Bell, Green headline Missoula banquet

MISSOULA, Mont. - Play Ball Missoula in conjunction with the Missoula Osprey announced today that former Osprey player and Major Leaguer Andy Green, who will be the team's hitting coach in 2011, and current Arizona Diamondbacks Director of Player Personnel Mike Bell, will headline the special guest list for the 13th Annual Play Ball Missoula Hot Stove Banquet and Auction that will take place on January 28, 2011 at the Holiday Inn-Downtown at the Park in Missoula.

The banquet is the annual fundraiser for Play Ball Missoula, allowing the non-profit organization to operate and maintain Ogren Park at Allegiance Field at no cost to the community. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a silent auction and reception, the dinner and live auction portion will begin at 7 p.m.

Green played in Missoula in 2000, following a short stint in South Bend earlier that season. Green hit .229 with the Osprey in 23 games that summer, and finished his Minor League career with a .298 batting average.

Green eventually played for the D-backs, making the squad for the first time during the 2004 season. He split time between Triple-A Tucson and the D-backs in 2005, then made the D-backs' Opening Day roster in 2006 before being sidelined by injury. He played in Japan in 2007 and then returned stateside to play in the Cincinnati and New York Mets organizations, eventually making it back to the major leagues with the Mets in 2009.

Green is now in the coaching ranks, and will be making his professional baseball coaching debut with the Osprey in 2011, serving as the team's hitting coach.

Mike Bell is part of the Bell baseball family. His grandfather, Gus, played in the Major League with the Cincinnati Reds, as well as with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Braves and with the New York Mets, while his father, Buddy, enjoyed a long career as a third baseman, spending time in Cleveland, Texas, Cincinnati and Houston during his 18 seasons in the Major Leagues. His brother, David, also played in the Major Leagues, spending time with six different clubs during a 12-year Major League career.

Mike Bell made his Major League debut in July of 2000 with the Reds, but did not make a Major-League roster following the 2000 season. Soon after he retired as a player, he began his Minor League coaching career, spending time as a manager at both Yakima and Visalia before moving into the D-backs front office.

Tickets for the event are available by calling Play Ball Missoula at 543-1007 or the Missoula Osprey at 543-3300. Tickets are $85 each with tables of 10 being sold for $750.