RRosternomics
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FC

Fred Claire

Born Oct 5, 1935 · Jamestown, OH · age 90

Ran the Los Angeles Dodgers to the 1988 World Series title, the upset powered by Kirk Gibson's pinch-hit homer and Orel Hershiser's historic run.

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

Overview

Titles1
Pennants1
Playoffs3
Record891–822
Win %0.520
-3.0GM WAR — wins above a replacement GM (org-adjusted, shrunk; per season) ±4.4150th/195 execs
7.0Depth — 2+ WAR regulars per season (the breadth that drives TAB, not stars)57th/195 execs
-4.7Dead WAR — WAR/yr bled by sub-replacement players (closer to 0 = better)70th/195 execs
31%Dead money — payroll on <0.5-WAR players (lower = better)69th/195 execs
$4MCheap-talent surplus — $/yr of value from cost-controlled (pre-arb/arb) players above their pay; the selection engine, and the stickiest GM skill we track140th/195 execs
$2MDrafted surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own draftees (the develop-from-the-draft engine)148th/195 execs
$-0MTraded-for surplus — cheap-talent surplus from cost-controlled players he acquired via trade161st/195 execs
$2MInt'l surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own international signees60th/195 execs
-40.2TAB — talent above budget — roster-construction alpha (talent your budget bought above expectation), tenure total174th/195 execs
-8.8WAB — realized wins (TAB + the non-repeatable luck of converting talent to wins)109th/195 execs
1.88Acquisition Leverage — playoff pts per acquired WAR, graded once in the year each deal's wins arrive (the repeatable decision skill)90th/195 execs
-122Roster surplus $M138th/195 execs

Tenure breakdown

TeamRoleYearsSzns WAB WAB/yr TAB WAR surp HG Trade FA R5 AcqLev W-L% POPenWS Surp $M
▸ Dodgers GM 1988–1998 11 -8.8 -0.80 -40.2 -166.3 +200.9 +14.6 -34.9 +0.6 1.88 0.520 311 -122
Career total (1985+ data) 11 -8.8 -40.2 -166.3 +200.9 +14.6 -34.9 +0.6 1.88 0.520 31 1 -122

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)+200.9
Trade+14.6
Free agency-34.9
Rule 5 / minor draft+0.6
Sourcing mix: 56% draft · 30% FA · 15% trade · 0% R5

Roster value distribution — career average — depth vs. stars

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR, averaged across Fred Claire'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 — 152 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)

PlayerPosTeam How Year Szns fWAR WAR/yr Lev
Mike Piazza C LAD Draft 1988 7 +32.9 +4.7 –
Adrian Beltré 3B LAD Intl FA 1994 7 +25.2 +3.6 –
Kevin Brown P LAD Free agency 1998 5 +22.8 +4.6 5.1
Raúl Mondesí OF LAD Intl FA 1988 7 +20.4 +2.9 –
Eric Karros 1B LAD Draft 1988 9 +19.3 +2.1 –
Hideo Nomo P LAD Draft 1995 6 +18.3 +3.1 –
Chan Ho Park P LAD Intl FA 1994 8 +17.6 +2.2 –
Ismael Valdez P LAD Intl FA 1991 7 +16.0 +2.3 –
Gary Sheffield OF LAD Trade 1998 4 +14.7 +3.7 1.5
Brett Butler OF LAD Free agency 1990 5 +14.4 +2.9 8.5
Darren Dreifort P LAD Draft 1993 9 +14.0 +1.6 –
Éric Gagné P LAD Intl FA 1995 7 +14.0 +2.0 –
Tom Candiotti P LAD Free agency 1991 6 +13.3 +2.2 0.3
Kevin Gross P LAD Free agency 1990 4 +11.8 +3.0 2.4
Paul Lo Duca C LAD Draft 1993 7 +11.0 +1.6 –
Eddie Murray 1B LAD Trade 1988 4 +10.8 +2.7 2.4
Kirk Gibson OF LAD Free agency 1988 3 +9.7 +3.2 14.3
Mike Morgan P LAD Trade 1989 3 +8.2 +2.7 1.8
Mark Grudzielanek 2B/SS LAD Trade 1998 4 +7.4 +1.9 3.4
Kal Daniels OF LAD Trade 1989 3 +5.6 +1.9 0.2
Willie Randolph 2B LAD Free agency 1988 2 +3.9 +1.9 2.8
Tim Wallach 3B LAD Free agency 1994 2 +3.8 +1.9 5.2
Bob Ojeda P LAD Trade 1990 2 +3.6 +1.8 4.5
Eric Young 2B LAD Draft 1989 3 +3.5 +1.2 –
Rick Dempsey C LAD Free agency 1988 3 +3.4 +1.1 5.1
Antonio Osuna P LAD Intl FA 1991 6 +3.4 +0.6 –
Darryl Strawberry OF LAD Free agency 1990 2 +3.4 +1.7 7.6
Jim Gott P LAD Free agency 1989 3 +3.2 +1.1 1.6
Todd Worrell P LAD Free agency 1992 3 +3.2 +1.1 1.9
Alex Cora 2B/SS LAD Draft 1996 2 +3.0 +1.5 –
Todd Hundley C LAD Trade 1998 3 +2.9 +1.0 0.3
Juan Samuel 2B LAD Free agency 1990 2 +2.9 +1.5 3.4
Delino DeShields 2B LAD Trade 1994 2 +2.7 +1.3 3.4
Greg Gagne SS LAD Free agency 1995 2 +2.5 +1.2 4.5
Todd Zeile 3B LAD Free agency 1996 2 +2.5 +1.3 7.4
Lenny Harris 3B LAD Trade 1989 3 +2.4 +0.8 0.0
Scott Radinsky P LAD Free agency 1996 3 +2.2 +0.7 2.1
Matt Herges P LAD Intl FA 1992 2 +2.0 +1.0 –
Pedro Martínez P LAD Intl FA 1988 2 +2.0 +1.0 –
Todd Hollandsworth OF LAD Draft 1991 4 +1.8 +0.4 –
Jim Neidlinger P LAD Trade 1988 1 +1.6 +1.6 –
Brian Bohanon P LAD Trade 1998 1 +1.6 +1.6 0.7
Hubie Brooks 3B/OF LAD Free agency 1989 1 +1.5 +1.5 7.2
Gary Carter C LAD Free agency 1991 1 +1.4 +1.4 2.9
Tom Prince C LAD Free agency 1993 5 +1.4 +0.3 0.1
David Ross C LAD Draft 1998 2 +1.4 +0.7 –
Matt Luke OF LAD Trade 1998 1 +1.3 +1.3 0.6
Dave Mlicki P LAD Trade 1998 2 +1.2 +0.6 0.5
John Candelaria P LAD Free agency 1991 2 +1.1 +0.6 1.5
Roger Cedeño OF LAD Intl FA 1991 3 +1.1 +0.4 –
Charles Johnson C LAD Trade 1998 1 +1.1 +1.1 0.5
Trenidad Hubbard OF LAD Free agency 1997 2 +1.0 +0.5 0.5
Jody Reed 2B LAD Trade 1992 1 +0.9 +0.9 0.9
Kip Gross P LAD Trade 1991 2 +0.7 +0.3 0.0
Mark Guthrie P LAD Free agency 1996 3 +0.6 +0.2 1.9
Luke Prokopec P LAD Intl FA 1994 2 +0.6 +0.3 –
Kevin Tapani P LAD Trade 1995 1 +0.6 +0.6 5.0
John Tudor P LAD Trade 1988 2 +0.6 +0.3 1.4
Jay Howell P LAD Free agency 1992 5 +0.5 +0.1 5.7
Dennys Reyes P LAD Intl FA 1993 2 +0.5 +0.2 –
Ray Searage P LAD Free agency 1988 2 +0.5 +0.2 0.2
Tripp Cromer SS LAD Trade 1997 2 +0.5 +0.2 1.5
Ricky Trlicek P LAD Trade 1993 1 +0.5 +0.5 0.5
Wilton Guerrero 2B/OF LAD Intl FA 1991 1 +0.4 +0.4 –
Roger McDowell P LAD Free agency 1992 3 +0.4 +0.1 0.0
Don Sutton P LAD Free agency 1988 1 +0.4 +0.4 –
Willie Banks P LAD Trade 1995 1 +0.4 +0.4 3.1
Steve Colyer P LAD Draft 1997 1 +0.3 +0.3 –
Kevin Elster SS LAD Free agency 1993 1 +0.3 +0.3 1.5
Mitch Webster OF LAD Trade 1991 3 +0.3 +0.1 –
Chad Curtis OF LAD Trade 1996 1 +0.3 +0.3 0.5
Darren Lewis OF LAD Trade 1997 1 +0.3 +0.3 1.0
Eric Davis OF LAD Free agency 1992 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.0
Darren Hall P LAD Free agency 1995 1 +0.2 +0.2 1.2
Garey Ingram 2B LAD Draft 1989 2 +0.2 +0.1 –
Al Osuna P LAD Trade 1994 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.4
Rick Parker OF LAD Free agency 1995 2 +0.2 +0.1 1.1
Rudy Seánez P LAD Free agency 1994 2 +0.2 +0.1 0.1
Dave Walsh P LAD Trade 1990 1 +0.2 +0.2 –
Devon White OF LAD Free agency 1998 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.5
John Cummings P LAD Trade 1995 1 +0.2 +0.2 1.6
Victor Álvarez P LAD Intl FA 1997 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Eric Anthony OF LAD Free agency 1997 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.4
Henry Blanco C LAD Intl FA 1989 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Mike Blowers 3B LAD Trade 1995 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.1
Jerry Brooks OF LAD Draft 1988 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Jeff Kubenka P LAD Draft 1996 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Oreste Marrero 1B LAD Free agency 1995 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.2
Rob Murphy P LAD Free agency 1995 – +0.1 – –
Ángel Peña C LAD Intl FA 1992 2 +0.1 +0.1 –
Jeff Treadway 2B LAD Free agency 1993 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.2
Mike Davis OF LAD Trade 1989 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.7
John DeSilva P LAD Trade 1993 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.1
Greg McMichael P LAD Trade 1998 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.1
Carlos Pérez P LAD Trade 1998 2 +0.1 +0.1 0.3
Luke Allen OF LAD Intl FA 1996 – -0.0 – –
Jim Bruske P LAD Trade 1997 3 -0.0 -0.0 –
Mike Christopher P LAD Rule 5 1989 – -0.0 – –
Brad Clontz P LAD Free agency 1998 – -0.0 – –
Butch Davis OF LAD Free agency 1990 – -0.0 – –
Jeff Fischer P LAD Trade 1989 – -0.0 – –
Mike Judd P LAD Trade 1996 2 -0.0 -0.0 –
Bill Krueger P LAD Free agency 1988 1 -0.0 -0.0 0.0
Onan Masaoka P LAD Draft 1995 1 -0.0 -0.0 –
Noe Muñoz C LAD Intl FA 1993 – -0.0 – –
José Parra P LAD Intl FA 1989 – -0.0 – –
Gary Rath P LAD Draft 1994 – -0.0 – –
Brian Traxler 1B LAD Draft 1988 – -0.0 – –
Steve Wilson P LAD Trade 1991 2 +0.0 +0.0 0.3
Pedro Borbón P LAD Free agency 1998 – -0.1 – –
Bubba Crosby OF LAD Draft 1998 – -0.1 – –
Joey Eischen P LAD Trade 1995 – -0.1 – –
Frank Lankford P LAD Rule 5 1997 – -0.1 – –
Mike Maddux P LAD Free agency 1989 1 -0.1 -0.1 0.4
Sean Maloney P LAD Free agency 1998 – -0.1 – –
Rod Nichols P LAD Free agency 1993 – -0.1 – –
Pat Perry P LAD Free agency 1990 – -0.1 – –
Adam Riggs 2B/OF LAD Draft 1994 – -0.1 – –
Greg Smith 2B/SS LAD Trade 1990 – -0.1 – –
Eric Weaver P LAD Intl FA 1991 – -0.1 – –
Reggie Williams OF LAD Free agency 1995 – -0.1 – –
Barry Lyons C LAD Trade 1990 1 -0.1 -0.1 0.3
Hiram Bocachica OF LAD Trade 1998 2 -0.2 -0.1 –
Mike Busch 3B LAD Draft 1990 1 -0.2 -0.2 –
Chip Hale 2B/3B/DH LAD Free agency 1996 – -0.2 – –
Mike Harkey P LAD Free agency 1996 – -0.2 – –
Paul Konerko 1B LAD Draft 1994 – -0.2 – –
Mike Metcalfe 2B/OF LAD Draft 1994 1 -0.2 -0.2 –
Jim Poole P LAD Draft 1988 – -0.2 – –
Félix Rodríguez P LAD Intl FA 1989 – -0.2 – –
Gary Wayne P LAD Free agency 1994 – -0.2 – –
Todd Williams P LAD Draft 1990 – -0.2 – –
Tom Goodwin OF LAD Draft 1989 3 -0.3 -0.1 –
Rick Gorecki P LAD Draft 1991 – -0.3 – –
Eddie Pye 2B/3B/SS LAD Draft 1988 – -0.3 – –
Terry Wells P LAD Trade 1990 – -0.3 – –
Don Aase P LAD Free agency 1990 – -0.4 – –
Greg Hansell P LAD Trade 1990 – -0.4 – –
Thomas Howard OF LAD Free agency 1998 – -0.4 – –
Dennis Cook P LAD Trade 1991 1 -0.4 -0.4 0.4
Danny Heep OF LAD Trade 1988 1 -0.4 -0.4 0.9
Brett Butler OF LAD Trade 1995 5 -0.6 -0.1 8.5
Stan Javier OF LAD Trade 1990 1 -0.6 -0.6 17.0
Jeff Williams P LAD Intl FA 1996 1 -0.6 -0.6 –
Alan Mills P LAD Free agency 1998 – -0.7 – –
Omar Daal P LAD Intl FA 1990 2 -0.8 -0.4 –
Cory Snyder OF LAD Free agency 1992 – -0.8 – –
Karim García OF LAD Intl FA 1992 – -0.9 – –
Billy Ashley OF LAD Draft 1988 2 -1.8 -0.9 –
Juan Castro SS LAD Intl FA 1991 2 -1.8 -0.9 –
Alfredo Griffin SS LAD Free agency 1988 1 -1.8 -1.8 0.7
John Shelby OF LAD Free agency 1989 2 -1.8 -0.9 1.1

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.