Remember Sam Fuld last April? Last April, with the Tampa Bay Rays, Sam Fuld batted .289 with a little bit of power and phenomenal defense. Last April, Sam Fuld looked like an everyday player.

Sam Fuld isn't an everyday player, and that was made evident by the remainder of his 2011 season. Headed into 2012, Fuld looked like a reserve, albeit an important reserve behind Desmond Jennings, B.J. Upton, and Matt Joyce. Alas, the Rays won't have Fuld available for quite some time. Joe Smith:

The Tampa Bay Rays announced that outfielder Sam Fuld will undergo surgery on his right wrist Tuesday, and that he's expected to be out 4-5 months.

Fuld first injured his wrist last September. He and the team figured everything would get better over the winter, but the problem came up again this spring, and Fuld aggravated his wrist injury in a game against the Blue Jays. The pain sent him to doctors, although not literally, and the doctors apparently recommended surgery. Convincingly enough that Fuld will have surgery and miss most of the season.

This is a bigger blow for Fuld than it is for the Rays. Truth be told, the Rays will find themselves a fourth outfielder and survive. Maybe that's Brandon Guyer or Jeff Salazar or someone else. Fuld's missing out on an opportunity to truly establish himself. Already 30, Fuld's on the fringes. This is a significant hurdle as he looks to carve out a long career.

I understand one isn't supposed to write something about Sam Fuld without referring to his Wikipedia page. In conclusion, mission accomplished.