Fact: The A’s, small payroll team, have a number of young cheap stars. (that’s why they are so successful on such a low payroll)
Fact: Over this last offseason, their superstar, Jason Giambi, was wooed away by the Yankees wielding a bigger contract than the A’s could hope to match.
Conclusion: even if small market teams do what the A’s did (suffer through almost a decade of losing seasons while rebuilding), as soon as they become successful, teams like the Yankees swoop in and throw money at their biggest stars.
With which of these do you disagree?