ST. LOUIS -- As the Cardinals' assistant hitting coach, David Bell had a low profile in his first season with the team. But that could change in 2015 after Bell was promoted to be Mike Matheny's bench coach in a move the club announced Monday afternoon.
Bell will succeed Mike Aldrete, who left last week to take the bench-coach job with the Oakland Athletics.
Bell, 42, came to the Cardinals after serving as the Cubs' third-base coach in 2013. Before that, he had managed in the Reds' minor leagues from 2009-12. He hit .257 with 123 homers in a 12-year playing career that included two-plus seasons in St. Louis, from 1996-early '98.
The Cardinals also announced the addition of catcher Ed Easley to the 40-man roster. Easley, 28, hit .296 with 10 homers for Triple-A Memphis last season. The club also lost two relievers it had not protected, Jorge Rondo and Eric Fornataro, who went to the Rockies and Nationals, respectively.
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