaching staff from 2014-2017 before joining the San Francisco Giants as Vice-President for Player Development this past season. He was also consideration for managerial vacancies with both the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays. Bell's father was also a big league manager for parts of nine seasons with the Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals, but had only one winning season. Will the younger Bell be more successful in the dugout?

Bell will have a quite a task in front of him. He inherits a decent offense and poor pitching. Their .254 team average was tied for fourth in the NL while their 4.63 team ERA was better only than the Miami Marlins. Joey Votto had a down season, but third baseman Eugenio Suarez went north of 30 HR and 100 RBI for the first time in his career while Scooter Gennett has gone from journeyman player to bonafide slugger. The Reds have an underrated closer in Rasiel Iglesias and a good setup man in Jared Hughes, but their starting rotation must improve to be competitive. Luis Castillo led the staff with 10 wins. Perhaps Sal Romano, Anthony DeScalfini and Tyler Mahle will have career years in 2019 and perhaps Matt Harvey will experience a renaissance. But the Reds will need at least one more viable starter. Could it be that ex-Yankee Sonny Gray sees brighter days in Cincinnati?

On the other hand, the Reds probably know they aren't ready to win now as they have signed Bell to a contract through 2021. But Bell knows better than anyone that baseball is always filled with surprises.