As director of integrative baseball performance, Sam Fuld didn’t get to work with first-year Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi as much as he wanted to in 2020. Now that he’s been promoted to general manager, Fuld will get the opportunity to keep working with Girardi for the foreseeable future.
“I have so much respect for Joe,” Fuld said through Zoom on Tuesday during a virtual press conference introducing him in his new role, “and I can’t wait to further that relationship.”
The newly-promoted 39-year-old executive said he enjoyed getting to know Girardi during spring training. But, shortly thereafter, the COVID-19 pandemic would shut down the sport and change its landscape throughout the 2020 season, preventing the two from working together closely.