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Photo: Paul Buckowski, Albany Times Union
Tri-City ValleyCats manager Jason Bell, right, talks with player Kyle Davis during their exhibition game against the Albany Dutchmen on Wednesday, June 13, 2108, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Tri-City ValleyCats manager Jason Bell, right, talks with player Kyle Davis during their exhibition game against the Albany Dutchmen on Wednesday, June 13, 2108, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Photo: Paul Buckowski, Albany Times Union
Tri-City ValleyCats manager Jason Bell, left, talks with player Oscar Campos during their exhibition game against the Albany Dutchmen on Wednesday, June 13, 2108, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Tri-City ValleyCats manager Jason Bell, left, talks with player Oscar Campos during their exhibition game against the Albany Dutchmen on Wednesday, June 13, 2108, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Photo: Paul Buckowski, Albany Times Union
Area school children and some adults make their way into Joe Bruno Stadium in the rain for an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
lessArea school children and some adults make their way into Joe Bruno Stadium in the rain for an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in
... more
Juan Pineda of the Tri-City ValleyCats catches a hit ball by a Albany Dutchmen player during their exhibition game against the Albany Dutchmen on Wednesday, June 13, 2108, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
lessJuan Pineda of the Tri-City ValleyCats catches a hit ball by a Albany Dutchmen player during their exhibition game against the Albany Dutchmen on Wednesday, June 13, 2108, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times
... more
Bryan Abreu of the Tri-City ValleyCats delivers a pitch in their exhibition game against the Albany Dutchmen on Wednesday, June 13, 2108, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Bryan Abreu of the Tri-City ValleyCats delivers a pitch in their exhibition game against the Albany Dutchmen on Wednesday, June 13, 2108, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Photo: Paul Buckowski, Albany Times Union
Area school children and some adults make their way into Joe Bruno Stadium in the rain for an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
lessArea school children and some adults make their way into Joe Bruno Stadium in the rain for an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in
... more
Area school children and some adults make their way into Joe Bruno Stadium in the rain for an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
lessArea school children and some adults make their way into Joe Bruno Stadium in the rain for an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in
... more
Area school children and some adults make their way into Joe Bruno Stadium in the rain for an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
lessArea school children and some adults make their way into Joe Bruno Stadium in the rain for an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in
... more
Area school children and some adults watch an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Area school children and some adults watch an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Photo: Paul Buckowski, Albany Times Union
Area school children and some adults watch from behind the Tri-City ValleyCats dugout an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
lessArea school children and some adults watch from behind the Tri-City ValleyCats dugout an exhibition baseball game between the Tri-City ValleyCats and the Albany Dutchmen on
Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in
... more
ValleyCats' Bell makes managerial debut on Friday
Troy
Life comes at you fast when you’re a minor-league baseball manager.
When the Houston Astros named 27-year-old Jason Bell to lead the Tri-City ValleyCats in January, Bell was the youngest manager in the country among 160 affiliated minor-league franchises.
Five months later, he’s not even the youngest in the New York-Penn League. That distinction belongs to Hudson Valley’s Blake Butera, 25, whom the Tampa Bay Rays chose to guide the Renegades in March.
That didn’t stop Bell, who now ranks second in the nation, from getting several questions about his youth when the ValleyCats met the media on Wednesday. He'll make his managerial debut against the Vermont Lake Monsters at Bruno Stadium on Friday night.
“I think that age is important, but it’s different to different types of people,’’ Bell said. “I know there’s a lot of great coaches that’s probably even younger than me. So I think it’s something that people talk about a lot, but I don’t like to put myself as a 27-year-old. I just like to see myself as somebody who really cares about the players and my goal is for them to reach their goals.”
Bell pointed to football and Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay, who at age 31 guided his team to the NFL playoffs last season.
Bell turns 28 on July 12. He’s in his second year in the Astros’ organization after spending last year as a player development coach with the Quad Cities River Bandits, who won the Midwest League championship.
Astros farm director Pete Putila said that year was invaluable for Bell when the organization decided to give him his first managerial shot.
“After the experience he got last year, working as a development coach, he was exposed to all of the areas, not just managerial duties,’’ Putila said. “We felt like that was a good opportunity to get somebody into the managerial role who had been through that experience.”
Bell is a strong proponent of the Astros’ analytic, data-driven approach to baseball and said it’s his job to convey that knowledge to his players, many of whom have just come out of the draft.
“I’m a huge fan of all the numbers,’’ Bell said. “It’s awesome as we get players right away because they may not understand some of the numbers that we’re trying to push. I’m kind of like the translator. How do we take these analytics and develop the players without overwhelming them and adjusting? My big this season is to explain to everybody the ‘why.’ Explain to all of our players why we are doing something instead of just telling them.”
To that end, Bell said his own youth could be an advantage, not a detriment, in relating to his players. He’s only a few years removed from his playing days as a pitcher for St. Louis University and Central Missouri.
“Since I’m similar to them in age, I can relate to where maybe their minds are at with some of the numbers,’’ Bell said. “I once was in their shoes, too, as far as not having any evidence of why somebody does something, why we should go from first to third on a single or second to home. I try to put myself in their shoes and create a plan on how we can truly develop them through those numbers.”
Bell said he also wants to make the game fun for his players. He’ll go into the clubhouse and put on some Spanish-language music for his Latin players and dance to it a bit to loosen the atmosphere.
“Sometimes it feels like a lot of pressure, and it is, but if you really feel it too much, it can overtake you,’’ Bell said. “I’ll get on them for (not) hustling on and off the field, but if that’s all you do and you don’t gain their respect and trust, it’s a tougher sell.”
ValleyCats infielder Kyle Davis played for Bell during the Astros’ extended spring training in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Davis, who had a double and triple in Tri-City’s 6-1 exhibition win over the Albany Dutchmen on Wednesday, said he’s excited Bell is getting this opportunity in Tri-City.
“He brings a ton of energy, ton of knowledge,’’ Davis said. “Always loose, always cool. He treats everybody the same. He expects the best out of you, too, which is awesome, and if you’re not giving your best, he’ll get on you.”
msingelais@timesunion.com ■ 518-454-5509 ■ @MarkSingelais
https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/ValleyCats-Bell-makes-managerial-debut-on-Friday-12991875.php
