Cubs interested in Heath Bell

The Cubs are reportedly making another push for Padres reliever Heath Bell, according to the Chicago Tribune. Bell is eligible for arbitration and the Padres are trying to move him to clear about 3 million dollars from their payroll.

Bell was very impressive in 68 games for the Padres last season, posting a 2.71 ERA with 42 saves.

The Cubs currently have plans to use Carlos Marmol in the closer spot, with John Grabow serving as the teams primary setup man. However, bringing in Bell would allow the team to use Marmol in the seventh and eighth inning with Grabow, making for a very effective late-inning pitching core. 

What would it cost to acquire Bell? For the Cubs, pitchers like Jay Jackson or Robert Hernandez could be used to force a trade, while a young first base prospect like Rebel Ridling could be included as well.