First Call: Josh Bell continues free fall; Emmanuel Sanders has camp dustup

Tim Benz
Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019 8:47 a.m. | Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019 8:47 a.m.

Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review

Pirates first baseman Josh Bell strikes out with the bases loaded during the fifth inning against the Cardinals Tuesday, July 23, 2019, at PNC Park.

In Tuesday’s “First Call,” we look at Josh Bell’s slump, great catches galore and a mad Emmanuel Sanders.

Bell silenced

Josh Bell hasn’t been ringing in the batter’s box the way he was in the first half of the season.

How bad has it gotten? Since July 1, Bell is hitting .210.

The All-Star has 27 home runs. But he hasn’t hit one since July 5. His batting average is down to .279. The first baseman was at .343 on May 31.

Bell’s .936 OPS is at its lowest point since April 27.

Cain catch

Monday night, Bryan Reynolds made a great catch into the left field stands at PNC Park that certainly caught our attention.

oh wow.#ROYnolds pic.twitter.com/iWOfQeCY6b

— Pirates (@Pirates) August 5, 2019

Lorenzo Cain had a pretty good effort himself for Milwaukee.

??: @RawlingsSports
??: @MLB
???????: NOT TODAY!!!

To whom it may concern,
It’s time for Lorenzo Cain to win a Gold Glove.

Best regards,@fswisconsin pic.twitter.com/RlsGuHqCfY

— FOX Sports Wisconsin (@fswisconsin) August 6, 2019

Both had good nights at the plate, too. Cain was 2 for 4, and Reynolds was 3 for 5 with a homer. His average is now .337.

Mad Manny

Emmanuel Sanders got into it with one of his teammates at practice Monday.

The former Steeler had a confrontation with fellow receiver Courtland Sutton at Broncos camp.

Sanders and Sutton still going at it. Water bottles being thrown. Flacco talking to Sanders now.

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 5, 2019

“Obviously, it’s not good,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said. “Can’t happen. Shouldn’t happen. But you’ve got to be able to react to these things and handle them the right way.”

Whatever happened, I’m sure Antonio Brown will take Sutton’s side.

Ultimate catch

I don’t know anything about ultimate frisbee. But I know this is a great catch.

What a grab ?

?: @Spinultimate pic.twitter.com/K3p0hmM4HO

— The Duel (@TheDuelSports) August 5, 2019

I also don’t know if there is any ineligible receiver penalty like there is in football, but if there is, I know he violated it. He went out of bounds and came right back in to make the catch.

Is there a booth review or a challenge flag in frisbee?

Paging Al Riveron!

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.