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Derek Bell

Derek Bell
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 93 of 1218 players
Bell
Derek Nathaniel Bell
Born: December 11, 1968 at Tampa, Fla.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 6.02 Weight: 215

Derek Bell was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on June 22, 2004, March 4, 2010, July 3, 2010, March 2, 2014, April 28, 2019, and December 25, 2021.

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First Mets game: March 29, 2000
Last Mets game: October 4, 2000

Share your memories of Derek Bell

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

Won Doney
When the Mets traded Roger Cedeno away, I thought it was going to be one of the many bad trades that have been made in Mets history. I was wrong. Derek Bell has been great since joining the team. They no longer wanted him inn Houston, but I have yet to figure out why. His ability to play the game and his attitude have been much needed. (Just don't have him pitch too often.)

Mr. Sparkle
December 13, 2000
It looks like these comment were written in April. Dereck got out of the gate real quick and looked like a great pick-up but ended up fading fast and really being a drain down the stretch. Best thing to happen to Mets in playoffs was him getting hurt. I liked Dereck because he was a Mets fan growing up and he seemed to love being here but he's just not that good. Very good defensively but way too streaky withthe bat. Hope he enjoys Pittsburgh.

EG
March 18, 2001
Couldn't stand the hip-hop nonsense, or the fact that he compiled all his numbers during only 15% of the season, but........he always played hard, and he always treated the fans well.

Maybe some of you haven't noticed, but that is a rare combination these days.

Mr. Sparkle
March 29, 2001
Rated as the 16th best rightfielder(last in the league) in the NL for the 2001 season according to ESPN.com, one slot behind Timo Perez.

Coach HoJo 20
May 19, 2001
A lackluster waste of space, That basically sums up Derek Bell's career.

Mr. Sparkle
May 29, 2001
Currently stealing $5m a year from the tight wad Pirates of all teams, hitting a wopping .136. What a clown.

Jon
June 4, 2001
Biggest pants in Met history.

Won Doney
October 23, 2001
I thought Derek Bell was a nice guy and everything, but he didn't hit after April.

Jim Snedeker
March 7, 2002
Probably had the nicest smile ever to don a Mets uniform. Sad to see him go.

Mr. Sparkle
March 21, 2002
Ater hitting .173 last year for the Buc-os he now says he didn't know he had to compete for a job in spring training this year and if he's not named starter he is going into "Operation Shutdown"! What a set of cahones on this guy! He's a pisser. If only baseball were like football and you could cut a guy without having to pay the rest of his salary!

Larry Burns
June 17, 2002
This guy is schizophrenic! He came to the Mets as a troubled ballplayer. He begins the year hot and makes a name for himself by chatting with fans between innings, living on a houseboat and being a unique character. Then around July he goes cold and never regains his stroke. He ends up leaving the Mets going to the Pirates, sucking, and then (comically) going into Operation Shutdown. The Pirates released him. One sportswriter had a great comment on his release. He said Derek was a perfect Pirate, he lived on a boat and stole money. This guy is a pistol!

Ventman
July 6, 2002
My ex-gf and I (and some of our friends) were relaxing in Chelsea Pier back in 2000. I looked out at the boats and saw one that I had seen in a Sports Illustrated article the day before. I said "Hey, that looks just like the boat Derek Bell owns. See the number 14?" About 20 seconds later he strolls on by with his buddy and hops aboard. The buddies went over and nervously asked him for his autograph. He smiled and said "sure kid". He even let them take a picture next to the boat.

Later on we walked over to a nearby strip club for goofs, and the girls were telling us how he constantly tries to get them on his boat. Guess I'd do the same thing if I had the bucks. All in all - cool guy until this past year.

Jim
July 7, 2002
I have to agree with an earlier post. Getting Bobby Valentine to dance in the Houston dugout was absolutely hilarious. Not only was it Bell's greatest contribution as a Met, he also made Bobby V prove his worth as a childhood ballroom dancing stud!

Uncle Peanut
August 27, 2002
Two things:

1. Good moustache.

2. As a Pirate he threatened to 'shut it down.' He got $9M from Pittsburgh amazingly. A writer in PA said it best at that point when he indicated that Bell was the perfect Pirate, because he lives on a boat and steals money.

Gregory Gewirtz
March 31, 2003
Someone else described Bell as a "lackluster waste of space," and I agree.

We were forced to take him as part of the Mike Hampton trade, but Bell did nothing that couldn't be reasonably duplicated by dozens of other guys. He had a hot April, and another hot stretch somewhere in June or July, but that was it.

His season-ending injury in Game 1 of the 2000 NLDS at SF was beneficial, and we had the excuse to play the hot Timo Perez in his place.

Scatch
May 29, 2003
Ah yes, the man who wanted to bring hip hop to baseball and wore really big to prove his point. Started out nice and faded quick. Was not sorry to see him go. That whole "Operation Shutdown" business with the Pirates is still pretty funny.

Meredith
June 26, 2003
Hey guys! I am a Mets fan by family, but have the pleasure of knowing D. His younger brother played for a college team that I work for and D would come to any of the games he could without getting in trouble! He would just sit in the dugout and help coach the kids. D is and was a real class act, he never turned any autographs or photographs down and loved to help us distract the other teams by whispering to their people "hey - isnt that Derek Bell sitting over there?"!! He is a great guy - oh and all that money he got for doing nothing? Rest assured he put it to good use - he has donated much of it to our little college and the team as well as area little league teams and Boys and Girls Clubs!

Brooklyn 539er
September 10, 2003
l remember Derek singing and screaming the 4 letter opera at Roger Clemens after he beaned Piazza. lf the Yankee Stadium dugout did not have the protective fence in front of it l'm sure Derek was going to go after Clemens. Now THAT'S a teammate.

Jonathan Stern
February 1, 2006
I remember watching him joyfully crossing home plate during the 1992 World Series and thinking it was neat that a guy my age was in the Fall Classic. Of course, now that I'm a grizzled old vet, the novelty has worn off. I had high hopes for Bell when he got here. He looked like he enjoyed being on the field. But he started off well, gut hurt, and faded in a hurry.

Lee
March 22, 2006
The most exciting player in Mets history. Always had a smile on his face, and he was pretty clutch too. It was painful to watch him go down in the playoffs, but if it didn't happen, Timo Perez doesn't come in and save the day. Still, I love Derek Bell.

Mark
April 28, 2006
Ahhhhh, poor Derek. Busted in Tampa with a crack pipe. Real nice guy.

From Yahoo news (April 20, 2006)

"He was found with a crack pipe in the back seat of his car which was still warm," police spokesman Larry McKinnon said. Bell is also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, McKinnon said. Bell later told police the items were his.

Glad to see he put some of my money (I'm a Pee-Rat fan) to good use. Dollars out of my pocket and into Derek's lawyer's pocket, I reckon. Sad state of affairs.

rob sayegh
December 22, 2006
First off the guy is a genius. I think I will try "Operation Shutdown" on my wife and see if it works!!!! Who could forget BIG PIMPIN down in NYC every time he came to bat?? And the doubleheader sweep agaunst CHI in April 2000 in 44 deg weather???? He lived in Jamaica Bay on that boat "his flo crib" LOL just like in Deuce Bigelow European Gigolo.

Bonbolito
May 20, 2007
George Carlin had a bit about cats not wanting to admit anything. One could try jumping out of a closed window, pretend it was intentional, then scoot behind the couch and go "Meow, @#$^%&!! MEOW". I remember seeing Derek Bell field a ball at Shea once that resulted in him sliding knee first into the concrete & steel edge of the right field stands. He cooly got up and ran into the dugout afterwards. He had to have done the same thing.

Michael
April 10, 2011
One of the great "personalities" of that playoff caliber era Mets seasons. Years later - I still vividly recall waiting for "Big Pimpin" to blast across the PA while attending games or hearing it on the TV when Derek came to bat. It was really hard not to root for him to do well while he was on the Mets. He represents the good parts/memories of those teams to me.

Brandi
September 6, 2013
Derek Bell is a really nice guy. Met him some years back; he is friends with my uncle and has pretty much became a part of my family! My daughter just recently got his autograph.








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