Rosternomics
JW

Jerry Walker

Feb 12, 1939 (Ada, OK) – Jul 14, 2024 (Ada, OK) · died at 85

General manager for the Tigers (1992–1994).

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

Titles0
Pennants0
Playoffs0
Record213–226
Win %0.485
-12.4WAB — wins above budget125th/195 execs
-13.3Talent above budget — roster-construction alpha (talent your budget bought above expectation)128th/195 execs
0.69Acquisition leverage — playoff pts each bought win added, given the roster it joined (did you buy where wins matter?)124th/195 execs
-28.4WAR surplus (era-neutral, win-equiv)95th/195 execs
-29Roster surplus $M85th/195 execs

How the roster was sourced

Share of gross-positive acquired fWAR by channel (vs. league average).

Build channels — net fWAR

Acquired minus surrendered / signed minus walked.

Home-grown (draft/intl)+29.6
Trade-6.5
Free agency-112.0
Rule 5 / minor draft+0.0
Sourcing mix: 70% draft · 30% FA · 0% trade · 0% R5

Tenure breakdown

TeamRoleYearsSzns WAB WAB/yr TAB WAR surp HG Trade FA R5 AcqLev W-L% POPenWS Surp $M
Tigers GM 1992–1994 3 -12.4 -4.14 -13.3 -28.4 +29.6 -6.5 -112.0 +0.0 0.69 0.485 -29
Career total (1985+ data) 3 -12.4 -13.3 -28.4 +29.6 -6.5 -112.0 +0.0 0.69 0.485 -29

Players acquired — 35 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)

PlayerPosTeam How Year fWAR
Bobby Higginson OF DET Draft 1992 +17.8
Brian Moehler P DET Draft 1993 +12.0
David Wells P DET Free agency 1993 +5.3
Chad Kreuter C DET Free agency 1992 +4.8
Juan Encarnación OF DET Intl FA 1992 +2.7
Tom Bolton P DET Free agency 1992 +1.4
Bill Krueger P DET Free agency 1992 +1.4
Tim Belcher P DET Free agency 1994 +1.2
Junior Félix OF DET Free agency 1994 +1.1
Juan Samuel 2B DET Free agency 1994 +1.1
Frank Catalanotto OF DET Draft 1992 +0.6
Ron Tingley C DET Free agency 1994 +0.4
Storm Davis P DET Free agency 1993 +0.3
Mark Grater P DET Free agency 1992 +0.1
Pat Ahearne P DET Draft 1992 -0.0
Javier Cardona C DET Draft 1994 +0.0
Francisco Cordero P DET Intl FA 1994 -0.0
Eddie Gaillard P DET Draft 1993 +0.0
Mike Moore P DET Free agency 1992 -0.0
Willis Roberts P DET Intl FA 1992 -0.0
Sean Whiteside P DET Draft 1992 -0.1
Luis Garcia SS DET Intl FA 1993 -0.2
Franklin Stubbs 1B/OF DET Free agency 1994 -0.2
Mike Christopher P DET Free agency 1994 -0.3
Dave Johnson P DET Free agency 1992 -0.3
Bubba Trammell OF DET Draft 1994 -0.3
Eric Davis OF DET Trade 1993 -0.4
Mike Gardiner P DET Free agency 1993 -0.4
Joe Boever P DET Free agency 1993 -0.5
John Flaherty C DET Trade 1994 -0.5
Brian Maxcy P DET Draft 1992 -0.6
Les Lancaster P DET Free agency 1992 -1.1
Mark Carreon 1B/OF DET Trade 1992 -1.2
Derrick White 1B DET Free agency 1994 -1.3
Chris Gomez SS DET Draft 1992 -2.3

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.