Ken Harrelson
Born Sep 4, 1941 · Woodruff, SC · age 84
General manager for the White Sox (1986–1986).
Across the full 1-season sample, the measured profile stands out most for cost per win (95th percentile), and avoidance of negative WAR (80th percentile). The clearest contrast is roster depth (6th 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 1 stint. All figures are franchise-level outcomes during the tenure, not solely attributable to one executive.
0 pennants · 0 playoff appearances · 72–90 (0.444)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 White Sox |
GM | 1986 72–90 | $10 | 93 | -3 | -10.3 | 38% | +1 | +1 | +0 | +0 | $0.3M | 25.9 | 3.0 | -4.3 | +9.1 | -3.4 | -0.43 | -0.3 | +0.0 | 0.11 | 0.05 | -9.0 | -7.5 | 0.444 | ||||
| Career total (1985+ data) | $10 | 93 | -3 | -10.3 | 38% | +1 | +1 | +0 | +0 | $0.3M | 25.9 | 3.0 | -4.3 | +9.1 | -3.4 | -0.43 | -0.3 | +0.0 | – | 0.11 | 0.05 | -9.0 | -7.5 | 0.444 | – | – | – | ||
Roster Construction
Build channels — net fWAR
Acquired minus surrendered / signed minus walked.
Trades
Trades made — 9 deals credited to Ken Harrelson, best expected value first; surplus is realized value in $M
CHW · Ken Harrelson
+$88.8M
SEA · Dick Balderson
−$88.8M
PIT · Syd Thrift
+$184.0M
CHW · Ken Harrelson
−$184.0M
CHW · Ken Harrelson
+$9.6M
STL · Dal Maxvill
−$9.6M
OAK · Sandy Alderson
+$0.8M
CHW · Ken Harrelson
−$0.8M
MIN · Andy MacPhail
+$1.6M
CHW · Ken Harrelson
−$1.6M
MIL · Harry Dalton
+$4.0M
CHW · Ken Harrelson
−$4.0M
BOS · Lou Gorman
+$18.4M
CHW · Ken Harrelson
−$18.4M
CHW · Ken Harrelson
+$12.8M
NYY · Clyde King
−$12.8M
NYY · Clyde King
+$28.0M
CHW · Ken Harrelson
−$28.0M
Players acquired — 23 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)
| Player | Pos | Team | How | Year | Szns | fWAR | WAR/yr | RFA | PPA | CPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iván Calderón | OF | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 5 | +8.4 | +1.7 | – | 0.0% | 0.00% |
| Craig Grebeck | 2B/SS | CHW |
Intl FA | 1986 | 6 | +8.3 | +1.4 | – | – | – |
| José DeLeón | P | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 3 | +2.4 | +0.8 | – | 0.1% | 0.05% |
| Scott Radinsky | P | CHW |
Draft | 1986 | 4 | +2.4 | +0.6 | – | – | – |
| Neil Allen | P | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 2 | +1.8 | +0.9 | – | 0.2% | 0.08% |
| Joe Cowley | P | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 1 | +1.7 | +1.7 | – | 0.2% | 0.08% |
| Steve Lyons | 3B/OF | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 3 | +1.6 | +0.5 | – | 1.1% | 0.15% |
| Fred Manrique | 2B | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 3 | +1.5 | +0.5 | – | 1.2% | 0.16% |
| Ron Hassey | C | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 1 | +1.2 | +1.2 | – | 0.2% | 0.08% |
| Steve Carlton | P | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 1 | +1.0 | +1.0 | – | 0.1% | 0.04% |
| Dave Schmidt | P | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 1 | +0.9 | +0.9 | – | 0.1% | 0.04% |
| Bill Dawley | P | CHW |
Free agency | 1986 | 1 | +0.8 | +0.8 | – | 0.1% | 0.04% |
| Donnie Hill | 2B | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 1 | +0.6 | +0.6 | – | 0.9% | 0.12% |
| Bobby Bonilla | 3B/OF | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 1 | +0.6 | +0.6 | – | 0.1% | 0.03% |
| Wayne Tolleson | 2B/SS | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 1 | +0.6 | +0.6 | – | 0.1% | 0.03% |
| Bryan Clark | P | CHW |
Free agency | 1986 | 2 | +0.3 | +0.1 | – | 0.0% | 0.01% |
| Jack Perconte | 2B | CHW |
Free agency | 1986 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – | 0.0% | 0.01% |
| Bill Lindsey | C | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | – | – |
| Ray Searage | P | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 1 | -0.0 | -0.0 | – | 0.0% | 0.02% |
| Rod Craig | OF | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – |
| Pat Keedy | 3B | CHW |
Free agency | 1986 | – | -0.1 | – | – | – | – |
| Carlos Martínez | 1B/3B | CHW |
Trade | 1986 | 1 | -0.6 | -0.6 | – | – | – |
| Matt Merullo | C | CHW |
Draft | 1986 | – | -1.7 | – | – | – | – |
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.