Sam Fuld
Encyclopedia
Samuel Babson "Sam" Fuld (born November 20, 1981) is an American professional baseball
outfielder
with the Tampa Bay Rays
of Major League Baseball
.
Despite being diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 10, Fuld began his baseball career by twice batting .600 in high school, during which time Baseball America
ranked him 19th in the country. He played college baseball at Stanford. There, he was a two-time All American, set the school record for career run
s scored, and established the College World Series
record for career hit
s.
Fuld was drafted by the Chicago Cubs
in 2004. He was an All Star two years later in the Florida State League
. A year after that, he was voted the Most Valuable Player in the Arizona Fall League
. In the minors, as a result of his fearless defense, he was referred to as "a crash test
dummy with a death wish
", a "human wrecking ball
act," a "wall magnet," and a "manager's dream and a trainer's worst nightmare."
Fuld made his major league debut with the Cubs in 2007. He became a fan favorite for his acrobatic defense, and his tendency to run into outfield walls while making sparkling catches. Despite his batting .299 in his longest stint with the Cubs, the team never gave him a consistent chance, and limited his play to only late-season call-ups over three years. After the 2010 season, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. Fuld made the Rays' 2011 opening day roster, and won the jobs of starting left fielder and lead-off hitter by mid-April. Due to early-season heroics, including a "Superman-esque" catch, he was dubbed "Superman", "Super Sam", and "The Legendary Sam Fuld". He became an internet legend as his catch was put to Superman-theme music in a Youtube
video, and Twitter
tweet
s about him went viral. In late April, he led the American League in both batting average and steals.
Sam was ten pounds at birth, so big he was nicknamed "Sumo Sam". He is the son of Kenneth Fuld, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Professor of Psychology at the University of New Hampshire
, and Amanda Merrill
, a New Hampshire State Senator
. He is also a second cousin of former Lehman Brothers
CEO Dick Fuld.
He got his start playing baseball hitting plastic wiffle balls pitched by his grandmother when he was three years old. Instead of carrying around the typical teddy bear or worn-down baby blanket when he was young, he carried a book of baseball stats (The Complete Baseball Handbook) with him all the time by the age of five, like a security blanket. "He was only 5 or 6 and he was already computing batting average
s and ERAs
," his father said. "He'd sit in the bathtub, and I'd say 'If a guy goes 17-for-37, what's his batting average?' What struck me is that he'd perform these operations in very creative ways–not just that he got the right answer, but his methodology, adding in a factor and then dividing by 10, etc. I'd watch him and say 'wow,' just like I said 'wow' when he used to hit."
Fuld admits his height is 5' 8" to 5' 9", but "claims the right to round up". Shorter than most major leaguers, he chokes up three inches on the bat, and says: "When I realized I was going to be limited physically, I looked for guys in the big leagues who were little. I'd buy baseball cards and find anyone under 5–10 who played in the outfield, and say, 'That's my guy; there's hope.'" While he is listed at 180 pounds, a reporter observed: "if Fuld weighs 180, it would have to be carrying all of his bats, plus the baseball donut
. Despite his size, by the time he was 12 years old, Fuld was competing in a league of 14- to 16-year-olds.
In June 2009, Fuld married his high school sweetheart, Sarah. He had met her while they were fellow students at Phillips Exeter Academy
. She is an athlete as well, and won two national lacrosse championships playing for Princeton University. They have a son, Charlie, and a daughter, Jane.
when he was 10 years old. He recalled, "I was losing weight, I was thirsty all the time, just classic symptoms, so my parents knew something was wrong and the doctor diagnosed it right away. It was tough, but when I realized there was no other alternative, I just looked at it as a challenge."
At the age of 12, he met pitcher Bill Gullickson
, who also had diabetes, and talked to him for 10 minutes. "That was enough to inspire me," Fuld said. "Any time I can talk to young diabetic kids, I look forward to that opportunity," said Gullickson.
Former Cub All Star third baseman Ron Santo
was also afflicted with Type 1 diabetes. Santo hid his ailment from others during his playing days, because he was afraid they would consider him weak. Santo later had both his legs amputated, because of complications caused by his diabetes.
Now, at least six times a day Fuld opens a small black case, withdraws a glucometer, pricks a finger ("It's pretty painless; I've got calloused fingers"), and checks his blood sugar
(a 30-second process). He does it whenever he feels he should check his blood sugar level, even if he is in the clubhouse or the dugout during a game. He gives himself shots of insulin
in his stomach every time he eats, which can be as many as five times a day.
Fuld is also comfortable handling the kidding in the clubhouse regarding his treatments. "We dish it out pretty good about his insulin shots,” said his AA manager Pat Listach
. "We always give him stuff about putting needles in the refrigerator, and shooting up in the clubhouse. He takes it all in stride. He’s a good guy."
Asked whether he thinks about his blood sugar level when he is chasing fly balls, he answered: "For those brief moments, it's out of my mind. I get back to the dugout, and it definitely crosses my mind. 'OK, my face is intact – what about my sugar?'"
as an eighth grader, during which time he made the high school varsity, and the University of New Hampshire's baseball coach opined that he had the best batting swing of any player in the State. He was the team's MVP, and a league All Star. He then transferred to Phillips Exeter Academy
, where he played baseball and soccer, and ran track. Playing in New Hampshire, due to the chilly weather he was limited to short baseball seasons, and some of his games were played as it snowed. Fuld batted .613 as a freshman, and .489 as a sophomore with 11 steals
. He led his club to a league title as a junior in 1999, as he batted .600 with 9 steals. As a senior he hit .550 with 6 homer
s, 12 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases. He was a three-time team captain and four-time MVP of the varsity baseball team.
He was named a 2000 Pre-season First Team All-American by Baseball America
, Collegiate Baseball, USA Today
, and Fox Sports
. Fuld was also listed 19th among the 100 Top High School Prospects of 2000 by Baseball America, and selected the New Hampshire 2000 Gatorade
High School Player of the Year. He was also a four-time Central New England Prep School Baseball League All-Conference player.
Fuld also played from 1998–2000 with the Dover Post 8 American Legion
team. With them, he earned 2000 New Hampshire State Tournament MVP honors. He also led his club to a state championship.
. He was an economics
major there, ultimately graduating in 2004 with a 3.15 GPA. He was a star two-time All-American, record-setting 4-year starter in center field for the Cardinal, playing alongside future major leaguers Carlos Quentin
and Jed Lowrie
.
In 2001, as a freshman, he batted .357 as he established himself as the team's leadoff hitter
. Fuld was fifth in the Pacific-10 (Pac-10) conference in runs scored (56), sixth in walk
s (32), and ninth in hits (81). In the post-season he hit .396. He earned NCBWA Third Team All-American honors, and was named a Baseball America Second Team Freshman All-American, All-College World Series, All-NCAA Regional, All-Pac-10, and a Collegiate Baseball Honorable Mention Freshman All-American.
As a sophomore in 2002, he led the Pac-10 in hits (110), breaking Stanford's single-season record, while batting .375, third-best in the conference. Fuld also led the conference in total bases (162), was third in runs scored (67) and doubles (20), and fifth in triple
s (4). He was named a First-Team (ABCA, Baseball America, Baseball Weekly) and Third-Team (Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA) All-American. He was also named a Jewish Sports Review
College Baseball First Team All-American, along with future major leaguers Craig Breslow
and Adam Greenberg. In addition, Fuld earned the Stanford Jack Shepard Memorial Award and Come Through Award. He batted .421 with two homers in four CWS games, earning a spot on the All-College World Series Team for the second straight year. Fuld also played with Team USA
in the summers of 2001 and 2002.
In 2003, Fuld was named a First-Team (NCBWA) and Third-Team (Baseball America) Pre-Season All-American. In the regular season, as a junior he tied the school season record for runs with 83 (# 1 in the Pac-10). He also hit .321 with 35 RBIs and 10 steals in 10 attempts, leading the conference in triples (9) while coming in fifth in hits (97), eighth in doubles (18) and total bases (145), and ninth in walks (34). In the post-season his 24 career hits broke the College World Series
record of 23 set by Keith Moreland
in 1973–75. And commenting on his defense, Stanford coach Mark Marquess
said: "If it's in the ballpark, he's going to catch it. He's the premier center fielder in college baseball." He earned All-Pac-10 honors for the third straight season. Reflecting on his college career, Fuld said: "I think one of the things you take away from playing under Coach Marquess is whatever you do, be it baseball or anything else, you do it well and you do it with passion. You do it with excitement because, really, that's the way to go about things. Not only in sports, but beyond sports."
Fuld was drafted in the 24th round (703rd overall) of the 2003 Draft
by the Chicago Cubs, but did not sign. Marquess thought that Fuld might have been drafted relatively low because, as a 5' 10" leadoff hitter, he did not fit the stereotype of a tall, power-hitting major league outfielder. But Fuld said of the Cub's bid: "It was a generous offer. It was a tough choice." He then batted .361 with 14 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in the summer of 2003 for the Hyannis Mets
in the Cape Cod League, and was voted a Cape Cod League All Star.
Before the 2004 season, Fuld was named a First-Team (NCBWA), Second-Team (Louisville Slugger), and Third Team (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball) Pre-season All-American, and an Honorable Mention Pac-10 All-Academic. Diving for a ball in the outfield in his second-to-last game in college, he broke his shoulder, tore his labrum, and partially tore his rotator cuff
. For the season, he received Honorable Mention to the Pac-10 All-Academic Team and All-Conference Team
When he became Stanford's and the Pac-10's all-time leader in runs scored (268), Fuld modestly said: "It means a lot to break the record. Obviously, a record like that is more of a tribute to the teammates I've had over the last four years." When he graduated Stanford, in addition he ranked among the school's all-time top 10 in hits (353; # 2), triples (16; # 3T), and doubles (58; # 6T).
Fuld said: "I want to try my hand. It's been a lifelong dream, really, to play professional baseball. I just love it too much not to give it a shot." The Cubs drafted him for a second time, in the 10th round (306th overall) of the 2004 Draft
, and this time Fuld signed. When he made it to the major leagues, he became the 78th former Stanford Cardinal to do so. During the baseball off-season, Fuld returns to Stanford to pursue a master's degree in statistics.
's book Moneyball, learned about Chicago-based STATS, Inc.
, and applied through their website for an internship, which he received. "I was one of their reporters, which meant that I looked at game video and plotted the 'TVL'–type, velocity, and location–of every pitch," Fuld said. "They have this grid where you click on exactly where the ball crosses the plate. Play the tape, pause, and repeat." Fuld observed later: "The beauty of numbers is that our minds don't necessarily capture the whole picture accurately. Our emotions remember certain things for whatever reason, and there are certain things you don't remember.... that's the beauty of numbers. It's fact. There's no way around it." He also began seeking out stats that were not already kept. "There's so many statistics out there that I thought 'There's no stats on foul ball
s,' so I picked a few players and started tracking them, thinking I'd find something," Fuld said. But his bag that contained the notebook with all his stats was stolen.
Fuld had an impressive minor league career that began in 2005, when he hit .300 with a .377 obp and 18 stolen bases in 443 at bats for the Single-A Peoria Chiefs
of the Midwest League
. He also had a 17-game hit streak, and turned in 7 outfield assist
s from center field.
Fuld batted .300 with a .378 obp and 22 steals in 353 at bats for the High-A Daytona Cubs
of the Florida State League
in 2006, though he missed the end of the season because of a hip injury. He ended up needing an operation for a sports hernia after that season. He was named to the league All-Star team.
In 2007, Fuld batted .291 with a .371 on base percentage, in 282 at bats, as he began the season with the Tennessee Smokies
in the Double-A Southern League
. "He knows how to play the game, when to take a pitch, when to work the count, and when to go ahead and swing away and juice the ball," said his Tennessee manager, Listach. "He’s strong enough that he can hit the ball out of the yard occasionally. He’s a gap, line drive
type hitter. He knows what type of hitter he is, and he doesn’t hit a lot of fly balls." He was an efficient leadoff batter for Tennessee, with more walks (41) than strikeouts (38)–a recurring theme in his career, as he was touted by Baseball America as having the best strike zone
judgment in the organization. "He’s a very intelligent player," added Listach. He continued:
in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League
. There, he batted .269, with a .397 on base percentage.
Fuld played for the Mesa Solar Sox
in the Arizona Fall League
in the Fall of 2007. On October 30, he was named AFL Player of the Week
, after hitting .526. In 29 games with the Solar Sox, Fuld led the league in batting average (.402), hits (43), doubles (11), extra-base hits (16), total bases (67), obp (.492), slugging percentage (.626), and OPS
(1.118), and was 3rd in the league in runs (20) and walks (17), 4th in stolen bases (10), and 5th in triples (2). He batted .462 with runners in scoring position, and .500 against lefties. Fuld was named the 2007 Most Valuable Player of the Arizona Fall League, after being the season's dominant player. He also was named to the AFL Top Prospects Team.
Fuld also won the Dernell Stenson Award for Leadership for unselfishness, hard work, and leadership, becoming the first player to win both awards. He donated all the money he raised from the auction he had in conjunction with winning the Stenson Award to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
. "This kid plays the game like it's supposed to be played," said Mesa Solar Sox manager Dave Clark
.
In 2008, Fuld started the season with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. There, due to his fearless defense, he was referred to as "a crash test
dummy with a death wish
", a "human wrecking ball
act," a "wall magnet," and a "manager's dream and a trainer's worst nightmare."
Fuld began the 2008 season at Triple-A Iowa, but was demoted to the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in May after struggling at the plate due to a right thumb injury. After hitting no higher than .245 in May, June, and July, he had a torrid August, batting .345/.424/.445. Fuld averaged only 1 strikeout per 9.9 at bats, good for fifth-best in the Southern League.
Fuld had a "big winter" playing winter ball in Venezuela on the Tigres de Aragua
, who he helped lead to a championship. He hit leadoff for Aragua, while batting .322 with 5 triples (leading the league), 36 walks and 43 runs (2nd), 16 doubles (5th), a .425 on base percentage (7th), and a .938 OPS (8th). For his 2008–09 winter performance, including walking nearly twice as much as he struck out, he was elected to the Baseball America All Winter League Team.
Fuld began 2009 at Iowa, and hit .286 with 20 stolen bases and 8 triples in 73 games, including .326 versus lefties, primarily playing center field until he was called up on June 30. He walked 32 times compared to just 22 strikeouts in 319 plate appearances, and had a .309 batting average with runners in scoring position.
In September 2007, the Chicago Cubs called Fuld up to the major league team. He is one of 37 ballplayers from New Hampshire who have made it to the major leagues. He made his debut September 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers
, as a defensive replacement. "I have so much respect for players like (Cubs first baseman) Derrek Lee
," Fuld said. "They're great players. But to meet them and actually play with them and contribute and help them win is kind of a surreal experience. It doesn't seem too long ago that I was going to Fenway (Park in Boston) and idolizing these guys. I feel like a fan at times. I have to remind myself I'm a player."
That month he was "forced" to sing Stanford's fight song
on the team bus, as part of his rookie treatment. Later in the month, he was hazed after a game—made to walk from the park in Cincinnati to the team's downtown hotel in a Batgirl
getup, accompanied by Felix Pie
in pink baby pajamas, Carmen Pignatiello
(as Supergirl
), and Kevin Hart
(as Wonder Woman
). After peeking at his outfit, before he had to don it, Fuld said: "I think it was Batgirl. I was actually looking forward to it, believe it or not. [I didn't try it on] I'm pretty sure I would've looked good in it. Black's my color. I never did the frat thing in college, so this would kind of be like that." In mid-September, as Manager Lou Piniella
had still not given Fuld an at bat, someone on the team hung a "Moonlight Graham
" sign in Fuld's locker.
Against the Pittsburgh Pirates
on September 22, 2007, playing right field as a defensive replacement, Fuld raced back and made a "spectacular", "daredevil", jarring catch just left of the 368-foot-marker in right-center field at Wrigley Field
, slamming at full speed into the ivy-covered brick wall, and robbing the Pirates' Nyjer Morgan
of extra bases. In his next motion, Fuld then bounced off the bricks and wheeled, firing a one-hop strike to double off a Pirates baserunner at first base (see video of Fuld catch and throw to first). The home crowd of 47,271 erupted, giving him a deafening standing ovation, and the Cubs who were on the field waited in front of his dugout to congratulate him. Thousands of fans chanted "Sam-my! Sam-my!" when he next came to bat. "That was amazing," said Fuld. "They were going crazy." General Manager Jim Hendry
said: "That's as good a play as I've seen by a Cubs player at Wrigley Field since I've been here." The play later made ESPN
on Baseball Tonight
as the # 1 web gem of the day. After the season, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune
cited it as the Cubs' "Play of the Year." Many Cub fans refer to it as: "The Catch."
In 2008, Fuld pushed Pie for the center field spot during spring training. Piniella said that Pie was only "a head or nose in front" of Fuld, and commented:
Hendry observed: "[Fuld] can run. He's a tremendous defensive player." Hendry also indicated that Fuld was among the club's untouchables, saying: "We're not going to trade [Fuld]. It's pretty simple." In late March, however, Piniella chose Pie to open the season as the starting center fielder over Fuld, and sent Fuld down to the minor leagues.
Fuld played for the Cubs in spring training in 2009, but was sent down to their AAA team in late March to work on stealing bases. He was called back up on June 30. Hendry said: "Sammy has been really hot. This will let Lou (manager Piniella) mix and match with outfield defense until Reed (Johnson) comes back."
On July 1, 2009, Fuld recorded his first major league hit in his first major league start of the season, and second start of his career. Leading off the game Fuld hit a double against Virgil Vasquez
of the Pittsburgh Pirates
at PNC Park
. "It felt great to get the first one out of the way in the first inning," Fuld said. "It kind of took the edge off the rest of the night. I felt comfortable all night long—I really couldn't have asked for a better night." In the fourth inning Fuld made a sliding catch of a sinking liner (see video of Fuld's sliding catch robbing Vazquez of a hit), and in the fifth inning he charged a single and fired a perfect one-hop throw to the plate to throw out Jack Wilson at home (see video of Fuld cutting down Wilson to preserve the lead). "It was huge," said Cubs starter Randy Wells
. "Sam Fuld, man, he gets to so many balls. He made a [heck] of a play throwing that guy out—the perfect throw." The following month, he crashed into the left field wall while making a sliding catch in a game against the Dodgers (see video of Fuld making wall-crashing catch).
Asked which player he would most like to switch positions with, Geovany Soto
said:
Fuld hit the first home run of his major league career in the final game of the Cubs' 2009 season, on October 4 at Wrigley Field. He finished the season batting .299, and with the highest on base percentage (.409) of any Cubs player with 100 or more plate appearance
s.
Carrie Muskat, the Cubs' MLB.com
beat reporter, wrote on March 1, 2010, that: "I can see Fuld making the Cubs' Opening Day
roster... Fuld has shown he can handle the part-time workload, can play all three positions, and can be used as a defensive sub or pinch-runner." On March 30, however, the Cubs sent him down to AAA Iowa. Piniella remarked: "The decisions weren't easy." He was called up to Chicago for the first time in the 2010 season on August 19, and ended the season with only a handful of at bats.
Baseball writer Rob Neyer
, noting that this followed Fuld batting .299 with a .409 on base percentage for the Cubs, wrote:
A writer for the American Spectator later mused: "what were the Cubs thinking ...? ... perhaps decision makers ... didn't ... pencil him into lineup cards because they were prejudiced against players of Fuld's stature. But those who don't believe guys of Fuld's size can be solid major league players should be sentenced to sit in the corner under the dunce hat, and read Joe Morgan
's statistics over and over."
, who had wanted him for a long time. He was traded with minor leaguers Hak-Ju Lee, Brandon Guyer
, Robinson Chirinos
, and Christopher Archer
for starting pitcher Matt Garza
, outfielder Fernando Perez
, and a minor league prospect.
Manager Joe Maddon
noted Fuld's outstanding walks-to-strikeouts ratio, which Maddon referred to as "freaky-weird": 325 walks vs. 272 strikeouts in his professional career. Maddon said: "He's a major-league baseball player right now.... He's been needing opportunity; he's probably going to get the opportunity here right now." He also observed that Fuld is a:
Rays hitting coach Derek Shelton
observed that: "[Fuld's] contact ratio is off the charts. He has probably one of the shortest swings I've ever seen." General manager Andrew Friedman
said: "He's a guy with a very interesting profile. He's a plus defender in all three (outfield) spots, with superior contact skills, and a really good ability to discern balls and strikes ... and an ability to hit line drives with ... high frequency."
Fuld made the team's Opening Day
roster, his first in the majors, as its fourth outfielder
, and a late-inning weapon off the bench, speedster pinch runner, and defensive replacement. Tommy Rancel of ESPN described him as: "Tampa Bay's version of Brett Gardner
; albeit in a reduced role". However with Manny Ramirez
sudden retirement, left fielder Johnny Damon
became the team's DH expanding Fuld's role. On April 7, he stole a career-high 3 bases in one game, and Maddon began penciling him into the lineup as the team's everyday leadoff hitter.
On April 9, playing right field against the Chicago White Sox who had the bases loaded with two out in a very close game, Fuld made a spectacular catch. The Tampa Tribune called it "one of the best catches in team history", and the St. Petersburg Times called it "Superman-esque". Fuld ran full speed from shallow right-center after a ball hit into the right field corner by Juan Pierre
, left the ground at the last instant in a full-out, full-extension dive, made a back-handed catch with his body parallel to the ground, and then slid chest-down across the warning track, bloodying his arms and legs (see video). Rays center fielder B.J. Upton said: "Oh my god, oh my. I thought he was going to dive into the [wall].... I was screaming from center field when he caught it. 'Great catch!' Should be play of the year so far." Pitcher Wade Davis
said: "I've never seen a catch that good in person." White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski observed: "that catch ... is one of the best catches I've ever seen. Honestly, he ran like 50 yards to get to that ball. It was an incredible catch ... an amazing play." ESPN's Baseball Tonight
program featured it as a web gem, it was # 1 on ESPN's top plays of the weekend, SportsCenter
named it as the best of its top-10 plays, and MLB Network named it a Play of the Week. His superhero status spread on the internet by late April, with the Toronto Sun
writing: "Fuld ranks in the Top 10 in batting average, runs, and triples, and also leads the AL in stolen bases and YouTube
hits, especially video hits for a catch in Chicago diving towards the right field corner onto the warning track that has been set to a Superman theme."
Maddon noted: "His defense has been spectacular—tremendous defense. He's ... a clinician out there. He pretty much does everything right." Later in the month Maddon compared Fuld's play favorably to that of Gold Glove left fielder Carl Crawford, saying that Fuld had a better arm, and compared his style of play to that of former perennial Gold Glove center fielder Jim Edmonds
.
On April 11, as a reporter for major league baseball described it, Fuld "turned Fenway Park
into his personal playground." Fuld missed hitting for the cycle
only because he opted to stretch a single into a double. He had already hit a double, triple, and home run in a game against the Boston Red Sox when he came up in the 9th inning, in a runaway game which the Rays won 16–5. He lined a hit into the left field corner. With his teammates screaming at him from the dugout to stop at first base so that he could record the rare personal achievement of having hit for the cycle, Fuld instead hustled into second base for another double. Had he stopped at first base, he would have been just the second player in Tampa Bay Rays history to hit for the cycle, joining B.J. Upton. Maddon observed that Fuld's refusal to stay at first "speaks to Sam's integrity, right there. He plays with such zeal and intelligence, he's just fun to watch... I know a lot of guys who would have stopped. Some guys in the dugout said they would have slid into first base." He became the fifth player in Tampa Bay history to have four extra-base hits in a game, and the first since Tomas Perez
in 2006. His four extra-base hits and 11 total bases were also records for a Fenway Park
debut.
He also became an instant legend on the internet as the trending spread from his "Superman" Youtube
video to Twitter
tweets at the #LegendofSamFuld hash tag, such as "Sam Fuld was once intentionally walked while in the on deck circle," "The Red Sox check under their bed for Sam Fuld," and Maddon's favorite: "Superman wears a Sam Fuld T-shirt to bed." Though not a twitter user, Fuld caught on quickly: When reporters asked him the next day why he could not stop the rain that was causing a rainout, Fuld quipped: "This is me, washing my planet". By mid-April, he had won the starting left fielder position and leadoff hitter slot with the Rays.
On April 18, a week after his 4-hit Fenway Park debut, Fuld had 4 hits in 4 at bats against the White Sox. That raised his batting average to an AL-leading .396, to go along with his league-lead in stolen bases. His batting average was the second-highest in team history through April 18 in a season, behind only Fred McGriff
(1998). He also became the first Tampa Bay player with two four-hit games in a season while batting leadoff since Carl Crawford
, who did it twice in 2005, and the first major leaguer to have two four-hit games in the 2011 season. He was fourth in the league in hits (21), fifth in on-base percentage (.431) and OPS (1.035), tied for fifth in doubles (6), sixth in slugging percentage (.604), and was third-toughest player to strike out (one strikeout per 14.5 plate appearances). As of April 25, he was leading the AL with 10 stolen bases. A reporter for major league baseball, in explaining his rise to fame, wrote: "you won't find any other 5-foot-9... New Hampshire-born, Jewish, diabetic outfielders in the Baseball Encyclopedia. His agent Jim Munsey, observing that given what Fuld has overcome and how he plays the game: "He's hard not to like", suddenly received a number of calls asking for Fuld for marketing opportunities.
He made another diving, face-planting catch of a sinking line drive, leading Rays pitcher David Price
to say: "I heard that the world is covered by 75 percent water, and the other 25 percent is covered by Sam Fuld." As of April 20, Fuld led Baseball Tonight
s Web Gem standings with 18 points, which included Web Gems at each outfield position. A writer for The American Spectator
observed: "he owns the 11 o-clock highlight reel. (My sources inform me that ESPN executives are considering changing the name of "Baseball Tonight" to "The Sam Fuld Show.")" In late April, he was placed on the American League ballot for the 2011 All Star Game.
The press and the Rays began to refer to him by the nicknames "Superman", "Super Sam", and "The Legendary Sam Fuld". The Rays gave away Super Sam Fuld Superhero Capes to children at the team's May 29 game. The cape showed a diving Super Sam Fuld in mid-flight, behind a shield bearing his nickname.
In a game against the Brewers on June 20, 2011, he reported to the pitcher's mound in the 8th inning and warmed up in order to give a relief pitcher time to warm up in the bull pen. He did not throw a recorded pitch, or appear as a pitcher in the box score
.
Fuld finished the season with a .240 batting average, and tied for second on the team in stolen bases, with 20.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
with the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Despite being diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 10, Fuld began his baseball career by twice batting .600 in high school, during which time Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
ranked him 19th in the country. He played college baseball at Stanford. There, he was a two-time All American, set the school record for career run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
s scored, and established the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
record for career hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
s.
Fuld was drafted by the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in 2004. He was an All Star two years later in the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
. A year after that, he was voted the Most Valuable Player in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
. In the minors, as a result of his fearless defense, he was referred to as "a crash test
Crash test
A crash test is a form of destructive testing usually performed in order to ensure safe design standards in crashworthiness and crash compatibility for various modes of transportation or related systems and components.- Types :...
dummy with a death wish
Death Wish
Death Wish is a 1972 novel by Brian Garfield.-Plot:Paul Benjamin is a CPA in New York and lifelong liberal. However, his staid life is overturned when his daughter, Carol, and spouse, Esther, are attacked by muggers. His wife does not survive the attack, and his traumatized daughter is left in a...
", a "human wrecking ball
Wrecking ball
A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a crane, that is used for demolishing large buildings. It was most common during the 1950s and 1960s. Several wrecking companies claim to have invented the wrecking ball...
act," a "wall magnet," and a "manager's dream and a trainer's worst nightmare."
Fuld made his major league debut with the Cubs in 2007. He became a fan favorite for his acrobatic defense, and his tendency to run into outfield walls while making sparkling catches. Despite his batting .299 in his longest stint with the Cubs, the team never gave him a consistent chance, and limited his play to only late-season call-ups over three years. After the 2010 season, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. Fuld made the Rays' 2011 opening day roster, and won the jobs of starting left fielder and lead-off hitter by mid-April. Due to early-season heroics, including a "Superman-esque" catch, he was dubbed "Superman", "Super Sam", and "The Legendary Sam Fuld". He became an internet legend as his catch was put to Superman-theme music in a Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video, and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
tweet
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
s about him went viral. In late April, he led the American League in both batting average and steals.
Personal life
Fuld is a Jewish baseball player in the major leagues. He was born into a household with a Jewish father and Catholic mother, and has said that he was "kind of raised celebrating both".Sam was ten pounds at birth, so big he was nicknamed "Sumo Sam". He is the son of Kenneth Fuld, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Professor of Psychology at the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
, and Amanda Merrill
Amanda Merrill
Amanda Merrill is a Democratic first-term member of the New Hampshire Senate from Durham, who took office in 2008. She represents Senate District 21, which comprises Dover, Durham, Epping, Lee, and Rollinsford...
, a New Hampshire State Senator
New Hampshire Senate
The New Hampshire Senate has been meeting since 1784. It is the upper house of the New Hampshire General Court. It consists of 24 members representing Senate districts based on population...
. He is also a second cousin of former Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
CEO Dick Fuld.
He got his start playing baseball hitting plastic wiffle balls pitched by his grandmother when he was three years old. Instead of carrying around the typical teddy bear or worn-down baby blanket when he was young, he carried a book of baseball stats (The Complete Baseball Handbook) with him all the time by the age of five, like a security blanket. "He was only 5 or 6 and he was already computing batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
s and ERAs
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
," his father said. "He'd sit in the bathtub, and I'd say 'If a guy goes 17-for-37, what's his batting average?' What struck me is that he'd perform these operations in very creative ways–not just that he got the right answer, but his methodology, adding in a factor and then dividing by 10, etc. I'd watch him and say 'wow,' just like I said 'wow' when he used to hit."
Fuld admits his height is 5' 8" to 5' 9", but "claims the right to round up". Shorter than most major leaguers, he chokes up three inches on the bat, and says: "When I realized I was going to be limited physically, I looked for guys in the big leagues who were little. I'd buy baseball cards and find anyone under 5–10 who played in the outfield, and say, 'That's my guy; there's hope.'" While he is listed at 180 pounds, a reporter observed: "if Fuld weighs 180, it would have to be carrying all of his bats, plus the baseball donut
Baseball doughnut
A baseball doughnut is a weighted ring that fits over the end of a baseball bat, used for warming up during a baseball game. When the doughnut is taken off, the bat becomes lighter, allowing the batter to feel like it is easier to swing harder. This process is known as deceleration training...
. Despite his size, by the time he was 12 years old, Fuld was competing in a league of 14- to 16-year-olds.
In June 2009, Fuld married his high school sweetheart, Sarah. He had met her while they were fellow students at Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
. She is an athlete as well, and won two national lacrosse championships playing for Princeton University. They have a son, Charlie, and a daughter, Jane.
Diabetes
Fuld was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetesDiabetes mellitus type 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
when he was 10 years old. He recalled, "I was losing weight, I was thirsty all the time, just classic symptoms, so my parents knew something was wrong and the doctor diagnosed it right away. It was tough, but when I realized there was no other alternative, I just looked at it as a challenge."
At the age of 12, he met pitcher Bill Gullickson
Bill Gullickson
William Lee Gullickson is a former major league baseball pitcher who played for six different major-league teams, in Canada, the U.S...
, who also had diabetes, and talked to him for 10 minutes. "That was enough to inspire me," Fuld said. "Any time I can talk to young diabetic kids, I look forward to that opportunity," said Gullickson.
Former Cub All Star third baseman Ron Santo
Ron Santo
Ronald Edward Santo was an American professional baseball player and long-time radio sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A nine-time All-Star, he was a powerful hitter who was also a good defensive...
was also afflicted with Type 1 diabetes. Santo hid his ailment from others during his playing days, because he was afraid they would consider him weak. Santo later had both his legs amputated, because of complications caused by his diabetes.
Now, at least six times a day Fuld opens a small black case, withdraws a glucometer, pricks a finger ("It's pretty painless; I've got calloused fingers"), and checks his blood sugar
Blood sugar
The blood sugar concentration or blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood of a human or animal. Normally in mammals, the body maintains the blood glucose level at a reference range between about 3.6 and 5.8 mM , or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL...
(a 30-second process). He does it whenever he feels he should check his blood sugar level, even if he is in the clubhouse or the dugout during a game. He gives himself shots of insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
in his stomach every time he eats, which can be as many as five times a day.
Fuld is also comfortable handling the kidding in the clubhouse regarding his treatments. "We dish it out pretty good about his insulin shots,” said his AA manager Pat Listach
Pat Listach
Patrick Alan Listach is a former Major League Baseball shortstop, minor league manager and bench coach.-Amateur career:...
. "We always give him stuff about putting needles in the refrigerator, and shooting up in the clubhouse. He takes it all in stride. He’s a good guy."
Asked whether he thinks about his blood sugar level when he is chasing fly balls, he answered: "For those brief moments, it's out of my mind. I get back to the dugout, and it definitely crosses my mind. 'OK, my face is intact – what about my sugar?'"
High school
Fuld attended Berwick AcademyBerwick Academy
Berwick Academy is a highly selective preparatory school located in South Berwick, Maine. Founded in 1791, it is the oldest educational institution in Maine and one of the oldest private schools in North America. The school sits on a 72-acre, 11-building campus on a hill overlooking the Salmon...
as an eighth grader, during which time he made the high school varsity, and the University of New Hampshire's baseball coach opined that he had the best batting swing of any player in the State. He was the team's MVP, and a league All Star. He then transferred to Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
, where he played baseball and soccer, and ran track. Playing in New Hampshire, due to the chilly weather he was limited to short baseball seasons, and some of his games were played as it snowed. Fuld batted .613 as a freshman, and .489 as a sophomore with 11 steals
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
. He led his club to a league title as a junior in 1999, as he batted .600 with 9 steals. As a senior he hit .550 with 6 homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
s, 12 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases. He was a three-time team captain and four-time MVP of the varsity baseball team.
He was named a 2000 Pre-season First Team All-American by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
, Collegiate Baseball, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, and Fox Sports
Fox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
. Fuld was also listed 19th among the 100 Top High School Prospects of 2000 by Baseball America, and selected the New Hampshire 2000 Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
High School Player of the Year. He was also a four-time Central New England Prep School Baseball League All-Conference player.
Fuld also played from 1998–2000 with the Dover Post 8 American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
team. With them, he earned 2000 New Hampshire State Tournament MVP honors. He also led his club to a state championship.
College
A total of 94 colleges approached Fuld after high school, and he chose to attend Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He was an economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
major there, ultimately graduating in 2004 with a 3.15 GPA. He was a star two-time All-American, record-setting 4-year starter in center field for the Cardinal, playing alongside future major leaguers Carlos Quentin
Carlos Quentin
Carlos Josè Quentin is an American outfielder who plays for the Chicago White Sox. In 2008 and in 2011, Quentin was selected as an All-Star.-Early career:...
and Jed Lowrie
Jed Lowrie
Jed Carlson Lowrie is an American professional baseball infielder with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:Lowrie was born on April 17, 1984 and later attended North Salem High School....
.
In 2001, as a freshman, he batted .357 as he established himself as the team's leadoff hitter
Leadoff hitter
In baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in an inning.- Strategy :...
. Fuld was fifth in the Pacific-10 (Pac-10) conference in runs scored (56), sixth in walk
WALK
WALK may refer to:*WALK , a radio station licensed to East Patchogue, New York, United States*WALK-FM, a radio station licensed to Patchogue, New York, United States...
s (32), and ninth in hits (81). In the post-season he hit .396. He earned NCBWA Third Team All-American honors, and was named a Baseball America Second Team Freshman All-American, All-College World Series, All-NCAA Regional, All-Pac-10, and a Collegiate Baseball Honorable Mention Freshman All-American.
As a sophomore in 2002, he led the Pac-10 in hits (110), breaking Stanford's single-season record, while batting .375, third-best in the conference. Fuld also led the conference in total bases (162), was third in runs scored (67) and doubles (20), and fifth in triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s (4). He was named a First-Team (ABCA, Baseball America, Baseball Weekly) and Third-Team (Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA) All-American. He was also named a Jewish Sports Review
Jewish Sports Review
Jewish Sports Review is a bi-monthly magazine that was established in 1997. Its editors are Ephraim Moxson and Shel Wallman.The magazine identifies which star and professional athletes are Jewish...
College Baseball First Team All-American, along with future major leaguers Craig Breslow
Craig Breslow
Craig Andrew Breslow is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. He throws left-handed, and is considered a lefty specialist....
and Adam Greenberg. In addition, Fuld earned the Stanford Jack Shepard Memorial Award and Come Through Award. He batted .421 with two homers in four CWS games, earning a spot on the All-College World Series Team for the second straight year. Fuld also played with Team USA
Team USA
Team USA is a wrestling faction brought together as part of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's X-Cup Tournaments, which involved a team of X Division superstars from various countries representing their nation in an international wrestling competition.-America's X-Cup:Team USA was created and led...
in the summers of 2001 and 2002.
In 2003, Fuld was named a First-Team (NCBWA) and Third-Team (Baseball America) Pre-Season All-American. In the regular season, as a junior he tied the school season record for runs with 83 (# 1 in the Pac-10). He also hit .321 with 35 RBIs and 10 steals in 10 attempts, leading the conference in triples (9) while coming in fifth in hits (97), eighth in doubles (18) and total bases (145), and ninth in walks (34). In the post-season his 24 career hits broke the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
record of 23 set by Keith Moreland
Keith Moreland
Bobby Keith "Zonk" Moreland is a former outfielder, catcher and infield in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres. In , the final year of his career, he played for the Detroit Tigers, then the Baltimore Orioles...
in 1973–75. And commenting on his defense, Stanford coach Mark Marquess
Mark Marquess
Mark Marquess is the head coach of the Stanford Cardinal baseball team.In his 34 years at Stanford , he has compiled a record of 1,387–619–7 . His teams have made the postseason 23 times, and have had a record of 109–50 there. In the NCAA Regionals, his teams have a 65–25 record...
said: "If it's in the ballpark, he's going to catch it. He's the premier center fielder in college baseball." He earned All-Pac-10 honors for the third straight season. Reflecting on his college career, Fuld said: "I think one of the things you take away from playing under Coach Marquess is whatever you do, be it baseball or anything else, you do it well and you do it with passion. You do it with excitement because, really, that's the way to go about things. Not only in sports, but beyond sports."
Fuld was drafted in the 24th round (703rd overall) of the 2003 Draft
2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
by the Chicago Cubs, but did not sign. Marquess thought that Fuld might have been drafted relatively low because, as a 5' 10" leadoff hitter, he did not fit the stereotype of a tall, power-hitting major league outfielder. But Fuld said of the Cub's bid: "It was a generous offer. It was a tough choice." He then batted .361 with 14 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in the summer of 2003 for the Hyannis Mets
Hyannis Mets
The Hyannis Harbor Hawks, formerly the Hyannis Mets, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Hyannis, MA. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Western Division. Hyannis currently plays its home games at McKeon Park, which opened for play in 1979...
in the Cape Cod League, and was voted a Cape Cod League All Star.
Before the 2004 season, Fuld was named a First-Team (NCBWA), Second-Team (Louisville Slugger), and Third Team (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball) Pre-season All-American, and an Honorable Mention Pac-10 All-Academic. Diving for a ball in the outfield in his second-to-last game in college, he broke his shoulder, tore his labrum, and partially tore his rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
. For the season, he received Honorable Mention to the Pac-10 All-Academic Team and All-Conference Team
When he became Stanford's and the Pac-10's all-time leader in runs scored (268), Fuld modestly said: "It means a lot to break the record. Obviously, a record like that is more of a tribute to the teammates I've had over the last four years." When he graduated Stanford, in addition he ranked among the school's all-time top 10 in hits (353; # 2), triples (16; # 3T), and doubles (58; # 6T).
Fuld said: "I want to try my hand. It's been a lifelong dream, really, to play professional baseball. I just love it too much not to give it a shot." The Cubs drafted him for a second time, in the 10th round (306th overall) of the 2004 Draft
2004 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
, and this time Fuld signed. When he made it to the major leagues, he became the 78th former Stanford Cardinal to do so. During the baseball off-season, Fuld returns to Stanford to pursue a master's degree in statistics.
Minor leagues
The torn labrum injury he incurred in his second-to-last game of college in 2004 required surgery, and a full year of rehabilitation. During that time he read Michael LewisMichael Lewis (author)
Michael Lewis is an American non-fiction author and financial journalist. His bestselling books include The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, Liar's Poker, The New New Thing, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, Panic and Home Game: An...
's book Moneyball, learned about Chicago-based STATS, Inc.
STATS, Inc.
STATS LLC is a global sports statistics and information company – the company name originated as an acronym for "Sports Team Analysis and Tracking Systems". It was founded on April 30, 1981 by John Dewan, who became the company's CEO...
, and applied through their website for an internship, which he received. "I was one of their reporters, which meant that I looked at game video and plotted the 'TVL'–type, velocity, and location–of every pitch," Fuld said. "They have this grid where you click on exactly where the ball crosses the plate. Play the tape, pause, and repeat." Fuld observed later: "The beauty of numbers is that our minds don't necessarily capture the whole picture accurately. Our emotions remember certain things for whatever reason, and there are certain things you don't remember.... that's the beauty of numbers. It's fact. There's no way around it." He also began seeking out stats that were not already kept. "There's so many statistics out there that I thought 'There's no stats on foul ball
Foul ball
In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that:* Settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base, or* Bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or...
s,' so I picked a few players and started tracking them, thinking I'd find something," Fuld said. But his bag that contained the notebook with all his stats was stolen.
Fuld had an impressive minor league career that began in 2005, when he hit .300 with a .377 obp and 18 stolen bases in 443 at bats for the Single-A Peoria Chiefs
Peoria Chiefs
The Peoria Chiefs are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, from Peoria, Illinois. They play in the Midwest League....
of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
. He also had a 17-game hit streak, and turned in 7 outfield assist
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
s from center field.
Fuld batted .300 with a .378 obp and 22 steals in 353 at bats for the High-A Daytona Cubs
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs are a minor league baseball team based in Daytona Beach, Florida. The team plays in the Florida State League , and is the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs major league club. The Cubs play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark; opened in 1914, the park seats 5,100 fans.The...
of the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
in 2006, though he missed the end of the season because of a hip injury. He ended up needing an operation for a sports hernia after that season. He was named to the league All-Star team.
In 2007, Fuld batted .291 with a .371 on base percentage, in 282 at bats, as he began the season with the Tennessee Smokies
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2011 season...
in the Double-A Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. "He knows how to play the game, when to take a pitch, when to work the count, and when to go ahead and swing away and juice the ball," said his Tennessee manager, Listach. "He’s strong enough that he can hit the ball out of the yard occasionally. He’s a gap, line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
type hitter. He knows what type of hitter he is, and he doesn’t hit a lot of fly balls." He was an efficient leadoff batter for Tennessee, with more walks (41) than strikeouts (38)–a recurring theme in his career, as he was touted by Baseball America as having the best strike zone
Strike zone
In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual right pentagonal prism over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing.-Definition:...
judgment in the organization. "He’s a very intelligent player," added Listach. He continued:
He plays the game the right way. He plays the game hard. He plays the game smart. He steals a base when you need a base stolen, not necessarily when it’s 5–0 or a lopsided score. He does it when the team needs it. He makes the plays. He throws to the right bases. He’s a left-handed hitter. He can run. He’s a prototypical leadoff hitter in the big leagues..... His work ethic is off the charts.Fuld was also touted by Listach as having the best outfield skills on the team, as he led the Southern League with 13 assists from the outfield. In August, Fuld was promoted to the Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. There, he batted .269, with a .397 on base percentage.
Fuld played for the Mesa Solar Sox
Mesa Solar Sox
The Mesa Solar Sox are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Mesa, Arizona at HoHoKam Stadium, which is also the spring training facility of the Chicago Cubs....
in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
in the Fall of 2007. On October 30, he was named AFL Player of the Week
Player of the Week
The Player of the Week award is a Major League Baseball award named by each of the American and National Leagues each week of the regular season...
, after hitting .526. In 29 games with the Solar Sox, Fuld led the league in batting average (.402), hits (43), doubles (11), extra-base hits (16), total bases (67), obp (.492), slugging percentage (.626), and OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
(1.118), and was 3rd in the league in runs (20) and walks (17), 4th in stolen bases (10), and 5th in triples (2). He batted .462 with runners in scoring position, and .500 against lefties. Fuld was named the 2007 Most Valuable Player of the Arizona Fall League, after being the season's dominant player. He also was named to the AFL Top Prospects Team.
Fuld also won the Dernell Stenson Award for Leadership for unselfishness, hard work, and leadership, becoming the first player to win both awards. He donated all the money he raised from the auction he had in conjunction with winning the Stenson Award to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes research. Driven by volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of T1D research...
. "This kid plays the game like it's supposed to be played," said Mesa Solar Sox manager Dave Clark
Dave Clark (baseball)
David Earl Clark is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1986 to 1998. He served as manager of the Houston Astros Double-A affiliate, the Corpus Christi Hooks, from 2005 to 2007, and led them to the Texas League Championship in 2006...
.
In 2008, Fuld started the season with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. There, due to his fearless defense, he was referred to as "a crash test
Crash test
A crash test is a form of destructive testing usually performed in order to ensure safe design standards in crashworthiness and crash compatibility for various modes of transportation or related systems and components.- Types :...
dummy with a death wish
Death Wish
Death Wish is a 1972 novel by Brian Garfield.-Plot:Paul Benjamin is a CPA in New York and lifelong liberal. However, his staid life is overturned when his daughter, Carol, and spouse, Esther, are attacked by muggers. His wife does not survive the attack, and his traumatized daughter is left in a...
", a "human wrecking ball
Wrecking ball
A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a crane, that is used for demolishing large buildings. It was most common during the 1950s and 1960s. Several wrecking companies claim to have invented the wrecking ball...
act," a "wall magnet," and a "manager's dream and a trainer's worst nightmare."
Fuld began the 2008 season at Triple-A Iowa, but was demoted to the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in May after struggling at the plate due to a right thumb injury. After hitting no higher than .245 in May, June, and July, he had a torrid August, batting .345/.424/.445. Fuld averaged only 1 strikeout per 9.9 at bats, good for fifth-best in the Southern League.
Fuld had a "big winter" playing winter ball in Venezuela on the Tigres de Aragua
Tigres de Aragua
The Tigres de Aragua are a baseball team that plays in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.Founded in 1965, they play at the Estadio José Perez Colmenares in Maracay...
, who he helped lead to a championship. He hit leadoff for Aragua, while batting .322 with 5 triples (leading the league), 36 walks and 43 runs (2nd), 16 doubles (5th), a .425 on base percentage (7th), and a .938 OPS (8th). For his 2008–09 winter performance, including walking nearly twice as much as he struck out, he was elected to the Baseball America All Winter League Team.
Fuld began 2009 at Iowa, and hit .286 with 20 stolen bases and 8 triples in 73 games, including .326 versus lefties, primarily playing center field until he was called up on June 30. He walked 32 times compared to just 22 strikeouts in 319 plate appearances, and had a .309 batting average with runners in scoring position.
2007
In September 2007, the Chicago Cubs called Fuld up to the major league team. He is one of 37 ballplayers from New Hampshire who have made it to the major leagues. He made his debut September 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, as a defensive replacement. "I have so much respect for players like (Cubs first baseman) Derrek Lee
Derrek Lee
Derrek Leon Lee , or "D-Lee", is a Major League Baseball first baseman. Lee has played with the San Diego Padres , the Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates . He bats and throws right-handed.Lee was a World Series Champion with Florida in 2003,...
," Fuld said. "They're great players. But to meet them and actually play with them and contribute and help them win is kind of a surreal experience. It doesn't seem too long ago that I was going to Fenway (Park in Boston) and idolizing these guys. I feel like a fan at times. I have to remind myself I'm a player."
That month he was "forced" to sing Stanford's fight song
Fight song
A fight song is primarily an American and Canadian sports term, referring to a song associated with a team. In both professional and amateur sports, fight songs are a popular way for fans to cheer for their team...
on the team bus, as part of his rookie treatment. Later in the month, he was hazed after a game—made to walk from the park in Cincinnati to the team's downtown hotel in a Batgirl
Batgirl
Batgirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, frequently depicted as female counterparts to the superhero Batman...
getup, accompanied by Felix Pie
Felix Pie
Félix Pie is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played for the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles.-Minor league career:...
in pink baby pajamas, Carmen Pignatiello
Carmen Pignatiello
Carmen Peter Pignatiello was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a pitching coach for the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League...
(as Supergirl
Supergirl
Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
), and Kevin Hart
Kevin Hart (baseball)
Kevin Richard Hart is a professional baseball pitcher who is currently playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Career:...
(as Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
). After peeking at his outfit, before he had to don it, Fuld said: "I think it was Batgirl. I was actually looking forward to it, believe it or not. [I didn't try it on] I'm pretty sure I would've looked good in it. Black's my color. I never did the frat thing in college, so this would kind of be like that." In mid-September, as Manager Lou Piniella
Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
had still not given Fuld an at bat, someone on the team hung a "Moonlight Graham
Moonlight Graham
Archibald Wright "Moonlight" Graham was an American professional baseball player who appeared as a right fielder in a single major league game for the New York Giants on June 29, 1905. His story was popularized by Shoeless Joe, a novel by W. P...
" sign in Fuld's locker.
Against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
on September 22, 2007, playing right field as a defensive replacement, Fuld raced back and made a "spectacular", "daredevil", jarring catch just left of the 368-foot-marker in right-center field at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, slamming at full speed into the ivy-covered brick wall, and robbing the Pirates' Nyjer Morgan
Nyjer Morgan
Nyjer Jamid Morgan nicknamed Tony Plush is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers....
of extra bases. In his next motion, Fuld then bounced off the bricks and wheeled, firing a one-hop strike to double off a Pirates baserunner at first base (see video of Fuld catch and throw to first). The home crowd of 47,271 erupted, giving him a deafening standing ovation, and the Cubs who were on the field waited in front of his dugout to congratulate him. Thousands of fans chanted "Sam-my! Sam-my!" when he next came to bat. "That was amazing," said Fuld. "They were going crazy." General Manager Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry is da greatest white guitar player there ever was. both herman li and thomas dookul and brandon co-oper agree...
said: "That's as good a play as I've seen by a Cubs player at Wrigley Field since I've been here." The play later made ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
on Baseball Tonight
Baseball Tonight
Baseball Tonight is a program that airs on ESPN. The show, which recapitulates the day's Major League Baseball action, has been on the air since 1990.-Air times:...
as the # 1 web gem of the day. After the season, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
cited it as the Cubs' "Play of the Year." Many Cub fans refer to it as: "The Catch."
2008
In 2008, Fuld pushed Pie for the center field spot during spring training. Piniella said that Pie was only "a head or nose in front" of Fuld, and commented:
[Fuld]'s the type of kid who can catch your eye in one day. But the more you watch him, the more you look at his particular skills, he impresses you. He's an athlete and has really good actions in the outfield, and then he plays a small man's game with the bat, which is what he should do—hits the ball all over, puts it in play, keeps it on the ground.
Hendry observed: "[Fuld] can run. He's a tremendous defensive player." Hendry also indicated that Fuld was among the club's untouchables, saying: "We're not going to trade [Fuld]. It's pretty simple." In late March, however, Piniella chose Pie to open the season as the starting center fielder over Fuld, and sent Fuld down to the minor leagues.
2009
Fuld played for the Cubs in spring training in 2009, but was sent down to their AAA team in late March to work on stealing bases. He was called back up on June 30. Hendry said: "Sammy has been really hot. This will let Lou (manager Piniella) mix and match with outfield defense until Reed (Johnson) comes back."
On July 1, 2009, Fuld recorded his first major league hit in his first major league start of the season, and second start of his career. Leading off the game Fuld hit a double against Virgil Vasquez
Virgil Vasquez
Virgil Matthew Vasquez is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization.-Amateur career:...
of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
at PNC Park
PNC Park
PNC Park is a baseball park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, after the controlled implosion of the Pirates' previous home, Three Rivers Stadium...
. "It felt great to get the first one out of the way in the first inning," Fuld said. "It kind of took the edge off the rest of the night. I felt comfortable all night long—I really couldn't have asked for a better night." In the fourth inning Fuld made a sliding catch of a sinking liner (see video of Fuld's sliding catch robbing Vazquez of a hit), and in the fifth inning he charged a single and fired a perfect one-hop throw to the plate to throw out Jack Wilson at home (see video of Fuld cutting down Wilson to preserve the lead). "It was huge," said Cubs starter Randy Wells
Randy Wells
Randy David Wells is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs.Wells was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 38th Round of the 2002 amateur entry draft as a catcher. He spent his career in the Chicago Cubs farm system from to before being claimed in the Rule 5 Draft by the Toronto...
. "Sam Fuld, man, he gets to so many balls. He made a [heck] of a play throwing that guy out—the perfect throw." The following month, he crashed into the left field wall while making a sliding catch in a game against the Dodgers (see video of Fuld making wall-crashing catch).
Asked which player he would most like to switch positions with, Geovany Soto
Geovany Soto
Geovany Soto is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Chicago Cubs.-Professional career:...
said:
"I would like to change with Sam Fuld for a play in the outfield. He's running in the outfield, and all of a sudden he makes that catch, two inches before he hits the ground. Oh, my God, he lays out and then hits the ground—that's amazing. I'd like to know what it's like to dive and catch the ball like that."
Fuld hit the first home run of his major league career in the final game of the Cubs' 2009 season, on October 4 at Wrigley Field. He finished the season batting .299, and with the highest on base percentage (.409) of any Cubs player with 100 or more plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
s.
2010
Carrie Muskat, the Cubs' MLB.com
MLB.com
MLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
beat reporter, wrote on March 1, 2010, that: "I can see Fuld making the Cubs' Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
roster... Fuld has shown he can handle the part-time workload, can play all three positions, and can be used as a defensive sub or pinch-runner." On March 30, however, the Cubs sent him down to AAA Iowa. Piniella remarked: "The decisions weren't easy." He was called up to Chicago for the first time in the 2010 season on August 19, and ended the season with only a handful of at bats.
Baseball writer Rob Neyer
Rob Neyer
Rob Neyer is a baseball author and writer for SB Nation. He started his career working for Bill James and STATS, and then joined ESPN.com as a columnist from 1996 to January 2011 before becoming SB Nation's National Baseball Editor...
, noting that this followed Fuld batting .299 with a .409 on base percentage for the Cubs, wrote:
don't you think you could find a place for a fast guy who gets on base and plays great defense? The Cubs did find a place for him. No, not Wrigley Field. Not Heaven, either. Iowa. Again. Where Fuld posted a .383 on-base percentage.... I'm telling you, there are worse fourth outfielders on half the teams in the majors right now.
A writer for the American Spectator later mused: "what were the Cubs thinking ...? ... perhaps decision makers ... didn't ... pencil him into lineup cards because they were prejudiced against players of Fuld's stature. But those who don't believe guys of Fuld's size can be solid major league players should be sentenced to sit in the corner under the dunce hat, and read Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
's statistics over and over."
Tampa Bay Rays (2011–present)
The Cubs had never given Fuld an extended chance. They instead limited his play to late-season call-ups over three years, including just 40 starts. After the 2010 season, they traded him to the Tampa Bay RaysTampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, who had wanted him for a long time. He was traded with minor leaguers Hak-Ju Lee, Brandon Guyer
Brandon Guyer
Brandon Eric Guyer is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.-Baseball career:Guyer played college baseball at the University of Virginia....
, Robinson Chirinos
Robinson Chirinos
Robinson David Chirinos Gonzalez is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays.Following the 2010 season, Chirinos was add to the Cubs 40-man roster....
, and Christopher Archer
Christopher Archer
Christopher Archer is an American professional baseball pitcher in Tampa Bay Rays organization...
for starting pitcher Matt Garza
Matt Garza
Matthew Scott Garza is a United States professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-Amateur career:He attended Washington Union High School and Fresno State.-Minnesota Twins:...
, outfielder Fernando Perez
Fernando Perez (baseball)
Fernando Perez is an outfielder is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
, and a minor league prospect.
Manager Joe Maddon
Joe Maddon
Joseph John Maddon is the Major League Baseball manager for the Tampa Bay Rays.He previously served as interim manager of the Anaheim Angels in both 1996 and 1999. He was also a long-time bench coach for the team.-Early life and career:Maddon attended Lafayette College, where he played baseball...
noted Fuld's outstanding walks-to-strikeouts ratio, which Maddon referred to as "freaky-weird": 325 walks vs. 272 strikeouts in his professional career. Maddon said: "He's a major-league baseball player right now.... He's been needing opportunity; he's probably going to get the opportunity here right now." He also observed that Fuld is a:
very, very good defender. He has really great instincts out there, and a fine arm. He works excellent at-bats.... If somebody were to get hurt, this guy could fill in on a regular basis for a while. He’s not going to be overwhelmed by anything. Great makeup.... He’s a pretty tough kid.
Rays hitting coach Derek Shelton
Derek Shelton
Derek Lee Shelton is the hitting coach for the Tampa Bay Rays in major league baseball and a former professional baseball catcher.-Playing career:...
observed that: "[Fuld's] contact ratio is off the charts. He has probably one of the shortest swings I've ever seen." General manager Andrew Friedman
Andrew Friedman
Andrew Friedman is the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations for the Tampa Bay Rays franchise in Major League Baseball. In that position, he acts as the team's General Manager.-Early life:...
said: "He's a guy with a very interesting profile. He's a plus defender in all three (outfield) spots, with superior contact skills, and a really good ability to discern balls and strikes ... and an ability to hit line drives with ... high frequency."
Fuld made the team's Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
roster, his first in the majors, as its fourth outfielder
Fourth outfielder
In baseball, a fourth outfielder is a backup outfielder, who does not have the hitting skills to regularly play in the corner outfield, but does not have the fielding skills to play center field; for these players, this often leads to playing time that has been called "erratic and unpredictable"...
, and a late-inning weapon off the bench, speedster pinch runner, and defensive replacement. Tommy Rancel of ESPN described him as: "Tampa Bay's version of Brett Gardner
Brett Gardner
Brett M. Gardner is an American Major League Baseball left fielder for the New York Yankees. Gardner, who is 5' 10", bats and throws left-handed.-College baseball career:...
; albeit in a reduced role". However with Manny Ramirez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
sudden retirement, left fielder Johnny Damon
Johnny Damon
Johnny David Damon is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. From 2000–2008, he was third among active players in runs and seventh in hits and stolen bases . He is currently second among active leaders in triples , five behind Carl Crawford...
became the team's DH expanding Fuld's role. On April 7, he stole a career-high 3 bases in one game, and Maddon began penciling him into the lineup as the team's everyday leadoff hitter.
On April 9, playing right field against the Chicago White Sox who had the bases loaded with two out in a very close game, Fuld made a spectacular catch. The Tampa Tribune called it "one of the best catches in team history", and the St. Petersburg Times called it "Superman-esque". Fuld ran full speed from shallow right-center after a ball hit into the right field corner by Juan Pierre
Juan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
, left the ground at the last instant in a full-out, full-extension dive, made a back-handed catch with his body parallel to the ground, and then slid chest-down across the warning track, bloodying his arms and legs (see video). Rays center fielder B.J. Upton said: "Oh my god, oh my. I thought he was going to dive into the [wall].... I was screaming from center field when he caught it. 'Great catch!' Should be play of the year so far." Pitcher Wade Davis
Wade Davis
Edmund Wade Davis is a Canadian anthropologist, ethnobotanist, author and photographer whose work has focused on worldwide indigenous cultures, especially in North and South America and particularly involving the traditional uses and beliefs associated with psychoactive plants...
said: "I've never seen a catch that good in person." White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski observed: "that catch ... is one of the best catches I've ever seen. Honestly, he ran like 50 yards to get to that ball. It was an incredible catch ... an amazing play." ESPN's Baseball Tonight
Baseball Tonight
Baseball Tonight is a program that airs on ESPN. The show, which recapitulates the day's Major League Baseball action, has been on the air since 1990.-Air times:...
program featured it as a web gem, it was # 1 on ESPN's top plays of the weekend, SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
named it as the best of its top-10 plays, and MLB Network named it a Play of the Week. His superhero status spread on the internet by late April, with the Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
writing: "Fuld ranks in the Top 10 in batting average, runs, and triples, and also leads the AL in stolen bases and YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
hits, especially video hits for a catch in Chicago diving towards the right field corner onto the warning track that has been set to a Superman theme."
Maddon noted: "His defense has been spectacular—tremendous defense. He's ... a clinician out there. He pretty much does everything right." Later in the month Maddon compared Fuld's play favorably to that of Gold Glove left fielder Carl Crawford, saying that Fuld had a better arm, and compared his style of play to that of former perennial Gold Glove center fielder Jim Edmonds
Jim Edmonds
James Patrick "Jim" Edmonds is a former American Major League Baseball center fielder. He played for the California/Anaheim Angels, the St. Louis Cardinals, the San Diego Padres, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs, and the Cincinnati Reds...
.
On April 11, as a reporter for major league baseball described it, Fuld "turned Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
into his personal playground." Fuld missed hitting for the cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
only because he opted to stretch a single into a double. He had already hit a double, triple, and home run in a game against the Boston Red Sox when he came up in the 9th inning, in a runaway game which the Rays won 16–5. He lined a hit into the left field corner. With his teammates screaming at him from the dugout to stop at first base so that he could record the rare personal achievement of having hit for the cycle, Fuld instead hustled into second base for another double. Had he stopped at first base, he would have been just the second player in Tampa Bay Rays history to hit for the cycle, joining B.J. Upton. Maddon observed that Fuld's refusal to stay at first "speaks to Sam's integrity, right there. He plays with such zeal and intelligence, he's just fun to watch... I know a lot of guys who would have stopped. Some guys in the dugout said they would have slid into first base." He became the fifth player in Tampa Bay history to have four extra-base hits in a game, and the first since Tomas Perez
Tomás Pérez
Tomás Orlando Pérez is a former Major League Baseball infielder. Pérez was a utility infielder who throws right-handed and switch hits....
in 2006. His four extra-base hits and 11 total bases were also records for a Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
debut.
He also became an instant legend on the internet as the trending spread from his "Superman" Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video to Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
tweets at the #LegendofSamFuld hash tag, such as "Sam Fuld was once intentionally walked while in the on deck circle," "The Red Sox check under their bed for Sam Fuld," and Maddon's favorite: "Superman wears a Sam Fuld T-shirt to bed." Though not a twitter user, Fuld caught on quickly: When reporters asked him the next day why he could not stop the rain that was causing a rainout, Fuld quipped: "This is me, washing my planet". By mid-April, he had won the starting left fielder position and leadoff hitter slot with the Rays.
On April 18, a week after his 4-hit Fenway Park debut, Fuld had 4 hits in 4 at bats against the White Sox. That raised his batting average to an AL-leading .396, to go along with his league-lead in stolen bases. His batting average was the second-highest in team history through April 18 in a season, behind only Fred McGriff
Fred McGriff
Frederick Stanley McGriff is a left-handed former Major League Baseball player who starred for several teams from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s. A power-hitting first baseman with a tall, lanky build, the five-time All-Star became, in , the first player since the dead-ball era to lead both...
(1998). He also became the first Tampa Bay player with two four-hit games in a season while batting leadoff since Carl Crawford
Carl Crawford
Carl Demonte Crawford is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed...
, who did it twice in 2005, and the first major leaguer to have two four-hit games in the 2011 season. He was fourth in the league in hits (21), fifth in on-base percentage (.431) and OPS (1.035), tied for fifth in doubles (6), sixth in slugging percentage (.604), and was third-toughest player to strike out (one strikeout per 14.5 plate appearances). As of April 25, he was leading the AL with 10 stolen bases. A reporter for major league baseball, in explaining his rise to fame, wrote: "you won't find any other 5-foot-9... New Hampshire-born, Jewish, diabetic outfielders in the Baseball Encyclopedia. His agent Jim Munsey, observing that given what Fuld has overcome and how he plays the game: "He's hard not to like", suddenly received a number of calls asking for Fuld for marketing opportunities.
He made another diving, face-planting catch of a sinking line drive, leading Rays pitcher David Price
David Price
-Military:*David Price , East India Company officer and orientalist*David Price , British Rear Admiral at the Siege of Petropavlovsk- Politics :...
to say: "I heard that the world is covered by 75 percent water, and the other 25 percent is covered by Sam Fuld." As of April 20, Fuld led Baseball Tonight
Baseball Tonight
Baseball Tonight is a program that airs on ESPN. The show, which recapitulates the day's Major League Baseball action, has been on the air since 1990.-Air times:...
s Web Gem standings with 18 points, which included Web Gems at each outfield position. A writer for The American Spectator
The American Spectator
The American Spectator is a conservative U.S. monthly magazine covering news and politics, edited by R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. and published by the non-profit American Spectator Foundation. From its founding in 1967 until the late 1980s, the small-circulation magazine featured the writings of authors...
observed: "he owns the 11 o-clock highlight reel. (My sources inform me that ESPN executives are considering changing the name of "Baseball Tonight" to "The Sam Fuld Show.")" In late April, he was placed on the American League ballot for the 2011 All Star Game.
The press and the Rays began to refer to him by the nicknames "Superman", "Super Sam", and "The Legendary Sam Fuld". The Rays gave away Super Sam Fuld Superhero Capes to children at the team's May 29 game. The cape showed a diving Super Sam Fuld in mid-flight, behind a shield bearing his nickname.
In a game against the Brewers on June 20, 2011, he reported to the pitcher's mound in the 8th inning and warmed up in order to give a relief pitcher time to warm up in the bull pen. He did not throw a recorded pitch, or appear as a pitcher in the box score
Box score
A box score is a structured summary of the results from a sport competition. The box score lists the game score as well as individual and team achievements in the game....
.
Fuld finished the season with a .240 batting average, and tied for second on the team in stolen bases, with 20.
Recognition and awards
- 2000: 1st Team High School All-American (Baseball AmericaBaseball AmericaBaseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
, Collegiate Baseball, USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, and Fox SportsFox Sports (USA)Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
) - 2000: 19th on Baseball Americas 100 Top High School Prospects list
- 2000: New Hampshire High School Baseball Player of the Year (GatoradeGatoradeGatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
) - 2001: 2nd Team College Freshman All-American OF (Baseball America)
- 2002: 1st Team College All-American OF (ABCAAmerican Baseball Coaches AssociationThe American Baseball Coaches Association is a baseball coaching organization formed in 1945. It is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level.-History:...
, Baseball America, Baseball Weekly, and Jewish Sports ReviewJewish Sports ReviewJewish Sports Review is a bi-monthly magazine that was established in 1997. Its editors are Ephraim Moxson and Shel Wallman.The magazine identifies which star and professional athletes are Jewish...
) - 2002: College World SeriesCollege World SeriesThe College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
All-Tournament Team OF - 2003: 1st Team All-American (NCBWA)
- 2003: Cape Cod League All-Star OF
- 2003: Set College World Series all-time record for career hits
- 2004: 1st Team All-American (NCBWA)
- 2004: Set Pac-10 all-time record for career runs scored
- 2006: Florida State LeagueFlorida State LeagueThe Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
All-Star OF - 2007: Arizona Fall LeagueArizona Fall LeagueThe Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
Top Prospects Team - 2007: Arizona Fall League Dernell Stenson Award
- 2007: Arizona Fall League Most Valuable Player
- 2008–09: All Winter League Team (Baseball America)