MILWAUKEE -- Miller Park's monolithic roof was open one afternoon over the weekend, allowing the sweltering midwestern humidity to pour through the place like boiling pea soup. On the field, a few hours before first pitch, a couple groundskeepers sprayed the grass, but otherwise the scene was barren.
But for Josh Bell and his book.
The Pirates' big first baseman had plopped himself onto the visiting dugout bench, all alone. His teammates all sheltered inside the infinitely cooler -- and noisier -- clubhouse, he'd evidently sought some peace and quiet to continue reading his paperback of Matthew Kelly's 'Resisting Happiness.'
Oh, really.
Anyway, one especially annoying reporter spoiled the moment, first by asking for some of his time, then by Googling the book title right there on the iPhone for a synopsis.
The official excerpt: "What is resistance? It's that sluggish feeling of not wanting to do something that you know is good for you. It's the inclination to do something that you unabashedly know is not good for you. It's the desire and tendency to delay something you should be doing right now. It is resistance that stands between you and happiness. In these pages you will learn not only what it is, but how to recognize and conquer it in your own life."
Oh, really.
My friends, to understand this extraordinary young man, it's probably vital to absorb a scene like this. Because, as I've shared often with you and I shared again with him in the moment, this is someone who can be way too smart for his own good.
"You know, I've heard that," Bell came back with a wry smile. "I've been hearing that my whole life, really. I try to put everything I've got into what I'm doing. That gets me thinking. That gets me analyzing. Maybe it gets me into trouble sometimes, I don't know. Maybe it's for the best."
He's as bright as any athlete I've covered. He's as visibly driven, too. And we've all witnessed these past three summers, he's got the physical tools -- the 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame, the broad shoulders that once prompted Mike Tomlin to joke he'd covet him as a tight end and, of course, the light-tower power he's shown off since he was a teen in Texas -- to do virtually anything on a baseball diamond.
But this season ... he's hit the weirdest of walls:
Funny, but almost all of his foundational figures -- average, on-base percentage -- are up. In fact, his OBP is the best on the Pirates among those with enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title. (Francisco Cervelli's .389 and Adam Frazier's .351 are better, but both have played only 84 games.) It's also ninth in the majors among qualified first basemen.
But oh, those home runs.
From 26 to eight?
Eight?
For a guy who can launch a ball over a fence with a check-swing?
"I wouldn't go that far," Bell predictably corrected, "but I know I'm capable of hitting home runs if I'm doing things the right way."
One would think, I retorted, that raising his OBP, maintaining all other standards and launching more balls into the air than ever -- his groundout/flyout ratio is down sharply from 1.59 to 1.28 -- would be doing things the right way.
"You would think that, but it's not that simple."
It's not, as I'd learn.
I went with this to Clint Hurdle, and he replied so quickly that it was clear this topic had been on his mind.
"There are some things Josh is still doing well., and there are some things he's still going through," he began. "They've counterpunched. The league has counterpunched in dramatic fashion."
That's Hurdle's common terminology for pitchers adjusting to Bell's strengths. Bookmark this. We'll get to it soon.
"And if there's a lesson to learn, it's to have a steadfast approach, to stick with one thing," the manager continued. "I think there have been times when he'll give something a shot, not get the results in the timetable he wants, and he'll jump into something else. That adds to the challenge."
His voice became a little louder.
"Hey, it's hard to measure any type of success when you're in and out of things without any stability. 'Well, I'm going to give this 50 at-bats and see if it plays' ... that can sound good. But when it gets to 12 at-bats and it isn't working, 'Well, I'm out of it.' Josh has had some of this throughout his career. And we're continuing to encourage him to give something a chance."
The two had a meeting within the past few days, along with hitting coach Jeff Branson, and this was atop the list.
"What do you want to get out of these final six weeks?" Hurdle recalled asking Bell. "Can you find a swing that plays similar to the swing you had last year? And if you don't stick with an adjustment, take a look at what it's gotten you. It hasn't gotten you better. It hasn't shown you the improvement you're looking for."
He paused, eyebrows raised.
"Trust it. Trust it, even though you can't see it. Trust it."
The message evidently resonated.
"I'm aware of it. And he's right," Bell replied when I mentioned Hurdle's remarks. "I'll commit to something, then it doesn't happen right away, and I'll try something else. I've got to be less focused on the immediate result and more on the process."
Such as?
"I'll get anxious about wanting to hit for power. I'll focus on the home run."
Oh. Hadn't seen that coming. Hitters almost never concede that.
"I know. I mean, that's actually OK, as long as I'm doing it with the right pitch. I've studied the way the ball comes off my bat in certain situations, certain pitches, certain locations, and I know that, if I pull the ball, it's got a better chance of being a home run. But it's got to be the right situation, the right pitch, the right location. If that happens, with the angle my bat takes, with the power I've got, it'll take off."
It's a work in progress, to be sure: Bell had his most productive month in July with a .329/.413/.471 slash line but only one home run. He had two home runs earlier this month in San Francisco, but he hasn't gone deep -- or even recorded an RBI -- in the 13 games since then.
So, on that note: What did Hurdle mean, since he didn't elaborate, that the league "counterpunched in dramatic fashion"? Because to the layperson, that sure sounded like the dreaded hitter's "hole," as it's called.
"Up and in. Lots of fastballs up and in," Bell responded without hesitation. "Pitchers have thrown those all year because they think it affects my swing, not just on those pitches but on other pitches. If it shortens my arms, then I'm not going to be as aggressive in going after pitches that are outer half or even over the plate. It's not just about taking away the power. It's about throwing everything off."
The evidence is powerful, this from MLB.com's zone charts, bearing in mind that these are illustrated from the catcher's perspective and that three-quarters of Bell's at-bats are left-handed:
Not much to over-analyze, right?
"Not really. I've got to be aware of what they're trying to do and why they're trying to do it," Bell said. "If I do that, I can take all of this as a big learning experience, one that will allow me to grow both as a player and as a person."
Maybe embrace a little happiness, too?
"Oh, I'm good. I really am. In the minors, I was able to get away with certain things that I could be a .350-plus OBP guy and all the home runs would just come. In the majors, I'll be a little lower, and I'll have to work harder for all of that. But that's normal. That's how it is for all hitters at this level."
With that, he smiled, picked up that paperback and got back to headier stuff.
