PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Bell can finally feel at home, because he finally has a place in the Valley to call home.
“It’s been great,” said Bell. "Obviously, it's been a lot of fun at the field. Just getting settled away from the field. Finally moved into a place so starting to feel more like home. I was in a hotel for like a month straight, so it kind of felt like an insane asylum. But finally, could kick my feet up and relax a little bit.”
Since being traded to the D-backs at the deadline in late July, Bell has become the team’s "Mr. Consistent." He was brought in to fill the void when starting first baseball Christian Walker went down with an injury.
The D-backs knew Bell could play. He had been crushing the baseball since the All-Star break, but Bell’s play has helped this team not miss a beat.
“Knew the scenario heading over here. I just told the guys, 'Hey, I'll hold the fort down until Walker gets back, see what we can do,'" Bell said. "And we've been on a pretty incredible stretch since.”
His professionalism is contagious inside the clubhouse. Bell is also one of the loudest cheerleaders on the bench.
“That was one thing that one of my coaches in the minor leagues taught me. If you're ever struggling, make sure that you're the loudest in the dugout, because that's the best way to get out of it. Get out of your own head," Bell said. "You're not thinking about your swing, your last setback, you're staying focused in the moment. Focus on what's going on in the field and trying to be a good teammate for your guys.”
It's that mindset that helps keep Bell — as his teammates describe him — cool, calm and collected.
Bell was a second-round pick out of high school in 2011 and an All-Star with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019. Even though he found a lot of success early on in his career, Bell has been traded at the deadline each of the past three seasons.
“It felt like just the game that I know. There are times where I felt like I was on top of the world and I was never going to make another out. Times that you have to work your way back. I think baseball was a good teacher for me," Bell said. "You're never going to feel like 1,000% wire to wire. But if you can focus in and do what you need to do, at the end of the season, the numbers will speak for itself. You got to keep grinding, keep trying to do what works, and in the end, it'll all work out.”
Bell has made such an impression that manager Torey Lovullo told 12Sports that even when Walker returns soon, he’s going to have to find playing time for Bell.
"Bell is very balanced,” said Lovullo. “I've had a chance to get to know him for about a month now. He is very quiet and very humble. He is a great teammate. He cheers on his teammates, and he innately wants to stay to himself until he goes up there ready to do damage and help his team win the game.
(When Walker comes back) he will play against every left-handed pitcher, that's for sure. Then will face select, right-handed pitchers. He is not going to go back to the bench."
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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