Today, the Athletics announced a mutual agreement to part ways with General Manager David Forst, who spent the past 27 years with the organization, serving as its general manager for the last 11 years. The A’s named Assistant General Manager Dan Feinstein as the Interim General Manager for the remainder of the season, while the team commences a thorough search for its next head of baseball operations.
Forst gradually ascended up through the team’s front office ranks, working
as legendary general manager Billy Beane’s top lieutenant for many years. In November 2022, he took over as the A’s top baseball executive, as Beane shifted to a senior advisory role.
Forst’s Demise
Over the last few years, the duo of Forst and manager Mark Kotsey have failed to build and lead a winning team. Additionally, several of Forst’s trades and free-agent signings have failed to produce the desired results. For instance, this past offseason Forst signed free-agent pitchers Scott Barlow, Mark Leiter Jr. and Aaron Civale. Those three players are all no longer on the team’s active roster, with the injured Leiter Jr. the only one still employed by the A’s.
Yes, Forst’s job became difficult these past few years because of the challenge of convincing players to join a team playing in a minor-league ballpark. Much of the blame for that situation falls on Athletics owner John Fisher, who with the support of MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, orchestrated the A’s move out of Oakland—bringing an end to the goodwill the franchise had built in a city where it won four World Series championships. However, as the owner, Fisher is far harder to replace.
Names to Watch
The Athletics should have no shortage of interested candidates, as the team already has a solid young core in place. With the addition of several quality pitchers and better luck on the injury front, the A’s could re-emerge as American League contenders sooner rather than later.
The organization could look in several directions to find Forst’s successor. One option is to promote from within, with Assistant General Manager of Player Personnel Billy Owens arguably the strongest candidate. Such a promotion would reward a longtime club executive while making him the first African-American to lead the Athletics baseball operations department.
Alternatively, the team could turn to a familiar face by bringing Farhan Zaidi back to the organization where he first established himself in baseball operations. His tenure as the San Francisco Giants President of baseball operations did not meet expectations, but perhaps a second stint in the same role would produce better results.
Last but not least, the Athletics could hire someone new to the organization. If they go this route, it would make sense to choose an executive from the Cleveland Guardians, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, or Los Angeles Dodgers front office. Those four franchises have all demonstrated an ability to develop pitching and sustain long-term success.
What do you think of Fisher’s decision to part ways with Forst? Was it the right call, or should he have been given more time? Who do you think is the best candidate to replace him and help this team get back into playoff contention?
