Joe Brown
General manager for the Pirates (1957–1985).
Across the full 1-season sample, the measured profile stands out most for cost per win (94th percentile). The clearest contrast is roster depth (4th percentile): the measured rosters have produced fewer two-win regulars than most peers. Because the sample covers fewer than five seasons, those comparisons are descriptive rather than stable.
1 seasons with salary-era data across 2 stints. All figures are franchise-level outcomes during the tenure, not solely attributable to one executive.
0 pennants · 0 playoff appearances · 57–104 (0.354)
Overview
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pirates |
GM | 1985 57–104 | $10 | 99 | -4 | -16.1 | 32% | -0 | +0 | -0 | -0 | $0.3M | 23.8 | 3.0 | -5.1 | +62.3 | +6.6 | +1.65 | +0.0 | -11.1 | 0.22 | 0.07 | -24.4 | -10.2 | 0.354 | ||||
| Career total (1985+ data) | $10 | 99 | -4 | -16.1 | 32% | -0 | +0 | -0 | -0 | $0.3M | 23.8 | 3.0 | -5.1 | +70.6 | -7.9 | -0.11 | +0.4 | -11.1 | – | 0.22 | 0.07 | -24.4 | -10.2 | 0.354 | – | – | – | ||
Roster Construction
Build channels — net fWAR
Acquired minus surrendered / signed minus walked.
Trades
Trades made — 5 deals credited to Joe Brown, best expected value first; surplus is realized value in $M
PIT · Joe Brown
+$30.4M
ANA · Mike Port
−$30.4M
PIT · Joe Brown
+$93.6M
LAD · Al Campanis
−$93.6M
PIT · Joe Brown
+$4.8M
PHI · Bill Giles
−$4.8M
PIT · Joe Brown
+$24.8M
PHI · Bill Giles
−$24.8M
CLE · Phil Seghi
+$12.0M
PIT · Joe Brown
−$12.0M
Players acquired — 18 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)
| Player | Pos | Team | How | Year | Szns | fWAR | WAR/yr | RFA | PPA | CPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry Bonds | OF | PIT |
Draft | 1985 | 7 | +48.4 | +6.9 | – | – | – |
| Orlando Merced | 1B/OF | PIT |
Intl FA | 1985 | 6 | +13.7 | +2.3 | – | – | – |
| Sid Bream | 1B | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | 5 | +10.3 | +2.1 | – | – | – |
| Bob Walk | P | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | 9 | +10.1 | +1.1 | – | – | – |
| Tony Peña | C | PIT |
Intl FA | 1975 | 2 | +6.5 | +3.2 | – | – | – |
| R. J. Reynolds | OF | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | 6 | +4.4 | +0.7 | – | 0.3% | 0.08% |
| Don Robinson | P | PIT |
Draft | 1975 | 3 | +1.9 | +0.6 | – | – | – |
| Mike Diaz | 1B/OF | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | 2 | +1.9 | +1.0 | – | – | – |
| Bill Almon | SS | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | 2 | +1.6 | +0.8 | – | – | – |
| Sixto Lezcano | OF | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | 1 | +0.4 | +0.4 | – | – | – |
| Pat Clements | P | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | 2 | +0.3 | +0.1 | – | 0.0% | 0.01% |
| Brett Gideon | P | PIT |
Draft | 1985 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | – | – | – |
| Al Holland | P | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | – | – | – |
| John Candelaria | P | PIT |
Draft | 1972 | 2 | -0.0 | -0.0 | – | – | – |
| Tommy Gregg | 1B/OF | PIT |
Draft | 1985 | – | -0.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Scott Loucks | OF | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | – | – |
| Jerry Dybzinski | SS | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – |
| Bob Kipper | P | PIT |
Trade | 1985 | 3 | -0.3 | -0.1 | – | – | – |
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.