If you go back through the many contention and rebuilding cycles of the Beane/Forst A’s era, a clear pattern emerges. Even though each cycle is different, with the team in a different place organizationally and different players representing the “current core,” there has been somewhat of a constant.
No, I don’t mean that the A’s are on the verge of building a new stadium but not really. I mean that generally, Beane and Forst seek out “MLB ready” talent they hope can soon replace, more than adequately, the stud who is being shipped out of town. Sometimes it works like a charm, and other times it fails with an echoing thud.