RRosternomics
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FW

Frank Wren

Born Mar 17, 1958 · St. Petersburg, FL · age 68

General manager for the Orioles and Braves (1999–2014).

8 seasons with salary-era data across 2 stints. All figures are franchise-level outcomes during the tenure, not solely attributable to one executive.

Overview

Titles0
Pennants0
Playoffs3
Record685–611
Win %0.529
+1.7GM WAR — wins above a replacement GM (org-adjusted, shrunk; per season) ±4.940th/195 execs
8.5Depth — 2+ WAR regulars per season (the breadth that drives TAB, not stars)14th/195 execs
-5.0Dead WAR — WAR/yr bled by sub-replacement players (closer to 0 = better)87th/195 execs
27%Dead money — payroll on <0.5-WAR players (lower = better)35th/195 execs
$26MCheap-talent surplus — $/yr of value from cost-controlled (pre-arb/arb) players above their pay; the selection engine, and the stickiest GM skill we track57th/195 execs
$24MDrafted surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own draftees (the develop-from-the-draft engine)8th/195 execs
$-1MTraded-for surplus — cheap-talent surplus from cost-controlled players he acquired via trade173rd/195 execs
$5MInt'l surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own international signees19th/195 execs
+20.9TAB — talent above budget — roster-construction alpha (talent your budget bought above expectation), tenure total38th/195 execs
+24.4WAB — realized wins (TAB + the non-repeatable luck of converting talent to wins)32nd/195 execs
3.58Acquisition Leverage — playoff pts per acquired WAR, graded once in the year each deal's wins arrive (the repeatable decision skill)27th/195 execs
-48Roster surplus $M106th/195 execs

Tenure breakdown

TeamRoleYearsSzns WAB WAB/yr TAB WAR surp HG Trade FA R5 AcqLev W-L% POPenWS Surp $M
▸ Braves GM 2008–2014 7 +34.4 +4.91 +20.3 -11.4 +101.2 -10.6 -23.3 -1.4 3.50 0.535 3–– -24
▸ Orioles GM 1999–1999 1 -10.0 -9.97 +0.6 -18.6 +52.9 +20.1 -5.7 +0.0 3.87 0.481 ––– -24
Career total (1985+ data) 8 +24.4 +20.9 -30.0 +154.1 +9.6 -29.0 -1.4 3.58 0.529 3– – -48

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)+154.1
Trade+9.6
Free agency-29.0
Rule 5 / minor draft-1.4
Sourcing mix: 61% draft · 16% FA · 23% trade · 0% R5

Roster value distribution — career average — depth vs. stars

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR, averaged across Frank Wren'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 — 143 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)

PlayerPosTeam How Year Szns fWAR WAR/yr Lev
Ronald Acuña OF ATL Intl FA 2014 9 +32.8 +3.6 –
Brian Roberts 2B BAL Draft 1999 9 +29.4 +3.3 –
Ozzie Albies 2B ATL Intl FA 2013 10 +23.7 +2.4 –
Max Fried P ATL Trade 2014 8 +20.1 +2.5 –
Érik Bédard P BAL Draft 1999 5 +15.6 +3.1 –
Craig Kimbrel P ATL Draft 2008 5 +11.0 +2.2 –
David Ross C ATL Free agency 2008 4 +10.2 +2.6 13.4
Andrelton Simmons SS ATL Draft 2010 4 +10.1 +2.5 –
Jair Jurrjens P ATL Trade 2008 4 +8.0 +2.0 6.9
Daniel Cabrera P BAL Intl FA 1999 5 +7.9 +1.6 –
B. J. Ryan P BAL Trade 1999 6 +7.6 +1.3 2.2
Justin Upton OF ATL Trade 2013 2 +7.2 +3.6 17.2
Derek Lowe P ATL Free agency 2009 3 +6.4 +2.1 10.0
Javier Vázquez P ATL Trade 2009 1 +6.2 +6.2 27.2
Michael Bourn OF ATL Trade 2011 2 +6.2 +3.1 1.5
Charles Johnson C BAL Trade 1999 2 +6.2 +3.1 11.9
Mike Minor P ATL Draft 2009 5 +6.1 +1.2 –
Dan Uggla 2B ATL Trade 2010 3 +6.1 +2.0 3.1
Nick Markakis OF ATL Free agency 2014 6 +5.8 +1.0 0.0
Jason Johnson P BAL Trade 1999 4 +5.6 +1.4 3.8
Evan Gattis C/DH ATL Draft 2010 2 +4.8 +2.4 –
Buddy Groom P BAL Free agency 1999 4 +4.7 +1.2 0.8
Jeff Conine 1B/OF BAL Trade 1999 5 +4.6 +0.9 4.6
Albert Belle OF BAL Trade 1999 2 +4.5 +2.2 14.0
Brandon Beachy P ATL Intl FA 2008 4 +4.0 +1.0 –
Alex Wood P ATL Draft 2012 3 +4.0 +1.3 –
José Mercedes P BAL Free agency 1999 2 +4.0 +2.0 –
Johan Camargo 3B/SS ATL Intl FA 2010 3 +3.9 +1.3 –
Omar Infante 2B ATL Trade 2008 3 +3.8 +1.3 1.5
Chris Johnson 3B ATL Trade 2013 2 +3.5 +1.7 15.0
Shelby Miller P ATL Trade 2014 1 +3.4 +3.4 0.1
Ervin Santana P ATL Free agency 2014 1 +3.1 +3.1 3.2
Will Clark 1B BAL Trade 1999 2 +3.0 +1.5 5.4
Delino DeShields 2B BAL Trade 1999 2 +2.8 +1.4 2.6
Aaron Harang P ATL Free agency 2014 1 +2.5 +2.5 2.6
Eric O'Flaherty P ATL Trade 2009 4 +2.2 +0.5 1.8
Kenshin Kawakami P ATL Draft 2009 2 +2.0 +1.0 –
Jace Peterson 2B/3B ATL Trade 2014 2 +2.0 +1.0 0.0
Arodys Vizcaíno P ATL Trade 2009 5 +2.0 +0.4 –
Billy Wagner P ATL Free agency 2009 1 +2.0 +2.0 7.9
Larry Bigbie OF BAL Draft 1999 3 +1.9 +0.6 –
Rafael Soriano P ATL Free agency 2009 3 +1.8 +0.6 3.5
David Carpenter P ATL Trade 2013 2 +1.8 +0.9 4.3
Jordan Walden P ATL Trade 2013 2 +1.7 +0.8 4.0
Jim Johnson P ATL Free agency 2014 3 +1.5 +0.5 0.0
Brooks Conrad 2B/3B ATL Free agency 2008 2 +1.2 +0.6 3.2
Takashi Saito P ATL Free agency 2009 1 +1.2 +1.2 4.8
Dan Winkler P ATL Rule 5 2014 3 +1.2 +0.4 –
Ramiro Peña 2B/3B/SS ATL Free agency 2012 2 +1.1 +0.6 3.8
Will Ohman P ATL Trade 2008 1 +0.9 +0.9 1.9
Juan Francisco 1B/3B ATL Trade 2012 2 +0.8 +0.4 3.9
Mauricio Cabrera P ATL Intl FA 2010 1 +0.7 +0.7 –
Josh Anderson OF ATL Trade 2008 1 +0.7 +0.7 1.5
José Constanza OF ATL Trade 2011 2 +0.6 +0.3 –
Gavin Floyd P ATL Free agency 2013 1 +0.6 +0.6 0.6
Paul Maholm P ATL Trade 2012 2 +0.6 +0.3 2.6
Mallex Smith OF ATL Trade 2014 1 +0.6 +0.6 –
Casey Kotchman 1B ATL Trade 2009 1 +0.6 +0.6 3.4
Rich Amaral OF BAL Trade 1999 1 +0.6 +0.6 2.5
Álex González SS ATL Trade 2010 2 +0.5 +0.3 2.0
Eric Hinske 3B/OF ATL Free agency 2010 2 +0.5 +0.2 2.4
Chuck McElroy P BAL Trade 1999 1 +0.5 +0.5 0.4
Mark Kotsay OF ATL Trade 2008 1 +0.5 +0.5 1.0
Derrek Lee 1B ATL Trade 2010 1 +0.5 +0.5 2.0
Ryan Church OF ATL Trade 2009 1 +0.5 +0.5 1.9
Philip Gosselin 2B/3B ATL Draft 2010 4 +0.4 +0.1 –
Jacob Webb P ATL Draft 2014 3 +0.4 +0.1 –
Freddy García P ATL Trade 2013 1 +0.4 +0.4 1.8
Rick Ankiel OF ATL Trade 2010 1 +0.4 +0.4 1.8
Cristhian Martínez P ATL Trade 2011 3 +0.4 +0.1 0.0
Anthony Varvaro P ATL Trade 2013 2 +0.4 +0.2 1.1
James Russell P ATL Trade 2014 1 +0.4 +0.4 0.4
Pedro Ciriaco 3B/SS ATL Free agency 2014 1 +0.3 +0.3 0.0
David Hale P ATL Draft 2009 1 +0.3 +0.3 –
George Sherrill P ATL Free agency 2010 1 +0.3 +0.3 0.4
Chasen Shreve P ATL Draft 2010 1 +0.3 +0.3 –
Shae Simmons P ATL Draft 2012 2 +0.3 +0.2 –
Tommy La Stella 2B/3B ATL Draft 2011 1 +0.2 +0.2 –
Ben Sheets P ATL Free agency 2012 1 +0.2 +0.2 1.2
Ian Thomas P ATL Draft 2014 1 +0.2 +0.2 –
Scott Downs P ATL Trade 2013 1 +0.2 +0.2 1.1
Jorge Julio P ATL Trade 2008 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.5
Elliot Johnson 2B/SS ATL Trade 2013 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.7
Mike Timlin P BAL Trade 1999 1 +0.2 +0.2 1.1
Brent Clevlen OF ATL Free agency 2009 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.3
Antoan Richardson OF ATL Trade 2011 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Calvin Maduro P BAL Free agency 1999 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Derrick May OF BAL Free agency 1999 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.4
Aaron Rakers P BAL Draft 1999 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Luis Ayala P ATL Trade 2013 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.7
Mike Dunn P ATL Trade 2010 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.3
Jim Corsi P BAL Trade 1999 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.5
Ryan Buchter P ATL Trade 2011 – -0.0 – –
Blake DeWitt 2B/3B ATL Free agency 2012 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.2
Jason Hursh P ATL Draft 2013 1 -0.0 -0.0 –
Michael Kohn P ATL Free agency 2014 – -0.0 – –
Vladimir Núñez P ATL Free agency 2008 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.5
Dustin Peterson OF ATL Trade 2014 – -0.0 – –
Scott Proctor P ATL Free agency 2009 – -0.0 – –
Lucas Sims P ATL Draft 2012 – -0.0 – –
Joey Terdoslavich 1B/OF ATL Draft 2010 2 -0.0 -0.0 –
Matt DeSalvo P ATL Trade 2008 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
Pedro Beato P ATL Trade 2014 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
John Cornely P ATL Draft 2011 – -0.1 – –
Todd Cunningham OF ATL Draft 2010 1 -0.1 -0.1 –
Troy Glaus 3B ATL Free agency 2010 – -0.1 – –
Juan Jaime P ATL Trade 2014 1 -0.1 -0.1 –
Reed Johnson OF ATL Free agency 2012 – -0.1 – –
Sean Kazmar SS ATL Free agency 2013 – -0.1 – –
Wes Parsons P ATL Intl FA 2012 – -0.1 – –
Gus Schlosser P ATL Draft 2011 – -0.1 – –
Jairo Asencio P ATL Trade 2009 – -0.1 – –
Alberto Reyes P BAL Trade 1999 1 -0.1 -0.1 0.2
Elmer Dessens P ATL Free agency 2008 – -0.2 – –
Matt Marksberry P ATL Draft 2013 – -0.2 – –
Greg Norton 1B/3B ATL Trade 2008 1 -0.2 -0.2 0.4
Jason Perry OF ATL Trade 2008 – -0.2 – –
Chad Sobotka P ATL Draft 2014 2 -0.2 -0.1 –
Ryan Weber P ATL Draft 2009 1 -0.2 -0.2 –
Greg Myers C BAL Free agency 1999 1 -0.2 -0.2 0.0
Keith Reed OF BAL Draft 1999 – -0.2 – –
Reid Gorecki OF ATL Trade 2009 – -0.3 – –
Williams Pérez P ATL Intl FA 2009 – -0.3 – –
Mike Fetters P BAL Free agency 1999 – -0.3 – –
Donnie Veal P ATL Free agency 2014 – -0.4 – –
Willie Harris 2B/OF BAL Draft 1999 – -0.4 – –
Mike Trombley P BAL Free agency 1999 1 -0.4 -0.4 0.0
Scott Linebrink P ATL Trade 2010 – -0.5 – –
Julio Lugo SS ATL Free agency 2011 – -0.5 – –
Eddy Rodriguez P BAL Intl FA 1999 – -0.6 – –
Chad Durbin P ATL Free agency 2012 – -0.7 – –
Jack Wilson SS ATL Free agency 2012 – -0.7 – –
Sendy Rleal P BAL Intl FA 1999 – -0.7 – –
Emilio Bonifácio 2B/OF ATL Trade 2014 1 -0.8 -0.8 0.1
Tyler Pastornicky 2B/SS ATL Trade 2010 1 -0.9 -0.9 –
B. J. Upton OF ATL Free agency 2012 1 -0.9 -0.9 0.0
Daniel Castro 2B/SS ATL Intl FA 2009 1 -1.0 -1.0 –
Garret Anderson OF ATL Free agency 2009 – -1.1 – –
Tyrell Jenkins P ATL Trade 2014 – -1.2 – –
Nate McLouth OF ATL Trade 2009 2 -1.4 -0.7 6.2
Melky Cabrera OF ATL Trade 2009 – -1.5 – –
Christian Bethancourt C ATL Intl FA 2008 – -1.6 – –
Gerald Laird C ATL Free agency 2012 – -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.