By Scott Barancik, editor
Sam Fuld is leaving one “Moneyball
A free agent after three seasons with the Chicago Cubs and another three with the Tampa Bay Rays, Fuld has signed a minor-league contract with the Oakland A’s, where competition for a final outfield roster spot on the Major League club is said to be less stiff.
The 32-year-old defensive specialist said Oakland — the inspiration for Michael Lewis’s best-selling book and Hollywood adaptation — was a natural fit for him.
“It’s no secret that Oakland is essentially a carbon copy of the Rays in many ways on the West Coast, so it’s not surprising that they showed interest in me,” Fuld told the Tampa Bay Times.
The defensive specialist saw his batting average plunge 56 points to .199 in 2013 as he managed only five extra-base hits in 176 at-bats. In 2011, Fuld’s breakout year with the Rays, he hit .240 with 26 extra-base hits in 308 at-bats.
Fuld’s new contract leaves him two chances to opt-out during the season. He says he would not rule out returning to Tampa Bay.
# # #
Click here to order your Jewish Baseball News baseball cap!
