In a recent sit-down with MLB.com at Yankee Stadium, Guardians first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell answered questions about a wide range of topics, from his slow start in the batter’s box to his respect for manager Terry Francona.

MLB.com: You have been with the Guardians for a couple of months. What has impressed you the most about the team?

Josh Bell: The first thing that comes to mind is Tito (Francona) -- how he runs the clubhouse, the atmosphere he creates. Obviously, I had high expectations for the man, but he has blown it out of the water.

MLB.com: In what way?

Bell: Experiencing [Francona] -- his attention to detail, playing the game the right way. He kind of showed me how to refine my own game -- taking care of at-bats late, constantly looking to advance runners, get the next guy up. It has been fun. We have been scuffling as a team, but once we catch fire, we are going to be on fire for a long time.

MLB.com: I’ve been following the team for a week. I don’t sense any quit in this team, and that’s because of Tito?

Bell: Without a shadow of a doubt. He instills that mindset. I know he did during Spring Training. He said, “We have to outwork each and every opponent for all 27 outs.” When we get down early, we still have that thought process in the back of our minds. We have to beat them for 27 outs no matter what the score is.

MLB.com: Talking to you and other members of the team, it seems like once you get into the clubhouse, it’s all business.

Bell: It’s kind of funny, but this team is so young. I think the clubhouse is a lot more fun than what I’ve seen in other clubhouses. You look around, you see a lot of card [playing]. You come to our clubhouse at home, you have card games going on. You have shootaround with the basketball. It’s a lot more lively. Once the first pitch is thrown, however, it’s all business. Away from the game, it’s a lot of fun.

MLB.com: What’s the one thing Tito said that stuck in your head?

Bell: One thing that sticks out to me is, I’m going through one of the worst slumps of my career to start the season. I forget where we were -- it must have been at home. Tito said, “Look, J.B., you are a lot better hitter than I ever was. I know you are going to get out of this. It’s not a matter of if, just when. Enjoy the process in the meantime, like, keep your head up in the meantime. We know you are going to get out of this. Don’t let the game get you down.”

That kind of stuck with me that day, just hearing that. It’s a level of understanding of how hard this game is, how rough things can go for a stretch. But just having that thought in the back of my head: “My manager trusts me. He knows how hard this game is.” It’s awesome.

MLB.com: You talked about the scuffling offense. Can you imagine when the team starts hitting -- you already have the pitching -- how this team is going to look?

Bell: It looks like our wins are going to happen, like, today. Today is the day. We are all working our tails off in the cage. We do our research on each [opposing] starter. … Hopefully, we can continue to get the bats going in these next few games.

MLB.com: I know your wife, Arlia, is from Ohio. How much has her presence eased your mind?

Bell: It has been great. We have another little one (a girl) coming in about a month. We are pumped to have help from [Arlia’s] mom. She is about an hour away, so she comes over every off-day so we can have some “us” time. It’s a lot of fun, and I’m happy with the decision I made.

MLB.com: How much has your wife helped you to relax as you try to get your swing back?

Bell: She creates an awesome household environment. It’s not going to always be rainbows and butterflies on the field; it’s nice knowing I have that stable base when I get back home. I’m greeted with a smile when I walk through the door. She is eager to talk about baseball if I want to. If not, we can talk about anything else.

MLB.com: You said you are expecting your second kid. How much has fatherhood changed you?

Bell: It has been great. Every day my daughter amazes me in every way. She has grown so fast. She has more and more of a personality every day. She is 16 months. It’s amazing to see her grow. It’s awesome for me to take a step back and thank my parents for the work and time they put into me. It’s definitely a reality check.

MLB.com: What’s the biggest lesson you learned from your father, Earnest, that you take into your family?

Bell: My father was a son of a pastor. He was religious, always putting different nuggets in my ear to allow things to take hold. The biggest thing was to allow my game to be thrown out to the Holy Spirit. If good things happen, bad things happen, that’s just part of the game. You have to be thankful for your opportunities. You have to be thankful for your health, ability to play this game at a high level. If things don’t work in my favor … I still have to be thankful for the opportunity to play this wonderful game.

MLB.com: As your kids grow up, what’s the biggest thing you want them to know about life?

Bell: It’s everything that you make it. Your mentality is key. If you want something in this world, you have to go out and get it. … There are going to be learning curves along the way, but if you want something, I think the universe is set up to help you find it.

MLB.com: I did some research on you. I don’t see you in baseball after your playing career is over. I see you in some form of education. The reason I say that is because you have had your book club when you were with the Pirates and Nats. I see you doing something educational.

Bell: I don’t think so. That’s more of my mom and my sister’s path. I’m probably going to unplug with the kids, go to culinary school and try to get good at cooking for them, just be their coach like my dad was for me.

MLB.com: Do you cook now?

Bell: Not as well as I should.

MLB.com: What do you want to learn cooking-wise?

Bell: A little bit of everything, probably just meat and vegetables for the family. That is probably the best way to go about it.

MLB.com: Tell me what comes to mind when I mention these teams. Let’s start off with the Pirates.

Bell: Roberto Clemente -- just his passion, his legacy and what it means for the game today.

MLB.com: What do you think about their success now?

Bell: I think it’s cool. It’s good for the fan base. I’m happy for Cutch [Andrew McCutchen] having success going back. It’s tough to see [Oneil] Cruz go down. I think that’s going to hurt in the long haul. It’s definitely fun for baseball that they are playing well.

MLB.com: The Nationals.

Bell: They have a lot of young talent. They could be the next Pirates maybe in three years, four years, when guys get settled and once some prospects start cracking through.

MLB.com: The Padres.

Bell: Well, they have the team. They just have to come together. It will take the long season to do it. I think they will be tough dogs in that division.