The word last week was that Heath Bell(notes) wanted to sign with a West Coast team, though there were two teams on the East Coast that interested the former San Diego Padres closer: the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox. The Phils took themselves out of any Bell bidding by signing former Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon(notes).

So it’s looking pretty good for a team out West to snag Bell, though the Padres are “not too optimistic” that Bell will re-sign there, according to SI.com.

The 34-year-old Bell has a two-year offer from San Diego, but SI points out that he can likely get three years and $30 million from another team.

Bell has saved 132 games for the Padres in the last three seasons. He’s also blown 14 chances in that time. This past season, he had 43 saves, 51 strikeouts, and a 2.44 ERA for a team that only won 71 games.

Find out before your friends. Follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook.

Source: SI.com

Related: Heath Bell, Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres

	   2011-- David Freese(notes), St. Louis Cardinals
	   2010-- Cody Ross(notes), San Francisco Giants
	   2009-- Ryan Howard(notes), Philadelphia Phillies
	   2008-- Cole Hamels(notes), Philadelphia Phillies
	   2007-- Matt Holliday(notes), Colorado Rockies
	   2006-- Jeff Suppan(notes), St. Louis Cardinals
	   2005-- Roy Oswalt(notes), Houston Astros
	   2004-- Albert Pujols(notes), St. Louis Cardinals
	   2003-- Ivan Rodriguez(notes), Florida Marlins
	   2002-- Benito Santiago, San Francisco Giants
	   2001-- Craig Counsell(notes), Arizona Diamondbacks
	   2000-- Mike Hampton(notes), New York Mets
	   1999-- Eddie Perez, Atlanta Braves
	   1998-- Sterling Hitchcock, San Diego Padres
	   1997-- Livan Hernandez(notes), Florida Marlins
	   1996-- Javy Lopez, Atlanta Braves
	   1995-- Mike Devereaux, Atlanta Braves
	   1994-- strike
	   1993-- Curt Schilling, Philadelphia Phillies
	   1992-- John Smoltz(notes), Atlanta Braves
	   1991-- Steve Avery, Atlanta Braves
	   1990-- Rob Dibble and Randy Myers, Cincinnati Reds
	   1989-- Will Clark, San Francisco Giants
	   1988-- Orel Hershiser, Los Angeles Dodgers
	   1987-- Jeffrey Leonard, San Francisco Giants
	   1986-- Mike Scott, Houston Astros
	   1985-- Ozzie Smith, St. Louis Cardinals
	   1984-- Steve Garvey, San Diego Padres
	   1983-- Gary Matthews, Philadelphia Phillies
	   1982-- Darrell Porter, St. Louis Cardinals
	   1981-- Burt Hooton, Los Angeles Dodgers
	   1980-- Manny Trillo, Philadelphia Phillies
	   1979-- Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates
	   1978-- Steve Garvey, Los Angeles Dodgers
	   1977-- Dusty Baker, Los Angeles Dodgers

CBSSports.com wire reports
July 25, 2011

PHILADELPHIA — Chris Denorfia robbed a home run in one game and stole home in the next.

Denorfia sparked San Diego with its first steal of home since 2005. It had only seemed that long since the Padres were able to defeat Philadelphia.

Aaron Harang outpitched Cliff Lee, Denorfia stole home and the San Diego Padres beat the Philadelphia Phillies for the first time in more than a year, 5-4 on Monday.

Harang (9-2) gave up four runs in six innings to help the Padres avoid a four-game sweep and defeat the Phillies for the first time since June 7, 2010. The Phillies had beaten the Padres 10 straight times, their second-longest streak against them since winning 11 from 2004-06.

Lee (9-7) lasted only four innings, his second-shortest outing of the season. He allowed 10 hits, five runs and made a pickoff blunder that allowed Denorfia to steal home.

His soft toss to first gave Denorfia the opening he needed to bolt from third and give the Padres a 3-1 lead.

“I started to walk and when it looked like a pick, I took off,” Denorfia said.

Heath Bell pitched the ninth for his 29th save. Domonic Brown opened the ninth with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice. Ross Gload, who leads the majors with 13 pinch hits, struck out swinging on a 95 mph fastball. Bell retired Jimmy Rollins on a flyout to save it for Harang.

Harang improved to 4-0 with 2.17 ERA over his last nine starts.

“He kept us in the game and our hitters did a good job,” Padres manager Bud Black said.

Not Lee.

After the Phillies staked Lee to a 1-0 lead, he unraveled in the second. Lee, who had allowed only three runs over 14 innings in his last two starts, gave up four in the inning.

Jesus Guzman led off the inning with a double and scored on Rob Johnson’s tying double. Johnson came around on Denorfia’s single to left. Denorfia advanced to second on the throw home, stole third, then scored when Lee attempted to pick off Jason Bartlett at first. Chase Headley’s RBI double to center made it 4-1 and the Phillies couldn’t recover.

Lee said he soft-tossed to first because he saw Bartlett wasn’t trying to steal. His rare mental mistake was all Denorfia needed to become the first Padre to steal home since Mark Sweeney on July 6, 2005.

“That’s the first time that’s ever happened,” Lee said. “I didn’t even consider that as a possibility right there. Next time I’m in that situation, I need to make a more firm throw to first and not allow that to happen.”

Denorfia’s steal came a day after he sprinted with his back to home plate, twisted his body at the last second and extended his arm over the short wall to rob Raul Ibanez.

The Phillies held a Christmas in July promotion and fans brought signs that read “Merry Cliff-Mas.” There was little good cheer after Ryan Ludwick’s sacrifice fly made it 5-1.

The Padres, in last place in the NL West, snapped a three-game losing streak. They did it without getting a hit after the fifth inning.

The loss appeared to be just a minor blip for the Phillies. They open a three-game series Tuesday at home with defending World Series champion San Francisco. The Giants eliminated the Phillies in last year’s NL championship series.

“I don’t walk around saying I want revenge on these guys,” Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino said. “Revenge would be bringing the trophy back to Philly.”

There’s plenty of time for that, and the Phillies should have a familiar arm in the bullpen to help them chase the championships.

Philadelphia’s highlight came in the seventh when former closer Brad Lidge made his season debut. Lidge had been out with a partially torn rotator cuff. He threw 11 pitches in a scoreless inning of work and received a standing ovation as he left the mound. Lidge will forever be remembered in Philadelphia for going 48 for 48 save opportunities in 2008 when he led the Phillies to the World Series championship.

The Phillies squandered two big scoring chances that could have led to a sweep.

In the eighth, Victorino was stranded on third after a two-out triple. And Ryan Howard was easily thrown out at home on Victorino’s two-out double off the right-field wall in the first.

Brown’s first career triple and Carlos Ruiz’s run-scoring single in the fourth off Harang cut it to 5-3. Ibanez added an RBI single in the sixth.

Denorfia collided with right fielder Ludwick on Brown’s hit and both fielders were down as the ball scooted away. Denorfia’s left shoulder crashed into Ludwick’s head. The team trainer and Black both visited their shaken-up outfielders. Ludwick left the game in the sixth. Denorfia moved to right and Will Venable took over in center.

“I was a little bit woozy, but my body parts were OK,” Ludwick said.

Notes

• Phillies All-Star 3B Placido Polanco (back) said he hoped to play two rehab games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley and return to the lineup Saturday.
• Phillies RHP Jose Contreras (mild right forearm strain) is set for a PRP (platelet- rich plasma) injection soon.
• RHP Joe Blanton (elbow) is set for an exam on Tuesday.
• The Padres finished 4-3 on their road trip.
• The Padres have stolen a base in every game since July 10, a stretch of 12 straight games.

PHILADELPHIA Aaron Harang outpitched Cliff Lee, Chris Denorfia stole home and the San Diego Padres beat the Philadelphia Phillies for the first time in more than a year, 5-4 on Monday.

Harang (9-2) gave up four runs in six innings to help the Padres avoid a four-game sweep and defeat the Phillies for the first time since June 7, 2010. The Phillies had beaten the Padres 10 straight times, their second-longest streak against them since winning 11 from 2004-06.

Lee (9-7) lasted only four innings, his second-shortest outing of the season. He allowed 10 hits, five runs and made a pickoff blunder that allowed Denorfia to steal home.

His soft toss to first gave Denorfia the opening he needed to bolt from third and give the Padres a 3-1 lead.

The Associated Press

Aaron Harang outpitched Cliff Lee, Chris Denorfia stole home and the San Diego Padres beat the Philadelphia Phillies for the first time in more than a year, 5-4 this afternoon.

Harang (9-2) gave up four runs in six innings to help the Padres avoid a four-game sweep and defeat the Phillies for the first time since June 7, 2010. The Phillies had beaten the Padres 10 straight times, their second-longest streak against them since winning 11 from 2004-06.

Lee (9-7) lasted only four innings, his second-shortest outing of the season. He allowed 10 hits, five runs and made a pickoff blunder that allowed Denorfia to steal home.

His soft toss to first gave Denorfia the opening he needed to bolt from third and give the Padres a 3-1 lead.

CBSSports.com wire reports
July 25, 2011

PHILADELPHIA — Chris Denorfia robbed a home run in one game and stole home in the next.

Denorfia sparked San Diego with its first steal of home since 2005. It had only seemed that long since the Padres were able to defeat Philadelphia.

Aaron Harang outpitched Cliff Lee, Denorfia stole home and the San Diego Padres beat the Philadelphia Phillies for the first time in more than a year, 5-4 on Monday.

Harang (9-2) gave up four runs in six innings to help the Padres avoid a four-game sweep and defeat the Phillies for the first time since June 7, 2010. The Phillies had beaten the Padres 10 straight times, their second-longest streak against them since winning 11 from 2004-06.

Lee (9-7) lasted only four innings, his second-shortest outing of the season. He allowed 10 hits, five runs and made a pickoff blunder that allowed Denorfia to steal home.

His soft toss to first gave Denorfia the opening he needed to bolt from third and give the Padres a 3-1 lead.

“I started to walk and when it looked like a pick, I took off,” Denorfia said.

Heath Bell pitched the ninth for his 29th save. Domonic Brown opened the ninth with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice. Ross Gload, who leads the majors with 13 pinch hits, struck out swinging on a 95 mph fastball. Bell retired Jimmy Rollins on a flyout to save it for Harang.

Harang improved to 4-0 with 2.17 ERA over his last nine starts.

“He kept us in the game and our hitters did a good job,” Padres manager Bud Black said.

Not Lee.

After the Phillies staked Lee to a 1-0 lead, he unraveled in the second. Lee, who had allowed only three runs over 14 innings in his last two starts, gave up four in the inning.

Jesus Guzman led off the inning with a double and scored on Rob Johnson’s tying double. Johnson came around on Denorfia’s single to left. Denorfia advanced to second on the throw home, stole third, then scored when Lee attempted to pick off Jason Bartlett at first. Chase Headley’s RBI double to center made it 4-1 and the Phillies couldn’t recover.

Lee said he soft-tossed to first because he saw Bartlett wasn’t trying to steal. His rare mental mistake was all Denorfia needed to become the first Padre to steal home since Mark Sweeney on July 6, 2005.

“That’s the first time that’s ever happened,” Lee said. “I didn’t even consider that as a possibility right there. Next time I’m in that situation, I need to make a more firm throw to first and not allow that to happen.”

Denorfia’s steal came a day after he sprinted with his back to home plate, twisted his body at the last second and extended his arm over the short wall to rob Raul Ibanez.

The Phillies held a Christmas in July promotion and fans brought signs that read “Merry Cliff-Mas.” There was little good cheer after Ryan Ludwick’s sacrifice fly made it 5-1.

The Padres, in last place in the NL West, snapped a three-game losing streak. They did it without getting a hit after the fifth inning.

The loss appeared to be just a minor blip for the Phillies. They open a three-game series Tuesday at home with defending World Series champion San Francisco. The Giants eliminated the Phillies in last year’s NL championship series.

“I don’t walk around saying I want revenge on these guys,” Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino said. “Revenge would be bringing the trophy back to Philly.”

There’s plenty of time for that, and the Phillies should have a familiar arm in the bullpen to help them chase the championships.

Philadelphia’s highlight came in the seventh when former closer Brad Lidge made his season debut. Lidge had been out with a partially torn rotator cuff. He threw 11 pitches in a scoreless inning of work and received a standing ovation as he left the mound. Lidge will forever be remembered in Philadelphia for going 48 for 48 save opportunities in 2008 when he led the Phillies to the World Series championship.

The Phillies squandered two big scoring chances that could have led to a sweep.

In the eighth, Victorino was stranded on third after a two-out triple. And Ryan Howard was easily thrown out at home on Victorino’s two-out double off the right-field wall in the first.

Brown’s first career triple and Carlos Ruiz’s run-scoring single in the fourth off Harang cut it to 5-3. Ibanez added an RBI single in the sixth.

Denorfia collided with right fielder Ludwick on Brown’s hit and both fielders were down as the ball scooted away. Denorfia’s left shoulder crashed into Ludwick’s head. The team trainer and Black both visited their shaken-up outfielders. Ludwick left the game in the sixth. Denorfia moved to right and Will Venable took over in center.

“I was a little bit woozy, but my body parts were OK,” Ludwick said.

Notes

• Phillies All-Star 3B Placido Polanco (back) said he hoped to play two rehab games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley and return to the lineup Saturday.
• Phillies RHP Jose Contreras (mild right forearm strain) is set for a PRP (platelet- rich plasma) injection soon.
• RHP Joe Blanton (elbow) is set for an exam on Tuesday.
• The Padres finished 4-3 on their road trip.
• The Padres have stolen a base in every game since July 10, a stretch of 12 straight games.