David Forst: The Complete Report Card

David Forst is out, and Sam is taking a step back to grade his entire tenure as the person running the A’s baseball operations. In this episode of Where Stats Meet Instincts, Sam breaks down Forst’s performance across four critical areas: the MLB Draft, trades, free agency and international signings. The verdict? It’s complicated. The A’s have drafted extremely well in recent years, earning an A-, while the trade record lands around a C, free agency gets a D, and international scouting receives an F. Put it all together, and Sam lands at roughly a C- for the Forst era — while also acknowledging the enormous degree of difficulty he faced operating with limited resources. But the real question isn't whether David Forst deserved to be fired. What happens next? Sam explains why he doesn't want to see the A’s simply promote someone from inside the organization and instead argues for a younger, outside baseball executive capable of completely modernizing the organization. From pitching development and minor-league development to player evaluation, international scouting and roster construction, Sam lays out exactly what he wants from the next A’s front office. The A’s are entering a new era, and Sam believes this is their chance to finally build the baseball operation that can make them competitive in Las Vegas.