Centerfield wrote: The teardown method is risky, and yes, it's unlikely but I feel like it's really the only way for a small market club to compete. Houston and KC pulled it off successfully. Other than them, the last 10 World Series winners followed the big market, spend money model. (Cubs, Giants, Red Sox, Yankees, Phils, Cardinals). The last time low payroll team won without a complete rebuild was the White Sox in 2005. (13th in payroll, no blow up rebuild). I would say the Cubs followed the tear down method too to get the top prospects only available at the top of the draft, but they followed that up with spending. Call it the "Big Market Tear Down" - Philly is trying to do the same.