Kevin Gorman: Adjusted arm angle has Pirates first baseman Josh Bell throwing like Teke

BRADENTON, Fla. — When Josh Bell fielded the grounder at first base and spun for the throw to second, he did so in a way that should draw the instant attention of Pittsburgh Pirates fans.

The short-arm throw that made you cringe every time he tried to turn two?

Now, it almost looks like Kent Tekulve.

Bell spent the offseason working to adjust the arm slot on his infield throws to a three-quarters release that sometimes slips into a sidearm. The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder unveiled it for the first time Thursday morning during infield drills at Pirate City, where his fielding and throwing motions looked more fluid.

The throw is a work in progress, but Bell hopes the changes make him a better defensive first baseman.

“Guys have been telling me to do it for years but the first time I picked up a ball this offseason, I was like, ‘I’m going to throw it like this. I’m going to figure it out,’ ” Bell said of his adjusted arm slot. “It feels so much more natural. That’s the key.”

Bell had the second-most errors in the National League (13) last season and advanced defensive metrics show he was one of the worst first basemen in the major leagues: His minus-4 ranked last in range and positioning and was tied for last in bases saved (minus-5).

But Bell’s throwing issues go beyond the numbers.

If Bell can improve on defense the way he did at the plate last season, he could be a key for the Pirates. After a monster May, where he slashed .390/.442/.797 with 12 home runs and 31 RBIs, Bell was selected to his first All-Star Game. He finished the season with career-bests of 37 home runs and 116 RBIs in 134 games.

“It’s important to him, so it’s important to us,” manager Derek Shelton said. “Anytime you have a player that identifies something he wants to improve on and then spends time working on it and dedicating to it in the offseason, you know that they’re putting in the time.”

For Bell, it is more about comfort than effort. Since being converted from an outfielder, where he was used to having more time to get his arm up and out, Bell has struggled to find his footing and make accurate throws on double-play balls. His oversized frame and broad shoulders didn’t help the cause.

“With shorter, choppier strides in the infield, I never had a feel for where my arm was,” Bell said. “If I was holding onto the ball a little bit late, it would always cut it off.”

Bell started toying with the new angle late last season but didn’t feel like his arm was strong enough to test it in a game. So, he spent anywhere from 50-70 throwing programs working to concentrate on his defense and correct his throwing motion.

Training with a two-time Gold Glove winner helped it click. Oakland A’s third baseman Matt Chapman reinforced the importance of starting with a wider base. Watching Chapman from across the diamond instead of on video helped Bell understand his timing mechanism.

The work hasn’t gone unnoticed by teammates, as shortstop Kevin Newman said the amount of time Bell has spent on improving his defense made a “significant” difference last season. But it became less about Bell’s glove and more about his arm.

“He works as hard as anybody, and it’s showing,” Newman said, adding the disclaimer they didn’t try to turn double plays in practice. “It looked pretty clean. It looked a little more accurate.”

Accuracy wasn’t a primary concern for Bell on his first day. He readily admitted he was slightly off-target on some of his throws. Bell smiled, knowing he has six weeks of spring training to work it out before the season opener in Tampa Bay.

“In my world, if I overthrow the ball, then I’m in a good place,” Bell said. “I don’t want to see short hops or me cutting my arm off. If I’m going to make a throwing mistake, it’s because I’m throwing the ball hard towards the target.”

That’s the key for Bell’s Teke tweak, no matter how his throws look.

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