Heath Justin Bell (born September 29, 1977) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. As a closer with the San Diego Padres from 2009 to 2011, Bell was a three-time All-Star and twice won the Rolaids Relief Man Award. He was also awarded the Delivery Man of the Year Award and The Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award. Bell played multiple sports, including baseball, in high school. He moved on to community college, where he was an All-American. He began his professional career with the New York Mets, making his major league debut in 2004, and spending three seasons at both the minor and major league levels. In 2007, he was traded to San Diego, where he was a setup man before replacing Trevor Hoffman as the Padres' closer. From 2010 through 2011, Bell successfully converted 41 straight save opportunities, which tied Hoffman's team record. A free agent after the 2011 season, he signed with the Miami Marlins, and later played with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays. He retired before the 2015 season. Early years Bell was born in Oceanside, California. He attended Columbus Tustin Middle School and Tustin High School in Tustin, California, which is about from Oceanside. He lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. Bell attended Santa Ana College where he was named a freshman All-American in 1997. In 1997 Bell made two appearances in the National Baseball Congress world series while playing for the El Dorado Broncos. He did not give up any runs and was named the league's Graduate of the Year in 2011. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 69th round of the 1997 amateur draft, but did not sign. Professional career New York Mets Bell did not begin his professional career until 1998, when he signed with the New York Mets as an undrafted free agent. He made his major league debut on August 24, 2004 pitching two scoreless innings with three strikeouts against the San Diego Padres. The righty spent the next two seasons shuttling between the Mets and their Triple-A affiliate Norfolk. Bell said coaches in the Mets' minor leagues told him his best opportunity to succeed was to leave the organization as other people did not believe in him. San Diego Padres On November 15, 2006, Bell was traded to San Diego, along with pitcher Royce Ring, for outfielder Ben Johnson and