On Tuesday, December 22, 2020, the Philadelphia Phillies hired Sam Fuld to be their General Manager, with no real experience in front office player personnel decision making. It is incredulous to me that an industry such as MLB can continue to operate in the manner they are currently operating. It is one thing to talk about Social Injustice as MLB continues to do, and then another thing to do something about it. MLB can have all of their MLB corporate personnel talk up the exemplary Players Alliance and make monetary donations, but it is another thing that they continually ignore hiring of competent minority baseball executives. Theo Epstein has talked about racism in MLB, but when he was in a position to do something about it, he has not exactly been a stellar role model.
“I’ve hired a Black scouting director, farm director in the past,’’ Epstein said, “but the majority of people that I’ve hired, if I’m being honest, have similar backgrounds as me and look a lot like me. That’s something I need to ask myself why.
“The system doesn’t fix itself. You have to stand up and take some action. …I think we all have to admit that we’re all part of the problem and we all have to be better to become part of the solution.’’
Six months later, there are still only three Black farm and scouting directors in the game, with Jared Banner in the running for a job with the Cubs.
So what has MLB actually done this year, when the issue has been front and center.
Ken Williams was the GM for the Chicago White Sox for 12 years before being promoted to Executive Vice President. After Michael Hill was dismissed from Miami, Williams is the only black top baseball executive in MLB. Al Avila (Tigers), Farhan Zaidi (SFG), and Kim Ng (Marlins) are the only other minority baseball execs GM and above. It took Ng 30 years to reach the GM level. Arte Moreno is the only minority owner. How much longer before ARod and J. Lo are in a position to buy another team.
“I had fooled myself into feeling that by seeing people march on streets on our behalf, and that all people matter,” Chicago White Sox executive vice president Ken Williams told USA TODAY Sports, “there was going to be some change. I really thought that.
“I won’t make that mistake again.”
Williams, 56, was hired as the White Sox’s GM 20 years ago, and during the past two decades, the only other Black GMs hired throughout baseball were Tony Reagins of the Los Angeles Angels, Michael Hill of the Miami Marlins and Dave Stewart of the Arizona Diamondbacks. While several white executives have been given second chances, neither Reagins nor Stewart have had that opportunity. Could they do better the second time around. Stewart certainly erred with the Zack Greinke FA signing, but he is not the only GM to have bad FA signings. Arte Moreno forcing Reagins to trade for Vernon Wells within 24 hours was the downfall of Tony. One thing Moreno is consistent in, is sticking his nose into player personnel decisions to the detriment of the LAA. Reagins did draft Mike Trout. How many white GMs passed on him?
New York Mets – Sandy Alderson, President and Jared Porter, GM (41)
I understand why Steve Cohen wanted to sign Sandy Alderson as team President. He has an extensive resume as a very well respected top baseball executive, and Cohen needs that for his new toy. But Jared Porter? It is not that Porter has not paid his dues. Porter interned for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2002 and 2003. He joined the Boston Red Sox as an intern in 2004, becoming their director of professional scouting in 2012. He spent two years with the Chicago Cubs before he was hired by the Diamondbacks in the 2016-17 offseason as Assistant GM. He is now the GM for the New York Mets. Was he the best choice?
Los Angeles Angels – Perry Minasian, GM (40)
Perry Minasian is another who has paid his dues, starting out as a Texas Rangers bat boy as an 8 year old, and later to clubhouse attendant in 1996. In 2003, he was hired as a scout for the Texas Rangers. He would later serve as a staff assistant to then manager Buck Showalter.
In 2009, Minasian was hired as a scout by the Toronto Blue Jays. He spent six of his nine seasons in Toronto as the director of pro scouting. In his final two seasons with the team, the Blue Jays made back-to-back trips to the American League Championship Series.
Following his departure from the Blue Jays, Minasian was hired by the Atlanta Braves in September 2017. He served as an assistant general manager and as vice president of baseball operations under Alex Anthopoulos. Minasian had previously worked with Anthopoulos in Toronto. The Braves won the National League East in each of Minasian’s three seasons, reaching the National League Championship Series in October 2020. Minasian has grown up around baseball, but does not have the experience of a few potential black candidates.
Texas Rangers – Chris Young, GM (41)
Chris was a good journeyman pitcher with six teams (one twice – Padres). He was a one time All-Star (2007 Padres) and a member of the 2015 WS Champions KC Royals. After he retired as a player after the 2017 season, In May 2018, Young became an MLB executive when he was promoted to serve as vice president of on-field operations, initiatives and strategy. In February 2020, Young was promoted to Senior Vice President to replace Joe Torre as the MLB’s enforcer of discipline action, such as deciding fines and suspensions. He also oversaw the On-Field Operations and Umpiring Departments. He has never worked in the front office of a MLB team. He is a Princeton graduate, so he has the intelligence to become a quick learner under Jon Daniels. But was he the best choice?
Philadelphia Phillies – Sam Fuld (39)
This is the most perplexing GM selection I have seen. On November 3, 2017, the same day that he retired as a player from parts of an 8 year career, Fuld was named the major league player information coordinator for the Philadelphia Phillies, under manager Gabe Kapler. In that position he worked closely with the team’s players, coaches, front office, and the research and development department, to “integrate the use of information in all areas of on-field performance and preparation and make recommendations regarding the most effective areas of future research and analysis.”
That’s it from a baseball ops experience. Fuld is a Stanford graduate, but Michael Hill is a Harvard graduate and Kevan Graves is a Dartmouth graduate. So that should not give Fuld an edge.
I can understand promoting white candidates within the organization, Jed Hoyer (Cubs), Nick Krall (Reds), and Matt Arnold (Brewers), but who will replace them? With Hoyer now the President of Baseball Operations, will he fill the GM role?
Black Candidates:
Billy Owens (49) – Director of Player Personnel and Assistant GM of Oakland A’s
Owens is a former 3rd round pick of the Baltimore Orioles out of Arizona State, and spent seven years in MiLB, never reaching MLB. After the 1998 season, Owens retired, but Billy Beane named him the hitting coach of the Southern Oregon Timberjacks. He spent the next five years as a MiLB hitting instructor. In addition to coaching, Owens started his scouting career as an area scout, and was promoted to East Coast scouting coordinator in 2003.
After two years as a scouting coordinator, Owens was promoted again to A’s director of player personnel, and the A’s seemingly turned into a talent factory. Dallas Braden, Kurt Suzuki, Carlos Gonzalez, Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Andrew Bailey, Josh Reddick, Josh Donaldson, Sonny Gray, Marcus Semien, Sean Manaea, Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Ramon Laureano, and Jesus Luzardo all matriculated up through A’s MiLB system. In 2019, Billy was added the title of Assistant General Manager.
Owens is considered to be one of, if not the best scout in MLB. He had a very favorable working relationship with Sandy Alderson when Alderson was with the A’s. So why didn’t Alderson pick Billy Owens over Jared Porter?
Kevan Graves (39) – Assistant GM of Pittsburgh Pirates
Kevan Graves is a Dartmouth graduate. Upon graduation in 2003, Graves joined the San Francisco Giants organization in their legal department for two years. He left the Giants to become the Arizona Fall League Assistant Director, Baseball Operations for 2006. At the end of his AFL run, Kevan joined MLB in the Executive Development Program for two years. Kevan then was hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008. Graves progressed in the organization to Assistant Director, Baseball Operations, Director of Baseball Operations, and for the last five years as Assistant General Manager. After Neal Huntington was fired as the Pirates GM, Graves was named interim GM and stayed in that role until Ben Cherington was hired.
De Jon Watson (54) – Special Assistant to Washington Nationals GM for Scouting
Most Dodger fans are somewhat familiar with De Jon Watson. Watson was a 3rd draft pick for the KC Royals in 1985, and spent his entire four year MiLB career in the Royals organization. Watson spent 9+ years in the LAD organization. His responsibilities as Assistant GM, Player Development, included appointing all minor league managing, coaching, instructor and coordinator positions, all minor league transactions, as well as advising general manager Ned Colletti on 40-man roster moves. In 2014, he left the Dodgers, to join the Arizona DBacks as Senior Vice President Baseball Operations. He got caught up in the wash of the Tony LaRussa/Dave Stewart era for the DBacks, and his contract was not renewed. While with the DBacks, Watson’s focus was on the international market. After leaving Arizona, De Jon was hired by Mike Rizzo and the Washington Nationals to refocus the Nats commitment in the international arena. Overall he has spent more than 30 years in professional baseball. Unfortunately, his executive career is tied to two organizations that were going through their worst periods.
Michael Hill (49) –
Hill graduated from Harvard and was a 31st round draft pick in 1993 by the Texas Rangers. He retired as a player in 1995, when he joined the front office of the Tampa Bay Rays as an assistant in the scouting and player development departments through 1999. In 1999, he joined the Rockies organization as Director of Player Development until 2002 when he joined the Marlins at the age of 32. Hill has progressed from VP, Assistant GM to GM (2007) before being promoted in 2013 to President of Baseball Operations. Hill’s contract was not renewed by the Marlins following the 2020 season. Overall, Hill has spent 18 years with the Marlins organization. It is widely speculated that both owner Bruce Sherman and CEO Derek Jeter respected what Hill has accomplished, but they wanted to cut ties with one of the last members of the Jeffrey Loria regime. It is considered knowledge that Hill has been exceptional at drafting and developing talent, only to be undermined by Loria’s incessant interference in illogical trades and unwise FA signings.
I am not a big affirmative action advocate, but when there are no internal candidates, and no discerning difference between white and minority candidates, why not give the minority candidate a shot? I can see no reason whatsoever why both Sam Fuld and Chris Young were hired over better qualified talent in any of the black candidates mentioned above.
Why was Jared Porter considered a better candidate than Billy Owens? All indications were that Owens worked well with Alderson. What were the top considerations in deciding that Porter and Minasian were better candidates than Owens, Graves, Watson, or Hill. Would Michael Hill have been a better candidate for President Baseball Operations for the Reds over Nick Krall. At least Krall was the GM for the past three years for the Reds, and internal promotions are important.
How long before Billy Owens, Kevan Graves, De Jon Watson, and Michael Hill get hired as top baseball executives? The Phillies and MLB had a chance to make a statement, and they failed.
Why is “Black” capitalized?
Racial and ethnic groups are designated by proper nouns and are capitalized. Therefore, use “Black” and “White” instead of “black” and “white” (do not use colors to refer to other human groups; doing so is considered pejorative). Likewise, capitalize terms such as “Native American,” “Hispanic,” and so on. — Google https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language/racial-ethnic-minorities#:~:text=Racial%20and%20ethnic%20groups%20are,Hispanic%2C%E2%80%9D%20and%20so%20on.
I guess in corporate mlb black lives matter but black careers don’t!
Race has been an issue for years. Because of all the unrest this year, it is a flash point now. All the leagues are rushing to stay ahead of the backlash when things do not change, and it is affecting even other races, hence the change for the Indians and Redskins.
Of course, racism exists, but I believe it is more than that. Some of it is simply that many young black kids and men are not exposed to baseball as much as white kids or simply don’t care about it. In 2000, black players were 13 percent of MLB players. Today, it is just above 7%. Sam Fuld is a great hire, but it all starts with getting black kids back into the game. Where would the game be without Willie Mays, Bob Gibson, Jackie Robinson, Frank Robinson, and numerous other black baseball stars?
Daniel Snyder of the Washington Football team has taken a lot of flack for a lot of stupid stuff, but he got it right when he hired Jason Wright as team President. His responsibilities include leading the organization’s business divisions, including operations, finance, sales, and marketing. He is the first Black team president in the history of the NFL and currently is the youngest team president in the League. He is the fourth former NFL player to become president of a team. The guy is exceptional!
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/17/us/washington-redskins-black-president-jason-wright-spt-trnd/index.html
Great piece, Jeff!
Baseball has a problem with the inner cities. Black kids prefer basketball and Football. Much easier route to the big time. Even though a small percentage make it. Other than the time they spend in college, and they can enter the draft’s early, there is no long apprenticeship in the minors. College is the minors for football, and basketball has the development league for those who do not make rosters, plus almost every country who enters an Olympic basketball team has some form of pro basketball, including China. Options outside of MLB are limited and Korea and Japan limit the number of non Japanese or Korean players who can be on thier rosters. Not sure what the Korean limit is, but in Japan it was only 2 Gaijin for many years. The skill set and equipment required to play baseball are also a problem in the poorer neighborhoods. And you do not see academy’s teaching the sport like their are in most of Latin America. Baseball does have a lot of players who move toward management, but most either become coaches or head into the media. The Dodgers who started the influx of players of color into the league, and have also led the way with players from around the globe, took a very long time to name a manager of color.
I know De Jon Watson pretty well and think he is great as a coordinator or director of scouting, but I do not see him as a GM. I feel the same way about Logan White. In many respects, they are the same person. I want them on my team… just not as President or GM. You need more of a “driver” in those positions. I do not see either one as a “driver.” Just my opinion.
Fuld is a Stanford Grad, who majored in economics and has battled diabetes since he was 10, so he is an “overcome”, but I suspect that a big part of the reason he was hired is the fact that this will be his 4th year with the Phillies and his familiarity with the organization.
Michael Hill is supremely qualified, but I see him as a Team President, not a GM, which is why some teams may be reluctant to hire him as a GM… fearing he would leave as soon as another opening popped up.
You mentioned Dave Stewart and I hold him in the same disregard I hold Tony LaRussa – Nuff said!
Billy Owens is likely the next GM of the A’s if someone else doesn’t swoop him up. I only wonder if he is that “driver.” I don’t know a lot about his personality.
I have a friend who told me several years ago that Kevan Graves would be a team President someday. That was probably 8 to 10 years ago. He’s only 39. Is Ben Cherington better? I really doubt it!
Again, is it racism or the fact that after knowing someone for years and understanding them you just feel a certain comfort level? Then there’s also that “DISC” thing. High “I’s” usually can’t work for Hi “D’s”
Stewart was an unmitigated disaster when he ran the D-Backs.
Timely Post Jeff. Thanks for shining the light on the issue.
AF strikes Again:
The Dodgers have agreed to a two-year contract with free-agent right-hander Tommy Kahnle, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). Kahnle is unlikely to pitch in 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery back in early August, so the deal will likely be backloaded to give the Dodgers a potential late-inning weapon in year two of the pact. Kahnle is represented by the Ballengee Group.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kahnlto01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-
The Kahnle deal is 2 yrs for $5.25 million per Jon Heyman. Hopefully a slim chance he can be available for playoffs in 2021? https://twitter.com/jonheyman/status/1341796517267595264?s=21
MLB rumors says the following:
Kahnle’s deal is worth $5.25MM over the two years, although it appears that’s the level at which the contract can max out and not the guaranteed portion. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that Kahnle will earn $750K in 2021, $3.45MM in 2022 and can earn another $750K worth of incentives.
Wow! 10 mil for one year 2022 basically. Wonder why we didn’t pick up option on Hand for 10 mil for 2021?
It’s $5.25 Million over 2 years, not $10 million.
Got it. 10 mil didn’t make sense but either does my reading comptehension
Damn. I want that job. Come here and we’ll pay you a ton to rehab!!
Looks like the guaranteed part of the contract is only about 4.2 mil over the two years. I know you wouldn’t work that cheaply Bobby.
Just when you think that Andrew Friedman has stopped building pitching staves from the old and infirm, here’s who he’s signed so far to fix the ‘pen
Brandon Morrow
Corey Knebel
Jimmy Nelson
Brock Stewart
Tommy Kahnle
Knebel is still recovering from Tommy John in March 2019
Nelson won’t pitch until mid-2021 at the earliest, if ever again
Morrow had elbow surgery November 2018, and again in July 2020
Kahnle had Tommy John in August 2020
Stewart has never been good – he hasn’t thrown a pitch in MLB since 2018 when he had a composite ERA over 9.00 and has a career ERA over 6.00
Not one pitcher who will contribute for sure in 2021.
You left out his signing of Sandy Koufax this off-season.
I never thought he was finished doing that. Walker Buehler was damaged goods.
Morrow also was in his first stint.
I think it’s a great way to build a pen… not a rotation , per se.
I just want to say Merry Christmas to all my Dodger Talk friends. Hope the new year ahead will bring good health and prosperity.
Merry Christmas DBM. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday. I got my Christmas present. My 2020 World Champions shirt.
Thank you. You got a nice present, Bear. I am getting the Los Angeles 2020 World Series Champions Commemorative Book.
And a Merry Christmas to you and your family DBM.
We always wish for the new year to bring good health and prosperity but this year that wish is more meaningful than ever. Let’s hope it comes true.
Thank you SingingTheBlue. I agree.
Looks like new signee Mr. Kahnle is a fun lovin’ guy.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1230907293593690114
The new Keekay?
Great post Jeff… And the beat goes on… This is an issue that many would like to just disappear but I thinks it will be headlines rightfully so for a long time…
Of the folks listed here no one disgusts me more than Dave Stewart…
While a member of the Blue, Stewart acted as a human shield for Steve Howe so he could snort cocaine in the bullpen… Members of the Dodgers and Stewart knew Howe had a helluva problem with coke and ignored it…
Steve How was a good kid and deserved better, a list that included Darryl Strawberry, Jeff Burroughs and many others..
OK I’ll get off my soapbox!!!
Not sure why someone would blame Dave Stewart for the drug problems of Steve Howe. And not sure why someone would be disgusted by Dave Stewart. Stewart had a great MLB career, and especially excelled in the postseason. He won three world championships. One each with the Dodgers, A’s and the Blue Jays. His career record in the MLB was 168-129 with a 3.95 era. He won 20 or more games in four straight seasons from 1987-1990 with Oakland, and each of those years he finished top 4 in Cy Young voting. In his postseason career, he was 10-6 with a 2.77 ERA, and won playoff series MVP on 3 occasions.
After his playing career, Dave has worked as a MLB pitching coach, assistant GM for several teams, GM of Dbacks, and as a player agent. He was hired as GM of Dbacks after the 2014 season when they won 64 games. The team won 79 games in 2015 and 69 games in 2016. He was fired after the 2016 season. While he was legitimately criticized as a GM for moves such as the signing of Greinke and the trade of Swanson, he did improve the team’s record in the two years he was the GM. And as an agent, he represented Matt Kemp in his contract extension of $160 million with the Dodgers in 2011.
Stewart was also very active with charitable organizations during his career. CC Sabathia cited Stewart as an inspiration when he appeared at local Boys and Girls clubs in Oakland. http://www.thepostgame.com/cc-sabathia-dave-stewart-charity-inspiration. Toronto recognized Dave for feeding the homeless on Canadian Thanksgiving Day during 1993 mlb playoffs. And since 1996, the Oakland A’s have awarded a Dave Stewart Community Service award annually in recognition of charitable work in Northern California.
Dave Stewart may not have been a good general manager in the MLB, but his accomplishments on and off the field have been extremely impressive to me.
Thanks for the glass half full version RC.
In order for more black guys get hired into top level positions, I assume you think some white guys should lose their jobs. I hate that kind of math or politics. How about the best guy get the job, like athletes, I don’t want to hire guys to be on the roster based on their skin color, I want the best player to be signed and be on the field, regardless of color, height, weight or language spoken. I’ll have to give this topic some more thought, I like the sentiment is honest but not sure on the practical application to make those changes immediately. No I’m not racist in fact probably the least racist amongst us.
I do not think that is absolutely true. I have never judged someone simply by their race, nor to I call them names or tell ethnic jokes. Since I am part Jewish, I learned tolerance a long time ago.
Honestly, in our industry, there are not many Blacks. We go to great lengths to hire Black employees and the ones we have are excellent, but we would like to hire more. We are working with the Black Chamber of Commerce and a couple of other agencies, but it is difficult. It is also hard to find good employees period. We have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince.
Out of 50+ employees, we have 4 Blacks, 5 Asians, 3 Latinos, and the rest are white. We just don’t get the applicants… and we pay well. I disagree with hiring upon skin color, sexual orientation, political persuasion, or religion. I will always hire the most qualified… unless I think they are over-qualified.
Where did I say that a white guy should lose his job? By your logic, I assume that you think that Sam Fuld and Chris Young deserve their GM jobs simply because they are white. Billy Owens is eminently qualified and has proven himself in a very tough environment that he can succeed. Neither Fuld or Young has accomplished what he has done. Maybe he will be the next Oakland GM as Mark suggests, but why does he have to wait? I think that both Porter and Minasian are qualified and deserve their chance as well. But so do Owens and Graves and Hill. Not once in my post did I ever qualify anything to suggest I believe in quotas.
Alex Anthopoulos went from longtime GM to an Assistant GM with the Dodgers to get re-established. He is back to being a quality GM for the Braves. Why shouldn’t Michael Hill have the chance to go from President of Baseball Operations back to GM to re-establish himself? He applied.
No, in order for more blacks to get hired into top level positions, they do it through attrition. 10 jobs opened up, and nine went to white men and one to an Asian woman. Now there is a bundle of Assistant GM spots open, how many will go to people of color? Or should only white men be considered.
” I like the sentiment is honest but not sure on the practical application to make those changes immediately. ” This is what I said, you see the word IMMEDIATELY, I know this is strange but I reference the idea that change isn’t going to happen immediately because attrition will have to be the vehicle for these changes, I thought you were able to understand that was what I was alluding to, Jeff. I try to spell things out for you next time. However you overly emotional reaction to someone not totally agreeing with you was precious.
……”No I’m not racist in fact probably the least racist amongst us.”
Saying that usually casts doubt on its validity.
NIce skillful and idiotic retort. If you only knew, if you only knew. Anything you comment on, casts doubt on your validity.
On this day in 1953, Jim Gilliam was named NL Rookie of the year.
After the holidays could one of you talented writers do a background piece on our third base coach? I think he is terrific. Thank you.
He’s the reincarnation of FDR’s right-hand man, Louis Howe.
You mean Dino Ebel?
Yes.
Sounds like a plan, I will check with Jeff and Mark…
Thanks.
Andreise signs with the Red Sox. Lots of minor signings starting to happen.
I wonder how Eric feels about AF signing Kahnle since he will have no impact on this years team.
I think Stewart got a lot of flack because of the incident with the Transvestite. I always thought he was a very good pitcher, and was surprised when the Dodgers traded him.