Projo Sox Blog

Minor league fan favorite Bubba Bell, a high-energy outfielder who has a reputation for playing hard to the point of injury, has been called up to Pawtucket to make his Triple-A debut.

Bell was penciled in to play centerfield and hit second for Pawtucket in his Triple-A debut tonight. Bell had five home runs, 20 RBI, eight steals and a .275 average in 211 Double-A at-bats.

Bell is a rare player in that he goes so hard all the time, his coaches have had to tell him to tone it down. He's notorious for flying after balls in the outfield and diving for everything he can get to -- and not coincidentally, he has missed significant time the last two years to injury.

"Bubba's the kind of guy who plays hard. He's actually put himself on the DL sometimes in the past, by selling out on every play, so I'm excited to have him," Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson said.

Bell isn't going to change now.

"That's how I have to play to make my mark. If I stop doing that, I feel like I just become an average player. That's something I have to do -- but at the same time, it does create injuries along with it," he said.

The organization has been on him to achieve a more even-keeled approach to the game, however, particularly in how he governs his emotions at the plate.

"They wanted me to take a good quality effort level to the plate with every at bat. Sometimes I would get a little too overzealous at the plate, try to create way too much, do way too much," Bell said. "That was the biggest thing they wanted... controlling my emotional state during the game, making sure I'm not too high or too low."

Bell was a 39th round pick in the 2005 draft out of Nichols State University. The 26-year-old Texas native

Bell replaces Jonathan Van Every, who was placed on the disabled list for the third time this year after aggravating an earlier knee injury. Bell expects that if he performs, he could stick around and get an extended look at the Triple-A level.

The Pawtucket offense could certainly use a boost. With 61 games in the books, Pawtucket is scoring roughly three runs a game, and the offense needs a jolt.
"If I can provide some kind of spark, I think that'd be great. I'd be more than happy to do it," Bell said.

 Tags  Boston Red Sox Bubba Bell Dan Barbarisi Ron Johnson

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