Why Sam Fuld?

On Tuesday, December 22, 2020, the Philadelphia Phillies hired Sam Fuld to be their General Manager, with no real experience in front office player personnel decision making.  It is incredulous to me that an industry such as MLB can continue to operate in the manner they are currently operating.  It is one thing to talk about Social Injustice as MLB continues to do, and then another thing to do something about it.  MLB can have all of their MLB corporate personnel talk up the exemplary Players Alliance and make monetary donations, but it is another thing that they continually ignore hiring of competent minority baseball executives.  Theo Epstein has talked about racism in MLB, but when he was in a position to do something about it, he has not exactly been a stellar role model. 

“I’ve hired a Black scouting director, farm director in the past,’’ Epstein said, “but the majority of people that I’ve hired, if I’m being honest, have similar backgrounds as me and look a lot like me. That’s something I need to ask myself why.

“The system doesn’t fix itself. You have to stand up and take some action. …I think we all have to admit that we’re all part of the problem and we all have to be better to become part of the solution.’’

Six months later, there are still only three Black farm and scouting directors in the game, with Jared Banner in the running for a job with the Cubs.

So what has MLB actually done this year, when the issue has been front and center.

Ken Williams was the GM for the Chicago White Sox for 12 years before being promoted to Executive Vice President.  After Michael Hill was dismissed from Miami, Williams is the only black top baseball executive in MLB.  Al Avila (Tigers), Farhan Zaidi (SFG), and Kim Ng (Marlins) are the only other minority baseball execs GM and above.  It took Ng 30 years to reach the GM level.  Arte Moreno is the only minority owner.  How much longer before ARod and J. Lo are in a position to buy another team.

“I had fooled myself into feeling that by seeing people march on streets on our behalf, and that all people matter,” Chicago White Sox executive vice president Ken Williams told USA TODAY Sports, “there was going to be some change. I really thought that.

“I won’t make that mistake again.”

Williams, 56, was hired as the White Sox’s GM 20 years ago, and during the past two decades, the only other Black GMs hired throughout baseball were Tony Reagins of the Los Angeles Angels, Michael Hill of the Miami Marlins and Dave Stewart of the Arizona Diamondbacks. While several white executives have been given second chances, neither Reagins nor Stewart have had that opportunity.  Could they do better the second time around.  Stewart certainly erred with the Zack Greinke FA signing, but he is not the only GM to have bad FA signings.  Arte Moreno forcing Reagins to trade for Vernon Wells within 24 hours was the downfall of Tony.  One thing Moreno is consistent in, is sticking his nose into player personnel decisions to the detriment of the LAA. Reagins did draft Mike Trout.   How many white GMs passed on him?

New York Mets – Sandy Alderson, President and Jared Porter, GM (41) 

I understand why Steve Cohen wanted to sign Sandy Alderson as team President. He has an extensive resume as a very well respected top baseball executive, and Cohen needs that for his new toy.  But Jared Porter?  It is not that Porter has not paid his dues.  Porter interned for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2002 and 2003. He joined the Boston Red Sox as an intern in 2004, becoming their director of professional scouting in 2012. He spent two years with the Chicago Cubs before he was hired by the Diamondbacks in the 2016-17 offseason as Assistant GM.  He is now the GM for the New York Mets.  Was he the best choice?

Los Angeles Angels – Perry Minasian, GM (40)

Perry Minasian is another who has paid his dues, starting out as a Texas Rangers bat boy as an 8 year old, and later to clubhouse attendant in 1996.  In 2003, he was hired as a scout for the Texas Rangers. He would later serve as a staff assistant to then manager Buck Showalter.

In 2009, Minasian was hired as a scout by the Toronto Blue Jays. He spent six of his nine seasons in Toronto as the director of pro scouting. In his final two seasons with the team, the Blue Jays made back-to-back trips to the American League Championship Series.

Following his departure from the Blue Jays, Minasian was hired by the Atlanta Braves in September 2017. He served as an assistant general manager and as vice president of baseball operations under Alex Anthopoulos. Minasian had previously worked with Anthopoulos in Toronto. The Braves won the National League East in each of Minasian’s three seasons, reaching the National League Championship Series in October 2020.  Minasian has grown up around baseball, but does not have the experience of a few potential black candidates.

Texas Rangers – Chris Young, GM (41)

Chris was a good journeyman pitcher with six teams (one twice – Padres).  He was a one time All-Star (2007 Padres) and a member of the 2015 WS Champions KC Royals.  After he retired as a player after the 2017 season, In May 2018, Young became an MLB executive when he was promoted to serve as vice president of on-field operations, initiatives and strategy. In February 2020, Young was promoted to Senior Vice President to replace Joe Torre as the MLB’s enforcer of discipline action, such as deciding fines and suspensions. He also oversaw the On-Field Operations and Umpiring Departments.  He has never worked in the front office of a MLB team.  He is a Princeton graduate, so he has the intelligence to become a quick learner under Jon Daniels.  But was he the best choice?

Philadelphia Phillies – Sam Fuld (39)

This is the most perplexing GM selection I have seen.  On November 3, 2017, the same day that he retired as a player from parts of an 8 year career, Fuld was named the major league player information coordinator for the Philadelphia Phillies, under manager Gabe Kapler. In that position he worked closely with the team’s players, coaches, front office, and the research and development department, to “integrate the use of information in all areas of on-field performance and preparation and make recommendations regarding the most effective areas of future research and analysis.”

That’s it from a baseball ops experience.  Fuld is a Stanford graduate, but Michael Hill is a Harvard graduate and Kevan Graves is a Dartmouth graduate.  So that should not give Fuld an edge.

I can understand promoting white candidates within the organization, Jed Hoyer (Cubs), Nick Krall (Reds), and Matt Arnold (Brewers), but who will replace them?  With Hoyer now the President of Baseball Operations, will he fill the GM role? 

Black Candidates:

Billy Owens (49) – Director of Player Personnel and Assistant GM of Oakland A’s

Owens is a former 3^rd round pick of the Baltimore Orioles out of Arizona State, and spent seven years in MiLB, never reaching MLB.  After the 1998 season, Owens retired, but Billy Beane named him the hitting coach of the Southern Oregon Timberjacks. He spent the next five years as a MiLB hitting instructor.  In addition to coaching, Owens started his scouting career as an area scout, and was promoted to East Coast scouting coordinator in 2003.

After two years as a scouting coordinator, Owens was promoted again to A’s director of player personnel, and the A’s seemingly turned into a talent factory.  Dallas Braden, Kurt Suzuki, Carlos Gonzalez, Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Andrew Bailey, Josh Reddick, Josh Donaldson, Sonny Gray, Marcus Semien, Sean Manaea, Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Ramon Laureano, and Jesus Luzardo all matriculated up through A’s MiLB system.  In 2019, Billy was added the title of Assistant General Manager.

Owens is considered to be one of, if not the best scout in MLB.  He had a very favorable working relationship with Sandy Alderson when Alderson was with the A’s.  So why didn’t Alderson pick Billy Owens over Jared Porter?

Kevan Graves (39) – Assistant GM of Pittsburgh Pirates

Kevan Graves is a Dartmouth graduate.  Upon graduation in 2003, Graves joined the San Francisco Giants organization in their legal department for two years.  He left the Giants to become the Arizona Fall League Assistant Director, Baseball Operations for 2006.  At the end of his AFL run, Kevan joined MLB in the Executive Development Program for two years.  Kevan then was hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008.  Graves progressed in the organization to Assistant Director, Baseball Operations, Director of Baseball Operations, and for the last five years as Assistant General Manager.  After Neal Huntington was fired as the Pirates GM, Graves was named interim GM and stayed in that role until Ben Cherington was hired.  

De Jon Watson (54) – Special Assistant to Washington Nationals GM for Scouting

Most Dodger fans are somewhat familiar with De Jon Watson.  Watson was a 3^rd draft pick for the KC Royals in 1985, and spent his entire four year MiLB career in the Royals organization.  Watson spent 9+ years in the LAD organization.  His responsibilities as Assistant GM, Player Development, included appointing all minor league managing, coaching, instructor and coordinator positions, all minor league transactions, as well as advising general manager Ned Colletti on 40-man roster moves.  In 2014, he left the Dodgers, to join the Arizona DBacks as Senior Vice President Baseball Operations.  He got caught up in the wash of the Tony LaRussa/Dave Stewart era for the DBacks, and his contract was not renewed.  While with the DBacks, Watson’s focus was on the international market.  After leaving Arizona, De Jon was hired by Mike Rizzo and the Washington Nationals to refocus the Nats commitment in the international arena.  Overall he has spent more than 30 years in professional baseball.  Unfortunately, his executive career is tied to two organizations that were going through their worst periods. 

Michael Hill (49) –

Hill graduated from Harvard and was a 31^st round draft pick in 1993 by the Texas Rangers.   He retired as a player in 1995, when he joined the front office of the Tampa Bay Rays as an assistant in the scouting and player development departments through 1999.  In 1999, he joined the Rockies organization as Director of Player Development until 2002 when he joined the Marlins at the age of 32.  Hill has progressed from VP, Assistant GM to GM (2007) before being promoted in 2013 to President of Baseball Operations.  Hill’s contract was not renewed by the Marlins following the 2020 season.  Overall, Hill has spent 18 years with the Marlins organization.  It is widely speculated that both owner Bruce Sherman and CEO Derek Jeter respected what Hill has accomplished, but they wanted to cut ties with one of the last members of the Jeffrey Loria regime.  It is considered knowledge that Hill has been exceptional at drafting and developing talent, only to be undermined by Loria’s incessant interference in illogical trades and unwise FA signings.

I am not a big affirmative action advocate, but when there are no internal candidates, and no discerning difference between white and minority candidates, why not give the minority candidate a shot?  I can see no reason whatsoever why both Sam Fuld and Chris Young were hired over better qualified talent in any of the black candidates mentioned above. 

Why was Jared Porter considered a better candidate than Billy Owens?  All indications were that Owens worked well with Alderson.  What were the top considerations in deciding that Porter and Minasian were better candidates than Owens, Graves, Watson, or Hill. Would Michael Hill have been a better candidate for President Baseball Operations for the Reds over Nick Krall.  At least Krall was the GM for the past three years for the Reds, and internal promotions are important.

How long before Billy Owens, Kevan Graves, De Jon Watson, and Michael Hill get hired as top baseball executives? The Phillies and MLB had a chance to make a statement, and they failed.