RRosternomics
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BW

Bill Wood

Born 1941 · age 85

General manager for the Astros (1987–1993).

7 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
Playoffs0
Record550–584
Win %0.485
-3.5GM WAR — wins above a replacement GM (org-adjusted, shrunk; per season) ±5.2159th/195 execs
7.1Depth — 2+ WAR regulars per season (the breadth that drives TAB, not stars)42nd/195 execs
-4.9Dead WAR — WAR/yr bled by sub-replacement players (closer to 0 = better)85th/195 execs
35%Dead money — payroll on <0.5-WAR players (lower = better)105th/195 execs
$5MCheap-talent surplus — $/yr of value from cost-controlled (pre-arb/arb) players above their pay; the selection engine, and the stickiest GM skill we track133rd/195 execs
$2MDrafted surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own draftees (the develop-from-the-draft engine)144th/195 execs
$3MTraded-for surplus — cheap-talent surplus from cost-controlled players he acquired via trade88th/195 execs
$0MInt'l surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own international signees114th/195 execs
-25.5TAB — talent above budget — roster-construction alpha (talent your budget bought above expectation), tenure total152nd/195 execs
-12.3WAB — realized wins (TAB + the non-repeatable luck of converting talent to wins)123rd/195 execs
1.69Acquisition Leverage — playoff pts per acquired WAR, graded once in the year each deal's wins arrive (the repeatable decision skill)97th/195 execs
-8Roster surplus $M56th/195 execs

Tenure breakdown

TeamRoleYearsSzns WAB WAB/yr TAB WAR surp HG Trade FA R5 AcqLev W-L% POPenWS Surp $M
▸ Astros GM 1987–1993 7 -12.3 -1.75 -25.5 -42.8 +170.2 +27.9 -10.8 -0.5 1.69 0.485 ––– -8
Career total (1985+ data) 7 -12.3 -25.5 -42.8 +170.2 +27.9 -10.8 -0.5 1.69 0.485 –– – -8

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)+170.2
Trade+27.9
Free agency-10.8
Rule 5 / minor draft-0.5
Sourcing mix: 54% draft · 10% FA · 36% trade · 0% R5

Roster value distribution — career average — depth vs. stars

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR, averaged across Bill Wood'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 — 108 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)

PlayerPosTeam How Year Szns fWAR WAR/yr Lev
Jeff Bagwell 1B HOU Trade 1990 15 +80.2 +5.3 –
Craig Biggio 2B HOU Draft 1987 19 +65.8 +3.5 –
Shane Reynolds P HOU Draft 1989 10 +31.3 +3.1 –
Richard Hidalgo OF HOU Intl FA 1991 8 +20.0 +2.5 –
Mike Hampton P HOU Trade 1993 6 +17.7 +3.0 11.8
Steve Finley OF HOU Trade 1991 4 +14.9 +3.7 0.4
Luis Gonzalez OF HOU Draft 1988 6 +14.8 +2.5 –
Darryl Kile P HOU Draft 1987 6 +13.3 +2.2 –
Billy Wagner P HOU Draft 1993 8 +13.3 +1.7 –
Doug Drabek P HOU Free agency 1992 4 +11.9 +3.0 25.3
Mark Portugal P HOU Trade 1988 5 +9.2 +1.8 1.4
Pete Harnisch P HOU Trade 1991 4 +9.2 +2.3 0.3
Chris Holt P HOU Draft 1992 3 +7.2 +2.4 –
Greg Swindell P HOU Free agency 1992 3 +5.3 +1.8 13.1
Danny Darwin P HOU Free agency 1988 5 +5.2 +1.0 8.3
Brian Hunter OF HOU Draft 1989 4 +3.5 +0.9 –
Doug Jones P HOU Free agency 1992 2 +3.4 +1.7 2.1
Jimmy Jones P HOU Free agency 1991 2 +2.7 +1.4 0.2
Xavier Hernandez P HOU Trade 1991 4 +2.7 +0.7 0.0
Franklin Stubbs 1B/OF HOU Trade 1990 1 +2.7 +2.7 0.1
Casey Candaele 2B/OF HOU Trade 1988 4 +2.3 +0.6 0.0
Ed Taubensee C HOU Trade 1991 2 +2.0 +1.0 0.9
Pete Incaviglia OF HOU Free agency 1992 1 +1.9 +1.9 1.6
Alex Treviño C HOU Free agency 1988 2 +1.9 +0.9 0.1
Butch Henry P HOU Trade 1990 1 +1.5 +1.5 –
Donne Wall P HOU Draft 1989 1 +1.5 +1.5 –
Todd Jones P HOU Draft 1989 2 +1.4 +0.7 –
Orlando Miller SS HOU Trade 1990 3 +1.4 +0.5 –
Glenn Wilson OF HOU Trade 1989 2 +1.2 +0.6 0.2
Scott Servais C HOU Draft 1988 4 +1.1 +0.3 –
Chris James OF HOU Trade 1993 1 +1.1 +1.1 6.8
Jim Clancy P HOU Free agency 1988 2 +1.0 +0.5 0.3
Javier Ortiz OF HOU Trade 1989 2 +1.0 +0.5 –
Curt Schilling P HOU Trade 1991 1 +1.0 +1.0 0.1
Chris Donnels 3B HOU Trade 1993 2 +0.8 +0.4 2.0
James Mouton OF HOU Draft 1991 3 +0.7 +0.2 –
Bobby Abreu OF HOU Intl FA 1990 2 +0.6 +0.3 –
Bill Gullickson P HOU Free agency 1989 1 +0.6 +0.6 0.0
Buddy Bell 3B HOU Trade 1988 1 +0.6 +0.6 0.1
Rob Murphy P HOU Free agency 1992 1 +0.5 +0.5 0.4
Willie Blair P HOU Trade 1991 1 +0.4 +0.4 0.3
Joe Boever P HOU Free agency 1992 1 +0.3 +0.3 0.3
Jim Corsi P HOU Free agency 1991 1 +0.3 +0.3 0.0
Brian Williams P HOU Draft 1990 3 +0.3 +0.1 –
Steve Lombardozzi 2B HOU Trade 1989 2 +0.3 +0.2 0.2
Dave Hajek 2B/3B HOU Intl FA 1989 2 +0.2 +0.1 –
Dean Hartgraves P HOU Draft 1987 1 +0.2 +0.2 –
Rick Parker OF HOU Free agency 1992 1 +0.2 +0.2 1.4
Rick Rhoden P HOU Trade 1989 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.2
Eric Bell P HOU Free agency 1993 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.4
Terry Clark P HOU Free agency 1990 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.0
Steve Henderson OF HOU Free agency 1988 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.0
Randy Hennis P HOU Draft 1987 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Ray Montgomery OF HOU Draft 1990 2 +0.1 +0.1 –
Ernie Riles 3B/SS HOU Free agency 1992 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.1
Dan Schatzeder P HOU Free agency 1989 2 +0.1 +0.1 0.1
Mark Grant P HOU Trade 1993 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.4
Manuel Barrios P HOU Intl FA 1993 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
Benny Distefano 1B/OF HOU Free agency 1992 – -0.0 – –
Brian Fisher P HOU Free agency 1990 – -0.0 – –
Mike Grzanich P HOU Draft 1992 – -0.0 – –
Óscar Henríquez P HOU Intl FA 1991 – -0.0 – –
Paul Householder OF HOU Free agency 1987 – -0.0 – –
Jim Lindeman 1B/OF HOU Free agency 1993 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.2
Roger Mason P HOU Free agency 1989 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
Carl Nichols C HOU Trade 1989 1 -0.0 -0.0 0.0
Mark Small P HOU Draft 1989 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
José Tolentino 1B HOU Trade 1991 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
José Uribe SS HOU Free agency 1993 – -0.0 – –
Ty Waller 3B/OF HOU Trade 1987 – -0.0 – –
Rocky Childress P HOU Trade 1987 1 -0.0 -0.0 0.0
Jack Daugherty 1B/OF HOU Trade 1993 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
Joaquín Andújar P HOU Free agency 1988 – -0.1 – –
Ernie Camacho P HOU Free agency 1988 – -0.1 – –
José Canó P HOU Trade 1989 – -0.1 – –
Mike Capel P HOU Free agency 1991 – -0.1 – –
Jeff Juden P HOU Draft 1989 – -0.1 – –
Kenny Lofton OF HOU Draft 1988 – -0.1 – –
Ken Oberkfell 2B/3B HOU Free agency 1989 1 -0.1 -0.1 0.0
Roberto Petagine 1B HOU Intl FA 1990 – -0.1 – –
Craig Smajstrla 2B HOU Trade 1988 – -0.1 – –
Chris Truby 3B HOU Intl FA 1992 1 -0.1 -0.1 –
Ron Washington SS HOU Free agency 1989 – -0.1 – –
Mark Davidson OF HOU Trade 1989 2 -0.1 -0.1 0.1
Tom Edens P HOU Trade 1992 1 -0.2 -0.2 1.8
Greg Gross OF HOU Free agency 1989 – -0.2 – –
Carlos Hernández 2B HOU Intl FA 1992 – -0.2 – –
Rich Scheid P HOU Trade 1992 – -0.2 – –
Jason Green P HOU Draft 1993 – -0.3 – –
Chris Jones OF HOU Free agency 1991 – -0.3 – –
Rafael Ramírez SS HOU Free agency 1992 1 -0.3 -0.3 0.2
Dean Wilkins P HOU Trade 1991 – -0.3 – –
Juan Agosto P HOU Free agency 1987 2 -0.4 -0.2 0.0
Mark McLemore 2B HOU Free agency 1991 – -0.4 – –
Jim Dougherty P HOU Draft 1990 – -0.5 – –
Mike Felder OF HOU Trade 1993 – -0.5 – –
Chris Gardner P HOU Draft 1988 – -0.5 – –
Juan Guerrero 3B/SS HOU Rule 5 1991 – -0.5 – –
Andy Mota 2B HOU Draft 1987 – -0.5 – –
Mike Brumley SS HOU Free agency 1993 – -0.6 – –
Bob Forsch P HOU Trade 1988 1 -0.6 -0.6 0.1
John Hudek P HOU Trade 1993 3 -0.6 -0.2 –
Eddie Tucker C HOU Trade 1991 2 -0.6 -0.3 –
Dwayne Henry P HOU Free agency 1991 – -0.7 – –
Eric Yelding SS/OF HOU Trade 1989 2 -0.8 -0.4 –
Alvin Morman P HOU Draft 1991 – -0.9 – –
Ronn Reynolds C HOU Trade 1987 – -0.9 – –
Al Osuna P HOU Draft 1987 – -1.9 – –

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.