Born Jun 10, 1950 · Collegeville, PA · age 76
Built the Houston Astros' late-1990s and early-2000s playoff core that culminated in the franchise's first pennant, and later helped shape the Tampa Bay Rays' contender.
Across the full 9-season sample, the measured profile stands out most for payroll-adjusted roster quality (96th percentile), playoff leverage per acquired WAR (96th percentile), and roster depth (95th percentile).
9 seasons with salary-era data across 1 stint. All figures are franchise-level outcomes during the tenure, not solely attributable to one executive.
0 pennants · 5 playoff appearances · 793–665 (0.544)
| Team | Role | Year | Pay $M |
Rel Pay |
Surp $M |
Surp WAR |
Dead % |
Cheap $M |
Draft $M |
Trd $M |
Int'l $M |
$ / WAR |
WAR | Depth | Dead WAR |
HG | Trade | Net/ Trd |
FA | R5 | RFA | PPA | CPA | WAB | TAB | W-L% | PO | Pen | WS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GM | 1996 82–80 | $27 | 82 | +2 | +2.1 | 28% | +7 | +7 | +0 | +0 | $0.7M | 33.5 | 6.0 | -4.9 | +56.2 | -8.2 | -2.74 | +11.0 | +0.3 | +0.28 | 2.62 | 0.21 | +2.6 | +1.7 | 0.506 | ||||
| GM | 1997 84–78 | $35 | 88 | +14 | +14.2 | 20% | +6 | +3 | +2 | +1 | $0.7M | 47.6 | 11.0 | -4.7 | +54.6 | +25.3 | +5.05 | -75.4 | +0.0 | +0.23 | 5.81 | 0.72 | +3.6 | +14.8 | 0.519 | ✓ | |||
| GM | 1998 102–60 | $45 | 108 | +13 | +12.4 | 16% | +10 | +3 | +5 | +2 | $0.8M | 53.6 | 12.0 | -3.9 | +25.0 | -21.9 | -7.29 | -67.1 | +0.3 | -0.30 | 4.46 | 0.93 | +19.1 | +18.5 | 0.630 | ✓ | |||
| GM | 1999 97–65 | $50 | 103 | +19 | +14.9 | 21% | +15 | +10 | +4 | +1 | $0.9M | 54.1 | 9.0 | -3.9 | +20.6 | +7.4 | +1.23 | -1.6 | +0.0 | +1.11 | 0.86 | 1.80 | +14.6 | +19.5 | 0.599 | ✓ | |||
| GM | 2000 72–90 | $50 | 92 | -11 | -7.7 | 26% | +10 | +1 | -0 | +10 | $1.3M | 31.7 | 6.0 | -6.1 | +4.1 | -0.2 | -0.04 | +0.8 | +1.3 | +0.20 | 2.33 | 0.20 | -8.8 | -1.5 | 0.444 | ||||
| GM | 2001 93–69 | $66 | 107 | -13 | -7.9 | 28% | +18 | +15 | +3 | +0 | $1.5M | 38.0 | 10.0 | -5.0 | +4.0 | +2.1 | +1.03 | -30.5 | +0.0 | -0.16 | 5.14 | 0.33 | +10.2 | +3.0 | 0.574 | ✓ | |||
| GM | 2002 84–78 | $66 | 100 | -4 | -2.6 | 32% | +28 | +27 | +4 | -3 | $1.6M | 37.8 | 5.0 | -3.2 | -0.0 | +1.0 | +0.24 | -13.4 | -0.1 | +0.48 | 3.03 | 0.23 | +2.0 | +3.5 | 0.519 | ||||
| GM | 2003 87–75 | $70 | 102 | +2 | +1.4 | 20% | +30 | +32 | -2 | +0 | $1.5M | 42.8 | 10.0 | -4.3 | -0.1 | -3.0 | -1.01 | +12.8 | +0.0 | +0.96 | 7.01 | 0.53 | +4.8 | +8.4 | 0.537 | ||||
| GM | 2004 92–70 | $73 | 110 | +5 | +2.8 | 10% | +23 | +19 | +4 | +0 | $1.5M | 45.3 | 9.0 | -4.8 | +11.6 | +0.8 | +0.21 | -54.9 | -0.2 | -0.35 | 5.05 | 0.44 | +8.8 | +9.9 | 0.568 | ✓ | |||
| Career total (1985+ data) | $482 | 99 | +28 | +29.5 | 22% | +16 | +13 | +2 | +1 | $1.1M | 384.4 | 8.7 | -4.5 | +176.0 | +3.2 | +0.09 | -218.3 | +1.5 | +0.35 | 4.70 | 0.62 | +57.1 | +77.7 | 0.544 | 5 | – | – | ||
Acquired minus surrendered / signed minus walked.
| Player | Pos | Team | How | Year | Szns | fWAR | WAR/yr | RFA | PPA | CPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lance Berkman | 1B/OF | Draft | 1997 | 12 | +49.7 | +4.1 | – | – | – | |
| Roy Oswalt | P | Draft | 1996 | 10 | +44.0 | +4.4 | – | – | – | |
| Wandy Rodríguez | P | Intl FA | 1999 | 8 | +16.2 | +2.0 | – | – | – | |
| Roger Clemens | P | Free agency | 2004 | 3 | +15.7 | +5.2 | – | 31.3% | 2.51% | |
| Morgan Ensberg | 3B | Draft | 1998 | 5 | +15.3 | +3.1 | – | – | – | |
| Moisés Alou | OF | Trade | 1997 | 3 | +13.5 | +4.5 | -1.39 | 31.7% | 6.14% | |
| Hunter Pence | OF | Draft | 2004 | 5 | +12.4 | +2.5 | – | – | – | |
| Wade Miller | P | Draft | 1996 | 5 | +12.0 | +2.4 | – | – | – | |
| Andy Pettitte | P | Free agency | 2003 | 3 | +11.0 | +3.7 | – | 9.6% | 0.90% | |
| Brad Lidge | P | Draft | 1998 | 6 | +9.7 | +1.6 | – | – | – | |
| Carl Everett | OF | Trade | 1997 | 2 | +9.4 | +4.7 | +0.22 | 15.9% | 3.33% | |
| Adam Everett | SS | Trade | 1999 | 5 | +9.2 | +1.8 | +1.11 | – | – | |
| Bill Spiers | 3B/SS | Free agency | 1996 | 5 | +8.8 | +1.8 | – | 0.7% | 0.06% | |
| Octavio Dotel | P | Trade | 1999 | 5 | +8.0 | +1.6 | +1.22 | 0.9% | 0.08% | |
| Jeff Kent | 2B | Free agency | 2002 | 2 | +7.5 | +3.8 | – | 23.4% | 1.74% | |
| Brad Ausmus | C | Trade | 1996 | 6 | +6.8 | +1.1 | +0.59 | 15.8% | 1.88% | |
| José Lima | P | Trade | 1997 | 3 | +6.6 | +2.2 | +0.59 | 1.7% | 0.22% | |
| Mike Lamb | 1B/3B | Trade | 2004 | 3 | +5.0 | +1.7 | – | 8.4% | 0.81% | |
| Luke Scott | DH/OF | Trade | 2004 | 2 | +4.9 | +2.4 | -0.71 | – | – | |
| Tim Redding | P | Draft | 1997 | 4 | +3.8 | +1.0 | – | – | – | |
| Dan Wheeler | P | Trade | 2004 | 4 | +3.5 | +0.9 | -0.43 | 0.6% | 0.06% | |
| Brandon Backe | P | Trade | 2004 | 5 | +3.4 | +0.7 | +0.06 | 4.2% | 0.42% | |
| Randy Johnson | P | Trade | 1998 | 1 | +3.1 | +3.1 | -3.47 | 13.1% | 2.94% | |
| Jason Lane | OF | Draft | 1999 | 5 | +3.0 | +0.6 | – | – | – | |
| Chad Qualls | P | Draft | 2000 | 6 | +2.8 | +0.5 | – | – | – | |
| Carlos Beltrán | OF | Trade | 2004 | 1 | +2.8 | +2.8 | -1.44 | 20.0% | 1.76% | |
| Sean Berry | 3B | Free agency | 1998 | 3 | +2.7 | +0.9 | – | 2.7% | 0.22% | |
| Mark Loretta | 2B | Trade | 2002 | 3 | +2.6 | +0.9 | -0.54 | 1.4% | 0.11% | |
| Tim Bogar | SS | Trade | 1997 | 2 | +2.3 | +1.2 | +0.00 | 13.5% | 1.66% | |
| Chris Sampson | P | Draft | 1999 | 4 | +2.3 | +0.6 | – | – | – | |
| Vinny Castilla | 3B | Trade | 2001 | 1 | +2.3 | +2.3 | – | 11.7% | 0.74% | |
| Sean Bergman | P | Trade | 1998 | 2 | +2.2 | +1.1 | +0.75 | 4.7% | 1.09% | |
| Geoff Blum | 3B | Trade | 2002 | 5 | +2.0 | +0.4 | – | 4.6% | 0.35% | |
| Eric Bruntlett | SS | Draft | 2000 | 4 | +1.7 | +0.4 | – | – | – | |
| Peter Munro | P | Free agency | 2001 | 2 | +1.7 | +0.8 | – | 3.6% | 0.28% | |
| Felipe Paulino | P | Intl FA | 2001 | 1 | +1.6 | +1.6 | – | – | – | |
| Mike Magnante | P | Free agency | 1996 | 2 | +1.5 | +0.7 | – | 6.3% | 0.78% | |
| Brian Moehler | P | Free agency | 2003 | 4 | +1.5 | +0.4 | – | 0.0% | 0.00% | |
| Chris Burke | 2B/OF | Draft | 2001 | 2 | +1.4 | +0.7 | – | – | – | |
| Jay Powell | P | Trade | 1998 | 4 | +1.3 | +0.3 | -1.27 | 3.7% | 0.88% | |
| Ron Villone | P | Free agency | 2003 | 2 | +1.3 | +0.7 | – | 1.0% | 0.07% | |
| Carlos Hernández | P | Intl FA | 1997 | 2 | +1.2 | +0.6 | – | – | – | |
| Dan Miceli | P | Free agency | 2003 | 2 | +1.2 | +0.6 | – | 1.6% | 0.13% | |
| Russ Springer | P | Free agency | 1996 | 4 | +1.2 | +0.3 | – | 5.2% | 0.66% | |
| José Vizcaíno | 2B/SS | Free agency | 2000 | 2 | +1.2 | +0.6 | – | 4.8% | 0.37% | |
| Paul Bako | C | Trade | 1999 | 1 | +0.9 | +0.9 | +1.19 | 0.7% | 1.54% | |
| Chuck Carr | OF | Trade | 1997 | 1 | +0.9 | +0.9 | – | 5.4% | 0.69% | |
| Orlando Merced | 1B/OF | Free agency | 2000 | 2 | +0.8 | +0.4 | – | 0.6% | 0.04% | |
| Kirk Saarloos | P | Draft | 2001 | 2 | +0.8 | +0.4 | – | – | – | |
| Joe Slusarski | P | Free agency | 1998 | 2 | +0.8 | +0.4 | – | 0.0% | 0.02% | |
| Pedro Astacio | P | Trade | 2001 | 1 | +0.8 | +0.8 | -0.39 | 4.0% | 0.26% | |
| José Cabrera | P | Trade | 1997 | 4 | +0.7 | +0.2 | +0.30 | – | – | |
| Ramón García | P | Trade | 1997 | 1 | +0.7 | +0.7 | – | 4.1% | 0.53% | |
| Glen Barker | OF | Rule 5 | 1998 | 1 | +0.6 | +0.6 | – | – | – | |
| Roger Cedeño | OF | Trade | 1999 | 1 | +0.6 | +0.6 | +1.22 | 1.4% | 0.12% | |
| Dave Mlicki | P | Trade | 2001 | 1 | +0.6 | +0.6 | +0.00 | 2.0% | 0.15% | |
| Stan Javier | OF | Trade | 1999 | 1 | +0.6 | +0.6 | +0.00 | 0.5% | 1.08% | |
| Marc Valdes | P | Trade | 2000 | 1 | +0.5 | +0.5 | -0.74 | 1.1% | 0.10% | |
| Taylor Buchholz | P | Trade | 2003 | 1 | +0.4 | +0.4 | +5.23 | – | – | |
| Thomas Howard | OF | Free agency | 1996 | 1 | +0.4 | +0.4 | – | 2.5% | 0.32% | |
| Nelson Cruz | P | Trade | 2000 | 1 | +0.3 | +0.3 | -1.22 | 2.1% | 0.14% | |
| Jared Fernández | P | Free agency | 2002 | 1 | +0.3 | +0.3 | – | 2.7% | 0.21% | |
| Jack Howell | 3B | Free agency | 1997 | 2 | +0.3 | +0.2 | – | 0.2% | 0.05% | |
| Scott Linebrink | P | Trade | 2000 | 3 | +0.3 | +0.1 | +0.29 | – | – | |
| Orlando Palmeiro | OF | Free agency | 2004 | 1 | +0.3 | +0.3 | – | 5.6% | 0.37% | |
| Tom Gordon | P | Trade | 2002 | 1 | +0.3 | +0.3 | -2.12 | 0.8% | 0.06% | |
| Kirt Manwaring | C | Trade | 1996 | 1 | +0.3 | +0.3 | +0.00 | 0.8% | 0.06% | |
| Trever Miller | P | Trade | 1998 | 3 | +0.3 | +0.1 | – | 0.6% | 0.13% | |
| Darren Oliver | P | Trade | 2004 | 1 | +0.3 | +0.3 | – | 1.3% | 0.14% | |
| Josh Anderson | OF | Draft | 2003 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | – | – | – | |
| Sammy Gervacio | P | Intl FA | 2002 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | – | – | – | |
| Mark McLemore | P | Draft | 2002 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | – | – | – | |
| Fernando Nieve | P | Intl FA | 1999 | 2 | +0.2 | +0.1 | – | – | – | |
| Rodrigo Rosario | P | Intl FA | 1996 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | – | – | – | |
| Matt Albers | P | Draft | 2001 | 2 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – | – | – | |
| Tommy Greene | P | Free agency | 1997 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – | 0.4% | 0.05% | |
| J. C. Gutiérrez | P | Intl FA | 2000 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – | – | – | |
| Charlton Jimerson | OF | Draft | 2001 | 2 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – | – | – | |
| T. J. Mathews | P | Free agency | 2002 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – | 0.3% | 0.03% | |
| Edwin Maysonet | 2B/SS | Draft | 2003 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – | – | – | |
| C. J. Nitkowski | P | Trade | 1996 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | +0.59 | 0.6% | 0.13% | |
| Pete Schourek | P | Free agency | 1998 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – | 1.7% | 0.40% | |
| Mendy López | SS | Trade | 2001 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – | 0.6% | 0.04% | |
| Philip Barzilla | P | Draft | 2001 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | – | – | |
| Frank Charles | C | Trade | 2000 | – | -0.0 | – | – | – | – | |
| Travis Driskill | P | Free agency | 1999 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | 0.3% | 0.02% | |
| Sid Fernandez | P | Free agency | 1996 | – | -0.0 | – | – | – | – | |
| Héctor Giménez | C | Intl FA | 1999 | – | -0.0 | – | – | – | – | |
| Xavier Hernandez | P | Free agency | 1996 | 4 | -0.0 | -0.0 | – | 0.0% | 0.02% | |
| Jim Mann | P | Free agency | 2001 | 1 | -0.0 | -0.0 | – | 0.0% | 0.00% | |
| Dave Matranga | 2B | Draft | 1998 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | – | – | |
| Troy Patton | P | Draft | 2004 | – | -0.0 | – | – | – | – | |
| Colin Porter | OF | Draft | 1998 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | – | – | |
| Brandon Puffer | P | Trade | 2000 | 1 | -0.0 | -0.0 | – | – | – | |
| Mark Saccomanno | 1B | Draft | 2003 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | – | – | |
| Chris Tremie | C | Free agency | 2000 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | 0.0% | 0.00% | |
| Jeremy Griffiths | P | Trade | 2004 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | +1.13 | 0.2% | 0.02% | |
| Jason Alfaro | SS | Draft | 1997 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Nate Bland | P | Rule 5 | 2002 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Keith Ginter | 2B/3B | Draft | 1998 | 1 | -0.1 | -0.1 | – | – | – | |
| Kip Gross | P | Free agency | 2000 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Reggie Harris | P | Free agency | 1998 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Jeff McCurry | P | Free agency | 1999 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Blas Minor | P | Free agency | 1996 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Yorkis Pérez | P | Trade | 2000 | – | -0.1 | – | +0.00 | – | – | |
| Hipólito Pichardo | P | Free agency | 2002 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Luis Rivera | SS | Free agency | 1997 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Ryan Thompson | OF | Free agency | 1999 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Mike Burns | P | Draft | 2000 | – | -0.2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Tripp Cromer | SS | Free agency | 1999 | 1 | -0.2 | -0.2 | – | 0.3% | 0.02% | |
| Charlie Hayes | 3B | Free agency | 2001 | – | -0.2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Jonathan Johnson | P | Free agency | 2002 | – | -0.2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Randy Knorr | C | Free agency | 1996 | 2 | -0.2 | -0.1 | – | 0.1% | 0.01% | |
| Rusty Meacham | P | Free agency | 1999 | – | -0.2 | – | – | – | – | |
| Rick White | P | Trade | 2003 | 1 | -0.2 | -0.2 | – | 0.0% | 0.00% | |
| Kirk Bullinger | P | Free agency | 2001 | – | -0.3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Alex Diaz | OF | Free agency | 1999 | – | -0.3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Wayne Franklin | P | Rule 5 | 1998 | 1 | -0.3 | -0.3 | – | – | – | |
| Mike Maddux | P | Free agency | 2000 | – | -0.3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Todd Self | OF | Draft | 2000 | – | -0.3 | – | – | – | – | |
| Fernando Abad | P | Intl FA | 2002 | 1 | -0.4 | -0.4 | – | – | – | |
| Ricky Stone | P | Trade | 2001 | 2 | -0.4 | -0.2 | – | – | – | |
| Alan Zinter | 1B | Trade | 2002 | – | -0.4 | – | – | – | – | |
| Brandon Duckworth | P | Trade | 2003 | – | -0.5 | – | +5.23 | – | – | |
| Jason Hirsh | P | Draft | 2003 | – | -0.5 | – | – | – | – | |
| Bob Scanlan | P | Free agency | 1997 | – | -0.5 | – | – | – | – | |
| Kent Bottenfield | P | Free agency | 2001 | – | -0.6 | – | – | – | – | |
| Anthony Young | P | Free agency | 1996 | – | -0.6 | – | – | – | – | |
| Mike Jackson | P | Free agency | 2000 | – | -0.7 | – | – | – | – | |
| J. R. Phillips | 1B | Free agency | 1997 | – | -0.7 | – | – | – | – | |
| Ezequiel Astacio | P | Trade | 2003 | – | -0.8 | – | +5.23 | – | – | |
| J. R. Towles | C | Draft | 2004 | 2 | -0.8 | -0.4 | – | – | – | |
| Matt Mieske | OF | Trade | 1999 | 1 | -0.8 | -0.8 | – | 0.2% | 0.38% | |
| Dave Clark | OF | Free agency | 1997 | – | -0.9 | – | – | – | – | |
| Gregg Zaun | C | Free agency | 2001 | – | -0.9 | – | – | – | – | |
| Mike Gallo | P | Draft | 1999 | 2 | -1.0 | -0.5 | – | – | – | |
| Daryle Ward | 1B/OF | Trade | 1996 | 1 | -1.0 | -1.0 | +0.59 | – | – | |
| Brad Ausmus | C | Free agency | 2003 | 6 | -1.1 | -0.2 | – | 15.8% | 1.88% | |
| Doug Henry | P | Free agency | 1997 | – | -1.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Pat Listach | SS | Free agency | 1996 | – | -1.1 | – | – | – | – | |
| Tim Bogar | SS | Free agency | 1998 | 2 | -1.2 | -0.6 | – | 13.5% | 1.66% | |
| Raúl Chávez | C | Free agency | 2000 | 2 | -1.2 | -0.6 | – | – | – |
Trade-side columns: RFA is playoff-readiness percentage points added to the future roster foundation. It grades the franchise's entire side of a trade, so the same score repeats for every player acquired in that package. PPA/CPA remain player-level arrival-year probability points.
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.