Phillies reportedly making Sam Fuld GM

[zambonir]

According to sources, Phillies will name Sam Fuld general manager. Former big leaguer has been in front office for several years with Phillies.

— Jim Salisbury ( @JSalisburyNBCS ) December 22, 2020

That seems like a nice split-the-difference move. He's part of the old (and new school) regime, and has always been seen as a future manager or GM around the league. While we certainly never saw his impact with the Phillies (and indeed, it seemed to be negative the first year) he's got that Rays/A's pedigree too.

[bigegypt0417]

I like what i've read about Fuld...it seems like a good fit and he's already familiar with the organization.

[andyb]

He does not seem to have much experience in player evaluation that is a big part of the job. I know he has lots of characteristics of one who might be good at it. A few years in assistant GM jobs would be good.

This is the kind of hire that (often correctly) will draw attention to the lack of diversity in baseball management.

[allentown]

A few years in assistant GM jobs would be good.

Given how Dombroski prefers to operate, I believe Fuld will get his several years experience as effectively an Assistant GM. I wonder whether this move was made now because the Phillies want to keep him and another team wanted to interview him for a GM spot.

[andyb]

He was interviewing more for manager's jobs. At least they promoted Jorge Velandia to assistant GM, someone who has much more experience than Fuld and from all reports deserves it.

[zambonir]

Velandia also promoted to assistant GM. tbh it seems like they are just moving pieces around to avoid having to pay full new salaries to additional front office staff (cheaper to just give a few guys raises). But it also makes a statement that the problem was only at the top, and that's probably not incorrect. I'm sure Klentak could have been a better GM under Dombrowski than under MacPhail (or on his own, which he essentially was).

I also think most of the people from other teams that they were interested in (at the assistant GM or director levels) wouldn't view this as a promotion now, since Dombrowski is for all intents and purposes the GM, and is not known to delegate or collaborate like some of the other Presidents of Baseball Ops.

[allentown]

Where does this leave Rice?

[German41]

Rice will presumably be moved to a lesser role or gone altogether. Fuld went to Exeter and Stanford, so must be reasonably bright. One of my partners knows Sam and his family and says he's a good guy.

[zambonir]

I'm guessing he stays on as Assistant GM. In fact, he doesn't necessarily have a choice (given the Phillies' tendency to not just pay off contracts and let people go away). I'm sure they would like him to stay around for at least another month or two.

I would think some of the other assistants might be more precarious, even though they all get paid too.

Next year is when we'll probably see more of an exodus.

Oh good, Stanford, what could go wrong!

[Philsmania]

Didn't see this one coming.

Yes, after this year is when we will probably see a mass exodus of the McPhail-Klentak people. I am guessing at some point that Klentak goes to Seattle as DiPoto's righthand man again.

Velandia is actually a holdover from the RAJ administration. A true organizational survivor.

[Austinfan]

Given Dombrowski's age, it may have been a mutual agreement that he starts mentoring his replacement, especially since he may have asked for the option to move on if the expansion team becomes available.

Which is not necessarily a bad thing, let someone like Fuld learn on the job for a few years, then take over, giving the Phillies a GM/President who isn't eligible for the Social Security max payment.

[zambonir]

Dombrowski pretty much said it out loud, that he hopes Fuld replaces him, and that while he is in charge, most teams with this structure put a lot on the GM (he said when he was still in Boston he rarely ever talked to Theo, only Hoyer).

Mildly interesting that Terry Ryan, who was reportedly retiring after helping with the front office search, has instead taken a modest promotion from special scout to special assistant (which also probably means less travel).

Phillies web site has still not been updated but somehow this is there, randomly detached from the baseball operations section