Former big league outfielder Sam Fuld, currently serving as the Phillies’ Major League player information coordinator, declined the opportunity to interview with the Cubs, Mets, and Pirates for their managerial vacancies, MLBTR has learned. The 37-year-old Fuld, who had developed a bit of a cult following as an all-out player for the Cubs, Rays, A’s, and Twins from 2007-15, is quickly gaining a reputation as a future managerial candidate. The Stanford graduate was hired by the Phillies two years ago shortly after they hired Gabe Kapler to manage.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Matt Breen profiled Fuld last season, examining the manner in which he serves as a liaison between the club’s analytics department and the clubhouse. “I think a lot of the times, the information can get overwhelming. It’s hard to sift through and pick ’OK, what’s important for this game?” Rhys Hoskins said at the time. “To have Sam, he’s recently out of the game, kind of act as that bridge just makes it so much easier on us players.”
Given his Stanford degree in economics and his work both within the clubhouse and interacting with the Phillies’ analytics and baseball operations departments, there’ll likely be multiple paths for Fuld to consider as he determines what trajectory best suits him. Kapler, meanwhile, is set to interview with both the Giants and the Cubs after being dismissed as the Phillies’ manager. The Phillies, Mets, Cubs, Angels, Giants, Padres, Royals, and Pirates all have managerial vacancies at present.
Smart man
Indeed! Also much smarter than your average Hobbit. He was a lot quicker on the base paths as well.
Hobbits don’t wear cleats.
I dunno , did Marcus have cleats in The Benchwarmers??
If Nike can manufacture the AIR JORDAN brand for their bevy of NBA stars I’m pretty sure they could make a JORDAN XII RETRO fit a Hobbit as well.
Oo ooooh uhhhhh Jesus Chwist. I’m getting a massive raging prediction that he won’t be the Cubs manager. This clue is as hard as rock
Is that you, Hardly Boys?!
If your predictions last longer than eight hours, see a doctor immediately.
If you can release over rumors regularly, consult a psychiatrist.
Well, he is from New Hampshire.
I wonder if he sees himself as more of a front office guy and doesn’t want to divert his attention/career path
Probably sees the dumpster fire ownership with Pittsburgh and the Mets and is wisely steering clear to not derail ANY ambitions, front office or otherwise.
Also, likely wisely, staying out of Chicago where expectations and reality often don’t align.
He’s a Stanford guy, so he isn’t dumb.
This is why I picked the Royals managerial job as the most attractive in the poll a few days back. They have a front office who has shown loyalty and the ability to draft and develop the talent to win with.
Ruben Amaro Jr. is a Stanford guy, but a bad gm… But he knows the right people.
Ruben was a smart guy and the Howard deal was not his idea.
His problem was that he did not get into analytics at all which was somewhat surprising.
He also took over when the Phillies were at their peak so there was only one way to go.
They hung onto their high priced core probably a couple of years too long but there was some justification since it was still fairly complete.
In retrospect, RAJ’s biggest issue was the unexpected and premature decline of Howard, Halladay and Lee due to injury.
Injuries tend to surface after coming off steroids
So, you can say he’s not in the “Fuld” to manage these teams?
Don’t be Fuld by his seeming lack of interest!
good to see he likes it in the organisation. dont know what the heck he does though, but ill give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he is doing it well.
Five minutes into an interview, and you start thinking Fuld is the smartest guy in MLB…he’s THAT impressive. But I really think his trajectory is more toward GM than field manager. And the degree in economics obviously helps.
And he was fun to watch…..went full-tilt 100% of the time. And he’s VERY media savvy, in a fills-the-room in a non-obtrusive way.
Lots to like about Fuld. .
Yeah I live in Florida and I loved him as a Ray.
So, you get Fuld and Maddon in a room together. Who is the smartest guy in that room in regards to baseball???
“Genius” Joe just raised his hand!
LOL! Then after raising his hand, he would give me a long dissertation as to why he is the genius of baseball and proceed to explain to my why I was so wrong to even question who was the smartest man in baseball was….
It would be Maddon hands down. Maddon and his 3 manager if the year awards and two pennants and one world championship against Fuld? Hands down its Maddon.
Yeah, managing a team that an overripe apricot could have managed to a championship makes him smarter.
Hopefully,he is interested in being a GM,since the substantial amount of managerial openings this year lends itself to much fewer next year.
One can be too picky and miss a good opportunity.
On the other hand,the Phillies GM job may be opening up next year too and maybe that is what he is looking for.
Bingo
Christ. Watch the Phillies make him manager
I am the same age as Sam Fuld. This would have made me feel young in 2015 when he was still playing. Now that he could become a major league manager it makes me feel really old.
And he’s not much younger than Matt Klentak.
One day, you’re watching a ballgame and are astounded to find a ball player younger than you. The next day, that ball player is a grizzled veteran with one foot in the baseball grave, hearse warmed up and ready to go. How time flies.
He should hold out, the A’s are bound to trade a top prospect for him next July
Interesting. On MLB Network last year, Sam Fuld described his duties with the Phillies: before every series, his job was to deliver the lineups and situational analytics to Gabe Kapler. Is he smart enough to know he’s not yet qualified to manage?
Whoever hires Giardi and Kapler will live to regret it.
Kapler, probably. Girardi? Depends on the team.
LOL. Who is Sam Fuld?