RRosternomics
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AC

Al Campanis

Nov 2, 1916 (Kos) – Jun 21, 1998 (Fullerton, CA) · died at 81

General manager for the Dodgers (1969–1987).

3 seasons with salary-era data across 1 stint. All figures are franchise-level outcomes during the tenure, not solely attributable to one executive.

Overview

Titles0
Pennants0
Playoffs1
Record241–245
Win %0.496
-1.0GM WAR — wins above a replacement GM (org-adjusted, shrunk; per season) ±6.599th/195 execs
7.3Depth — 2+ WAR regulars per season (the breadth that drives TAB, not stars)38th/195 execs
-5.2Dead WAR — WAR/yr bled by sub-replacement players (closer to 0 = better)103rd/195 execs
35%Dead money — payroll on <0.5-WAR players (lower = better)99th/195 execs
$0MCheap-talent surplus — $/yr of value from cost-controlled (pre-arb/arb) players above their pay; the selection engine, and the stickiest GM skill we track175th/195 execs
$1MDrafted surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own draftees (the develop-from-the-draft engine)167th/195 execs
$-0MTraded-for surplus — cheap-talent surplus from cost-controlled players he acquired via trade157th/195 execs
$-1MInt'l surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own international signees180th/195 execs
-5.5TAB — talent above budget — roster-construction alpha (talent your budget bought above expectation), tenure total95th/195 execs
-11.3WAB — realized wins (TAB + the non-repeatable luck of converting talent to wins)115th/195 execs
1.23Acquisition Leverage — playoff pts per acquired WAR, graded once in the year each deal's wins arrive (the repeatable decision skill)119th/195 execs
-9Roster surplus $M61st/195 execs

Tenure breakdown

TeamRoleYearsSzns WAB WAB/yr TAB WAR surp HG Trade FA R5 AcqLev W-L% POPenWS Surp $M
▸ Dodgers GM 1969–1987 3 -11.3 -3.76 -5.5 -30.0 +155.4 -62.1 -21.0 +1.3 1.23 0.496 1–– -9
Career total (1985+ data) 3 -11.3 -5.5 -30.0 +155.4 -62.1 -21.0 +1.3 1.23 0.496 1– – -9

Roster Construction

How the roster was sourced

by valueby volume

Share of acquired fWAR by channel vs. league average.

Build channels — net fWAR

Acquired minus surrendered / signed minus walked.

Home-grown (draft/intl)+155.4
Trade-62.1
Free agency-21.0
Rule 5 / minor draft+1.3
Sourcing mix: 74% draft · 0% FA · 25% trade · 0% R5

Roster value distribution — career average — depth vs. stars

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR, averaged across Al Campanis's seasons. Bars = his rosters; the black line = the league-average player at each slot. Staying above the line deep into the roster is the depth edge.

Players acquired — 81 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)

PlayerPosTeam How Year Szns fWAR WAR/yr Lev
Orel Hershiser P LAD Draft 1979 10 +37.4 +3.7 –
Mike Scioscia C LAD Draft 1976 8 +21.5 +2.7 –
Ramón Martínez P LAD Intl FA 1984 11 +21.2 +1.9 –
Fernando Valenzuela P LAD Draft 1985 6 +18.7 +3.1 –
Tim Belcher P LAD Trade 1987 5 +13.3 +2.7 –
Pedro Guerrero 1B/OF LAD Trade 1974 4 +13.1 +3.3 –
Bob Welch P LAD Draft 1977 3 +12.4 +4.1 –
Pedro Astacio P LAD Intl FA 1987 6 +8.4 +1.4 –
Steve Sax 2B LAD Draft 1978 4 +8.3 +2.1 –
Mike Marshall OF LAD Draft 1978 5 +7.6 +1.5 –
Tim Leary P LAD Trade 1986 3 +5.9 +2.0 0.2
Jay Howell P LAD Trade 1987 5 +5.6 +1.1 5.7
Mike Sharperson 2B/3B LAD Trade 1987 5 +5.4 +1.1 0.1
Rick Honeycutt P LAD Trade 1983 3 +5.1 +1.7 –
Dave Hansen 1B/3B LAD Draft 1986 8 +4.2 +0.5 –
Alejandro Peña P LAD Intl FA 1978 4 +3.8 +0.9 –
Greg Brock 1B LAD Draft 1979 2 +3.4 +1.7 –
Tim Crews P LAD Trade 1986 6 +2.8 +0.5 –
John Shelby OF LAD Trade 1987 2 +2.4 +1.2 1.1
Jerry Reuss P LAD Trade 1979 2 +2.3 +1.1 –
Dave Anderson 3B/SS LAD Draft 1981 4 +2.2 +0.5 –
Tom Niedenfuer P LAD Intl FA 1980 1 +2.2 +2.2 –
Ken Landreaux OF LAD Trade 1981 2 +1.9 +1.0 –
Franklin Stubbs 1B/OF LAD Draft 1982 3 +1.8 +0.6 –
John Wetteland P LAD Draft 1985 3 +1.8 +0.6 –
Alex Treviño C LAD Trade 1986 2 +1.8 +0.9 1.8
Ken Howell P LAD Draft 1982 4 +1.7 +0.4 –
José Offerman 2B/SS LAD Intl FA 1986 3 +1.4 +0.5 –
Brian Holton P LAD Draft 1978 3 +1.3 +0.4 –
Matt Young P LAD Trade 1986 1 +1.1 +1.1 0.5
Mike Hartley P LAD Rule 5 1986 2 +1.0 +0.5 –
Len Matuszek 1B LAD Trade 1985 2 +1.0 +0.5 1.7
Ralph Bryant OF LAD Draft 1981 3 +0.9 +0.3 –
Carlos Diaz P LAD Trade 1983 2 +0.9 +0.5 –
Bill Madlock 3B LAD Trade 1985 2 +0.8 +0.4 –
Jose Gonzalez OF LAD Intl FA 1980 3 +0.7 +0.2 –
Shawn Hillegas P LAD Draft 1984 2 +0.6 +0.3 –
Bob Bailor SS/OF LAD Trade 1983 1 +0.5 +0.5 –
Candy Maldonado OF LAD Intl FA 1978 1 +0.4 +0.4 –
Tom Brennan P LAD Trade 1985 1 +0.3 +0.3 –
Darrin Fletcher C LAD Draft 1987 1 +0.3 +0.3 –
José Vizcaíno 2B/SS LAD Intl FA 1986 3 +0.3 +0.1 –
Mike Huff OF LAD Draft 1985 1 +0.2 +0.2 –
Orlando Mercado C LAD Trade 1987 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.1
William Brennan P LAD Intl FA 1984 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Mike Davis OF LAD Free agency 1987 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.7
Mariano Duncan 2B/SS LAD Intl FA 1982 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Jeff Hamilton 3B LAD Draft 1982 2 +0.1 +0.1 –
Darren Holmes P LAD Draft 1984 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Terry Whitfield OF LAD Trade 1985 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Jack Fimple C LAD Trade 1981 – -0.0 – –
Gil Reyes C LAD Intl FA 1980 1 -0.0 -0.0 –
Jack Savage P LAD Draft 1985 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
Larry See 1B/DH LAD Draft 1980 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
Brad Wellman 2B LAD Free agency 1986 – -0.0 – –
Bill Krueger P LAD Trade 1987 1 -0.0 -0.0 0.0
Ed Amelung OF LAD Intl FA 1980 – -0.1 – –
Brad Havens P LAD Trade 1987 – -0.1 – –
Mike Munoz P LAD Draft 1986 1 -0.1 -0.1 –
Stu Pederson OF LAD Draft 1981 – -0.1 – –
Enos Cabell 1B/3B LAD Trade 1985 1 -0.1 -0.1 3.8
Chris Gwynn OF LAD Draft 1985 3 -0.2 -0.1 –
Jay Johnstone OF LAD Trade 1985 – -0.2 – –
Luis Lopez C/1B LAD Draft 1983 – -0.2 – –
Mike Ramsey 2B/SS LAD Trade 1985 – -0.2 – –
Bobby Castillo P LAD Trade 1977 – -0.4 – –
César Cedeño OF LAD Free agency 1986 – -0.4 – –
Danny Heep OF LAD Free agency 1987 1 -0.4 -0.4 0.9
Jesse Orosco P LAD Trade 1987 1 -0.4 -0.4 0.3
Dennis Powell P LAD Intl FA 1983 1 -0.4 -0.4 –
Rafael Bournigal 2B/SS LAD Draft 1987 1 -0.5 -0.5 –
Balvino Gálvez P LAD Intl FA 1981 – -0.5 – –
Reggie Williams OF LAD Draft 1982 1 -0.5 -0.5 –
Mike Devereaux OF LAD Draft 1985 1 -0.6 -0.6 –
Mickey Hatcher OF LAD Free agency 1987 2 -0.6 -0.3 –
Ed Vande Berg P LAD Trade 1985 – -0.6 – –
Carlos Hernández C LAD Intl FA 1984 3 -0.7 -0.2 –
Mike Ramsey OF LAD Trade 1982 – -0.7 – –
Craig Shipley 3B/SS LAD Intl FA 1984 – -1.1 – –
Tracy Woodson 3B LAD Draft 1984 – -1.2 – –
Henry Rodríguez OF LAD Intl FA 1985 1 -1.6 -1.6 –

WAB = wins above what the team's payroll predicted (resource-controlled). WAR surplus = era-neutral value (WAR minus payroll in win-equivalents). Roster surplus $M = dollar value of WAR over cost. Build channels (realized fWAR): HG = home-grown via amateur draft / international signing; Trade = acquired minus surrendered (incl. purchases/waivers); FA = signed minus walked; R5 = Rule-5 / minor-league-draft pickups. Credit follows the acquisition year — home-grown to the regime at the player's draft/signing (not whoever was in the chair when he peaked), trade/FA/R5 to the GM who made the move. Players acquired as prospects before debuting (e.g. Smoltz, Bagwell; Rule-5 picks like Uggla) are counted as trade/R5, not home-grown. All are franchise-level outcomes during the stint, not solely attributable to one executive.

Graphs

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Rosternomics — quantifying front-office skill, attribution-clean. Follow @rosternomics on X. Decision-makers on record back to 1933; resource-controlled metrics (WAR & payroll) cover 1985–2026.
Data: FanGraphs (WAR), Baseball-Reference & the Chadwick Bureau register (rosters, IDs), the Lahman Database, Baseball America prospect rankings (via The Baseball Cube), and public payroll records. Transaction and trade data was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Executive birth/death data via Wikidata (CC0); bios are original. Emoji graphics by OpenMoji (CC BY-SA 4.0).
All figures are franchise-level outcomes credited to the decision-maker in the acquisition year — not solely attributable to one executive.