Cleveland Indians bench coach Buddy Bell was hired as manager of the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday, taking over the team with the worst record in the majors. Bell's contract with Kansas City runs through the 2007 season. He will be in uniform when the Royals begin a series with the New York Yankees tonight, ESPN Insider Jerry Crasnick reports. General manager Allard Baird told ESPN.com that he was prepared to wait until the end of the season to hire a new manager, but said he decided to act quickly because he was convinced Bell was the right fit for the organization. "We're in a rebuilding mode," Baird said, "and it's all about direction, development and winning ball games. Buddy has been involved in a rebuilding mode in Cleveland for a couple of years, and he has a presence about him. "The other thing I like is that he was brought to the big leagues at 20 years old, and by age 21 he was on his first All-Star team. He knows the challenges for young kids, and we have a lot of 21, 22 and 23 year-old kids."