Jay Bell: Short Time Mets Infielder Who Scored the Winning Run of the 2001 World Series (2003)
Jay Stuart Bell was born on December 11th 1965 in Pensacola Florida. The slim six foot Jay Bell was an outstanding shortstop prospect getting drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Twins (8th pick overall) in 1984. A year later he was sent to the Cleveland Indians for Bert Blyleven. He made it to the Indians big league club by 1986 but there wasn't much room for him with Julio Franco playing short stop having some big years.
In 1989 he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a steal of deal for the Steel City. He played there seven years getting to three straight post seasons (1990-1992) losing each time in the NLCS. He would lead all NL short stops in fielding twice, put outs three times assists & games played five times each. He would win a Gold Glove in 1993 & make his first All Star team that year as well. He hit a career best .310 that season with 9 HRs 32 doubles 51 RBIs & a .391 on base %.
As the era of inflated stats began Bell also saw an increase in his numbers. In 1997 he hit 21 HRs with 28 doubles 92 RBIs and a .291 batting average. After one year in K.C. he signed as a free agent with the Arizona Diamond Backs.
He hit 38 HRs with 32 doubles 112 RBIs a .289 average & a .374 on base %. He hit .286 with three RBIs in the NLCS against the New York Mets. He never matched those numbers again, in 2001 he hit .249 with 13 HRs 24 doubles & 46 RBIs as Arizona went all the way to an improbable World Series win.
2001 Post Season: By this point in his career he was sharing time with Craig Counsel & Junior Spivey. He saw action in three post season games but they were certainly memorable. He was 1-4 in the NLDS against St. Louis & then 0-4 against the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS. He then saw action in three games of the World Series & was in the center of action for the most memorable moment in D-backs history. In Game #6 of the 2001 World Series, Bell got the start and had two hits with an RBI in the Diamond Backs 15-2 victory. In the classic Game #7, Bell pinch hit for pitcher Randy Johnson in the 9th inning with two men on base. He sacraficed but the runner was forced at third base as he reached first safely.
After Tony Womack doubled to tie the game, Bell was on third base when Luis Gonzales hit his famous bloop single to centerfield. Bell ran in from third base & scored the game winning walk off run off Mariano Rivera. The D-backs won the World Series as Bell came home clapping his hands & jumping in joy.
He played one more year in Arizona enjoying the Championship reign, then signed on with the New York Mets for 2003, his final season.
Defensively at short stop he posted a career .975 fielding % (44th all time) with 2309 put outs (81st all time) 4595 assists (62nd all time) playing in 1515 games (63rd most all time).
Retirement: Bell coached Team USA in the 2010 & 2011 Pan American games, as well as the 2011 Baseball World Cup. He then worked for the AA Mobile Bay Bears as hitting coach in the D-backs organization later that year.
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