Texas Rangers Mount Rushmore
By David Hill
Buddy Bell (1979-1985, 1989)
A solid player with the Indians, Buddy Bell became a star when he was traded to the Texas Rangers.
Bell had one of his finest seasons in 1979, his first with the Rangers. That year, he had 200 hits and 101 RBI, both career highs. In fact, he would never reach those plateaus again. He won his first Gold Glove award, and finished tenth in the MVP vote. Bell had become one of th ebetter players in the league.
That continued during his time in Texas. He was a four time All Star, and in 1984, won his only Silver Slugger award. Bell won six consecutive Gold Glove awards, taking home the honor in each of his six full seasons in Texas. He had certainly established himself as one of the better third basemen in the game.
Overall, during his time with the Rangers, Bell produced a solid .293/.351/.431 batting line. Although he was not much of a power threat, Bell did hit 197 doubles and 87 homers. He also displayed an excellent batting eye, with 335 walks and only 297 strikeouts in 4032 plate appearances. Bell was a solid hitter, with excellent bat control and ability to make contact.
During the early 1980s, Buddy Bell was one of the top third basemen in the game. his rise to stardom coincided with his acquisition by the Texas Rangers.