Few rookies have lit up the season like 2007 Rookie of the Year winner Martin "Belly" Bell. With a .409 avg, 18 hits (including 2 home runs), and also taking his first steps on the mound, Martin has certainly raised the bar for future rookie hopefuls.

boltonbaseball.co.uk caught up with Belly recently and he was good enough to give his thoughts on the coming season, superstitions, and that award.

[bb.co.uk] - Baseball. Not your average British sport. How did a guy from Oldham become interested in the game and, more importantly, want to start playing?

[Martin] - I've been interested in the sport since watching the Dodgers take on the Padres at Dodger Stadium in 1983 whilst on a family holiday. Even though I was only 11 I was very impressed with the way they threw the ball so fast and flat. I think it used to be on Channel 4 in those days, or later years anyway, so I really got into it. But in the days before the internet it was hard to find a club so didn't take the sport up and stuck to Cricket. But the throwing stayed with me and as a youngster I worked on having a powerful arm and being able to throw flat.

Last spring there was an article in the Oldham free press about the sport coming back to Oldham. As my fast bowling cricket days were coming to an end, and fatigue was setting in, I decided to get in touch and try and take up the sport. I went along to a practice session and met our own John Baxendale, who was local to Oldham so was training with them just for a run out. He saw I could throw and asked if I fancied getting some game experience with Bolton. So I gave it a go, and here I am!

[bb.co.uk] - What was the most memorable moment from your first season with the Blaze?

[Martin] - Hmmm, one sticks out, and you can probably guess which one, the walk off home run to beat Sheffield in a thrilling game at home. I remember that some of us were amazed to even be in the 9th inning, as it hadn't happened to often. Matt (Norburn) and Lee (Heaton) had already hit home runs in the game, but we were still behind going into the 9th. Matt hit his second of the game to bring us level and I stepped upto the plate. I remember hoping that the pitcher would throw me one down the middle and to just try and leather it as far as possible. I'm not sure how many pitches I faced, but THAT ball came down, it met the bat and off it went into the distance, game over ! I ran round the bases and was mobbed by the players, what a feeling!

[bb.co.uk] - I can imagine (only imagine, as I wouldn't know!). I guess you'll be looking forward to playing Sheffield again this season. Are there any other teams you're looking forward to playing?

[Martin] - I'm looking forward to the Oldham games as I know the players and it will be good to play against them.

[bb.co.uk] - In the opposite respect are there any teams you'll look for in the 2008 schedule and are hoping for rain, or a family emergency?

[Martin] - None, bring them all on. Better teams are good to learn against, lesser teams are good to put it into practice.

[bb.co.uk] - What do would you say is the strongest part of your game? Fielding/batting/pitching....?

[Martin] - Throwing hard and flat, and accurately, most of the time !

[bb.co.uk] - Many major league players (and one or two Bolton ones too!) have superstitions or rituals they have to perform during, before or after games. Is this something you're familiar with?

[Martin] - I used to always put my left pad on before my right when getting ready to bat at cricket, not that it did me any good! I haven't developed any superstitions with Baseball yet, but there is time!

[bb.co.uk] - Hopefully a long time. What are your hopes for the team in 2008, on a team and personal level?

[Martin] - Win the division and make a fight of it in the playoffs. On a personal level I want to learn more about the fielding side of the game, and be more aware of the situations we meet each game and be able to act on those situations to get the outs or stop the run.

[bb.co.uk] - We've avoided it for long enough, but it's time to talk about that award. Winning rookie of the year is a massive achievement, how did you feel when you heard your name read out? Did you already have the feeling you'd won?

[Martin] - To be honest, despite the competition in the category, I had hoped that I would win it. I had played more than the other guys, so you have to assume you're doing a good job. It was great to win it. I was pleased to win such a coveted trophy and follow in the footsteps of such good winners in the past. I did make a mess of the speech though!

[bb.co.uk] - This time I do know how it felt! Speech-less was more how mine went. In the short history of Bolton baseball, two of its members have won Most Valuable Player awards in the very next season to their Rookie triumphs (My ego's getting bigger by the second!). Is this something that'll be in the back of your mind during the 2008 season?

[Martin] - Yes, I'm after Jay's (Sherlock) award! As long as I stay fit during the season, and the team does well, that trophy is on my agenda for this year!

[bb.co.uk] - And finally, have you set yourself any targets for this coming year? Number of hits/home runs...?

[Martin] - Apart from picking up the MVP in December? I'm hoping to get more pitching opportunities and getting those strike outs. And hitting more home runs than last year, although that will be harder with the introduction of wooden bats.





boltonbaseball.co.uk would like to thank Martin for taking the time out to talk to us.
Next time out we're hoping to catch up with FIVE-time Gold Glove winner Tony "Yogi" Berry