Rosternomics
KT

Kevin Towers

Nov 11, 1961 (Medford, OR) – Jan 30, 2018 (San Diego, CA) · died at 56

The long-time San Diego Padres GM known as 'the Gunslinger' for shrewd, budget-conscious bullpen-building and trades, guiding the Padres to the 1998 National League pennant.

18 seasons with salary-era data across 2 stints. All figures are franchise-level outcomes during the tenure, not solely attributable to one executive.

Titles0
Pennants1
Playoffs5
Record1428–1489
Win %0.490
+6.7WAB — wins above budget53rd/195 execs
+3.9Talent above budget — roster-construction alpha (talent your budget bought above expectation)72nd/195 execs
0.84Acquisition leverage — playoff pts each bought win added, given the roster it joined (did you buy where wins matter?)105th/195 execs
-1.4WAR surplus (era-neutral, win-equiv)45th/195 execs
+22Roster surplus $M28th/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)+131.1
Trade+124.6
Free agency-74.1
Rule 5 / minor draft-7.5
Sourcing mix: 31% draft · 20% FA · 49% trade · 0% R5

Tenure breakdown

TeamRoleYearsSzns WAB WAB/yr TAB WAR surp HG Trade FA R5 AcqLev W-L% POPenWS Surp $M
Diamondbacks GM 2011–2014 4 +5.6 +1.41 +4.7 +9.0 +13.6 +24.2 +1.3 -0.2 1.27 0.494 1 +16
Padres GM 1996–2009 14 +1.1 +0.08 -0.8 -10.5 +117.5 +100.4 -75.4 -7.2 0.76 0.488 41 +6
Career total (1985+ data) 18 +6.7 +3.9 -1.4 +131.1 +124.6 -74.1 -7.5 0.84 0.490 51 +22

Players acquired — 314 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)

PlayerPosTeam How Year fWAR
Jake Peavy P SDP Draft 1999 +28.8
Chase Headley 3B SDP Draft 2005 +18.4
Phil Nevin 1B/3B SDP Trade 1999 +17.3
Ryan Klesko 1B/OF SDP Trade 1999 +16.6
David Peralta OF ARI Trade 2014 +14.5
Nick Ahmed SS ARI Trade 2013 +12.9
Mark Kotsay OF SDP Trade 2001 +12.3
Will Venable OF SDP Draft 2005 +12.3
Brian Giles OF SDP Free agency 2005 +12.1
Robbie Ray P ARI Trade 2014 +11.8
Adam Eaton P SDP Trade 1999 +11.6
Brian Lawrence P SDP Draft 1998 +11.2
Mark Loretta 2B SDP Free agency 2002 +11.0
Kevin Brown P SDP Trade 1997 +10.0
Khalil Greene SS SDP Draft 2002 +9.0
Heath Bell P SDP Trade 2006 +8.9
Jake Lamb 3B ARI Draft 2012 +8.2
Mat Latos P SDP Draft 2006 +8.1
Chris Denorfia OF SDP Free agency 2009 +7.4
Aaron Hill 2B ARI Trade 2011 +6.4
Mike Cameron OF SDP Trade 2005 +6.4
Greg Vaughn OF SDP Free agency 1996 +5.9
Luke Gregerson P SDP Trade 2009 +5.7
Dave Roberts OF SDP Trade 2004 +5.4
Sean Burroughs 3B SDP Draft 1998 +5.3
Ramón Hernández C SDP Trade 2003 +5.3
Trevor Hoffman P SDP Free agency 2005 +5.3
Zack Godley P ARI Trade 2014 +5.2
Archie Bradley P ARI Draft 2011 +5.0
Brian Giles OF SDP Trade 2003 +5.0
Sterling Hitchcock P SDP Trade 1996 +4.7
Everth Cabrera SS SDP Rule 5 2008 +4.5
Tony Gwynn OF SDP Trade 2009 +4.5
Mike Adams P SDP Trade 2006 +4.3
Tim Stauffer P SDP Draft 2003 +4.3
Damian Jackson 2B/SS SDP Trade 1999 +4.2
Andrew Chafin P ARI Draft 2011 +4.0
Greg Maddux P SDP Free agency 2006 +3.9
Cory Luebke P SDP Draft 2007 +3.7
Mike Darr OF SDP Trade 1997 +3.2
Kevin Correia P SDP Free agency 2008 +3.1
Clay Hensley P SDP Trade 2003 +3.1
Trevor Cahill P ARI Trade 2011 +3.0
Brian Tollberg P SDP Draft 2000 +3.0
David Wells P SDP Free agency 2004 +3.0
Jody Gerut OF SDP Free agency 2008 +2.9
Rubén Rivera OF SDP Trade 1997 +2.8
Bubba Trammell OF SDP Trade 2000 +2.7
Kyle Blanks 1B/OF SDP Draft 2004 +2.5
Eric Owens OF SDP Free agency 1998 +2.5
Nick Vincent P SDP Draft 2008 +2.5
Cla Meredith P SDP Trade 2006 +2.4
Akinori Otsuka P SDP Draft 2004 +2.4
Woody Williams P SDP Free agency 2004 +2.4
Brandon Drury 2B/3B ARI Trade 2013 +2.3
Josh Barfield 2B SDP Draft 2001 +2.3
Ron Gant OF SDP Free agency 2002 +2.3
Joe Thatcher P SDP Draft 2007 +2.3
David Eckstein SS SDP Free agency 2009 +2.2
Scott Hairston OF SDP Trade 2007 +2.2
Kevin Jarvis P SDP Free agency 2001 +2.0
Xavier Nady OF SDP Draft 2000 +2.0
Carlos Hernández C SDP Free agency 1996 +1.9
Mike Piazza C SDP Free agency 2006 +1.9
Brad Ziegler P ARI Trade 2011 +1.8
Dave Magadan 1B/3B SDP Free agency 1998 +1.8
Wade LeBlanc P SDP Draft 2006 +1.7
Jay Payton OF SDP Free agency 2004 +1.7
Daniel Hudson P ARI Free agency 2013 +1.6
Henry Blanco C SDP Free agency 2009 +1.6
Jason Kubel DH/OF ARI Free agency 2011 +1.5
Eric Chavez 3B ARI Free agency 2012 +1.4
Nick Hundley C SDP Draft 2005 +1.4
Dan Miceli P SDP Trade 1997 +1.4
Brett Tomko P SDP Trade 2001 +1.4
Brandon McCarthy P ARI Free agency 2012 +1.3
Justin Germano P SDP Draft 2000 +1.3
Damian Jackson 2B/SS SDP Free agency 2004 +1.3
John Vander Wal OF SDP Free agency 1998 +1.3
Logan Forsythe 2B SDP Draft 2008 +1.2
Miguel Ojeda C SDP Draft 2003 +1.2
Chan Ho Park P SDP Trade 2005 +1.2
Mark Sweeney 1B/OF SDP Free agency 2002 +1.2
Alan Embree P SDP Free agency 2001 +1.1
John Flaherty C SDP Trade 1996 +1.1
Bobby Jones P SDP Free agency 2001 +1.1
Cody Ross OF ARI Free agency 2012 +1.0
Geoff Blum 3B SDP Free agency 2004 +1.0
Ernesto Frieri P SDP Intl FA 2003 +1.0
Stan Spencer P SDP Trade 1998 +1.0
Willie Bloomquist SS/OF ARI Free agency 2011 +0.9
Anthony Bass P SDP Draft 2008 +0.8
José Cruz OF SDP Free agency 2006 +0.8
D'Angelo Jimenez 2B SDP Trade 2001 +0.8
Ben Johnson OF SDP Trade 2000 +0.8
Greg Myers C SDP Free agency 1997 +0.7
Brian Buchanan OF SDP Trade 2002 +0.6
Kevin Cameron P SDP Rule 5 2006 +0.6
Antonio Osuna P SDP Free agency 2004 +0.6
Craig Shipley 3B/SS SDP Free agency 1996 +0.6
Ryan Webb P SDP Trade 2009 +0.6
Bronson Arroyo P ARI Free agency 2014 +0.5
Rubby De La Rosa P ARI Trade 2014 +0.5
John McDonald SS ARI Free agency 2011 +0.5
Chris Jones OF SDP Free agency 1996 +0.5
Óliver Pérez P SDP Intl FA 1999 +0.5
Anthony Banda P ARI Trade 2014 +0.4
Wil Nieves C ARI Free agency 2012 +0.4
Jack Cassel P SDP Draft 2000 +0.4
Adam Russell P SDP Trade 2009 +0.4
Tony Campana OF ARI Trade 2013 +0.3
Nick Evans 1B/OF ARI Free agency 2013 +0.3
Óliver Pérez P ARI Free agency 2014 +0.3
James Sherfy P ARI Draft 2013 +0.3
Jon Adkins P SDP Free agency 2006 +0.3
Mark Bellhorn 2B/3B SDP Free agency 2005 +0.3
Luis Durango OF SDP Intl FA 2003 +0.3
Robert Fick 1B/OF SDP Free agency 2004 +0.3
Edgar Gonzalez 2B SDP Trade 2008 +0.3
Cesár Ramos P SDP Draft 2005 +0.3
Eric Young 2B SDP Free agency 2004 +0.3
Steve Hathaway P ARI Draft 2013 +0.2
Domingo Leyba 2B/3B ARI Trade 2014 +0.2
Zeke Spruill P ARI Trade 2013 +0.2
Chip Ambres OF SDP Free agency 2007 +0.2
Brian Boehringer P SDP Trade 1997 +0.2
Buddy Carlyle P SDP Trade 1998 +0.2
Dave Hansen 1B/3B SDP Free agency 2002 +0.2
Jonathan Johnson P SDP Free agency 2002 +0.2
Charles Nagy P SDP Free agency 2002 +0.2
Kevin Nicholson SS SDP Draft 1997 +0.2
Chad Reineke P SDP Trade 2008 +0.2
Mitch Haniger OF ARI Trade 2014 +0.1
Evan Marshall P ARI Draft 2011 +0.1
Jamie Romak 1B/OF ARI Free agency 2014 +0.1
Ryan Rowland-Smith P ARI Free agency 2013 +0.1
Andy Ashby P SDP Free agency 2004 +0.1
Will Cunnane P SDP Rule 5 1996 +0.1
Roger Deago P SDP Intl FA 2002 +0.1
Shawn Estes P SDP Free agency 2006 +0.1
Shawn Hill P SDP Free agency 2009 +0.1
Paul McAnulty OF SDP Draft 2002 +0.1
Blaine Neal P SDP Trade 2004 +0.1
Al Osuna P SDP Free agency 1996 +0.1
Andy Parrino SS SDP Draft 2007 +0.1
Jason Pearson P SDP Rule 5 2000 +0.1
Carlos Reyes P SDP Free agency 1997 +0.1
Evan Scribner P SDP Trade 2008 +0.1
Andy Sheets SS SDP Trade 1997 +0.1
Craig Stansberry 2B SDP Trade 2006 +0.1
Alberto Castillo P ARI Free agency 2011 -0.0
Joey Krehbiel P ARI Trade 2014 -0.0
Joe Martinez P ARI Free agency 2011 +0.0
Bo Schultz P ARI Trade 2014 -0.0
Bobby Wilson C ARI Free agency 2013 -0.0
Clay Condrey P SDP Intl FA 1998 -0.0
Jack Cust DH/OF SDP Free agency 2005 +0.0
Éric Cyr P SDP Draft 1998 -0.0
Kory DeHaan OF SDP Rule 5 1999 -0.0
Matt DeWitt P SDP Free agency 2001 -0.0
Marcus Giles 2B SDP Free agency 2006 +0.0
Tayron Guerrero P SDP Intl FA 2009 -0.0
Freddy Guzmán OF SDP Intl FA 2000 +0.0
Dirk Hayhurst P SDP Draft 2003 +0.0
Jon Knott DH/OF SDP Intl FA 2001 -0.0
Mark Langston P SDP Free agency 1998 +0.0
Justin Leone 3B SDP Free agency 2006 -0.0
Carlton Loewer P SDP Free agency 2002 +0.0
David Lundquist P SDP Free agency 2001 +0.0
Chuck McElroy P SDP Free agency 2001 -0.0
Paul Menhart P SDP Trade 1997 +0.0
Rodney Myers P SDP Free agency 2002 -0.0
Jimmy Osting P SDP Trade 2001 +0.0
Alex Pelaez 1B/2B/3B SDP Draft 1998 -0.0
Aaron Rakers P SDP Free agency 2007 +0.0
Scott Sanders P SDP Trade 1998 -0.0
Jason Shiell P SDP Trade 1999 -0.0
Todd Steverson OF SDP Trade 1996 -0.0
Chris Stewart C SDP Free agency 2009 -0.0
Brian Sweeney P SDP Free agency 2005 -0.0
Dennis Tankersley P SDP Trade 2000 -0.0
Jay Witasick P SDP Trade 2000 -0.0
Jonathan Albaladejo P ARI Free agency 2011 -0.1
Jake Barrett P ARI Draft 2012 -0.1
Trevor Bauer P ARI Draft 2011 -0.1
Heath Bell P ARI Trade 2012 -0.1
Yhency Brazobán P ARI Free agency 2011 -0.1
Tyler Graham OF ARI Trade 2012 -0.1
Brett Jackson OF ARI Trade 2014 -0.1
Mike Jacobs 1B ARI Free agency 2012 -0.1
Andy Marte 1B/3B ARI Free agency 2013 -0.1
Michael Barrett C SDP Trade 2007 -0.1
Gary Bennett C SDP Free agency 2002 -0.1
Jim Bruske P SDP Free agency 1996 -0.1
Greg Burke P SDP Intl FA 2006 -0.1
Terry Burrows P SDP Free agency 1996 -0.1
Scott Cassidy P SDP Trade 2005 -0.1
Brian Falkenborg P SDP Free agency 2004 -0.1
Jesse Garcia 2B/SS SDP Free agency 2004 -0.1
Carlos Guevara P SDP Trade 2007 -0.1
Cedric Hunter OF SDP Draft 2006 -0.1
Brett Jodie P SDP Trade 2001 -0.1
Sean Kazmar SS SDP Draft 2004 -0.1
José Lobatón C SDP Intl FA 2002 -0.1
Rodrigo López P SDP Draft 2000 -0.1
Drew Macias OF SDP Draft 2002 -0.1
Dave Maurer P SDP Draft 1997 -0.1
Marty McLeary P SDP Trade 2004 -0.1
Colt Morton C SDP Draft 2003 -0.1
Chris Oxspring P SDP Draft 2005 -0.1
Humberto Quintero C SDP Trade 2002 -0.1
Roberto Rivera P SDP Free agency 1998 -0.1
Walter Silva P SDP Draft 2009 -0.1
Alí Solís C SDP Intl FA 2005 -0.1
Joe Vitiello 1B/DH SDP Free agency 1999 -0.1
Matt Whisenant P SDP Free agency 1999 -0.1
Rick Wilkins C SDP Free agency 2001 -0.1
George Williams C SDP Free agency 1999 -0.1
Kevin Witt 1B/DH SDP Free agency 2000 -0.1
Lance Zawadzki 2B/SS SDP Draft 2007 -0.1
Silvino Bracho P ARI Intl FA 2011 -0.2
Óscar Hernández C ARI Rule 5 2014 -0.2
Keith Hessler P ARI Intl FA 2011 -0.2
Eric Hinske 3B/OF ARI Free agency 2012 -0.2
Cody Ransom 3B/SS ARI Free agency 2011 -0.2
Addison Reed P ARI Trade 2013 -0.2
Chaz Roe P ARI Trade 2013 -0.2
A. J. Schugel P ARI Trade 2013 -0.2
Mike Zagurski P ARI Trade 2011 -0.2
Alex Arias 3B/SS SDP Free agency 2000 -0.2
Kevin Barker 1B SDP Trade 2002 -0.2
Mike Baxter OF SDP Draft 2005 -0.2
Luke Carlin C SDP Trade 2008 -0.2
Cliff Floyd OF SDP Free agency 2009 -0.2
Carlos García 2B SDP Free agency 1998 -0.2
Sterling Hitchcock P SDP Free agency 2003 -0.2
Trenidad Hubbard OF SDP Free agency 2002 -0.2
David Lee P SDP Trade 2001 -0.2
Arturo López P SDP Rule 5 2004 -0.2
Brian Myrow 1B SDP Free agency 2006 -0.2
Kevin Pickford P SDP Trade 2002 -0.2
Brandon Puffer P SDP Free agency 2004 -0.2
Dennys Reyes P SDP Free agency 2004 -0.2
Adam Riggs 2B/OF SDP Free agency 2000 -0.2
Mike Thompson P SDP Draft 1999 -0.2
Shane Victorino OF SDP Rule 5 2002 -0.2
Brandon Villafuerte P SDP Free agency 2001 -0.2
Steve Watkins P SDP Draft 1998 -0.2
Matt Whiteside P SDP Free agency 1998 -0.2
Jay Witasick P SDP Free agency 2002 -0.2
Kevin Cron 1B/DH ARI Draft 2014 -0.3
Jordan Pacheco 1B/3B ARI Free agency 2014 -0.3
Xavier Paul OF ARI Free agency 2014 -0.3
Matt Reynolds P ARI Trade 2012 -0.3
Takashi Saito P ARI Free agency 2011 -0.3
Tony Sipp P ARI Trade 2012 -0.3
Rod Beck P SDP Free agency 2003 -0.3
Chris Burke 2B/OF SDP Free agency 2009 -0.3
Cody Decker 1B SDP Draft 2009 -0.3
Jaff Decker OF SDP Draft 2008 -0.3
Jeremy Fikac P SDP Draft 1998 -0.3
Chris Hammond P SDP Free agency 2005 -0.3
Colt Hynes P SDP Draft 2007 -0.3
Edwin Moreno P SDP Trade 2009 -0.3
Eddie Oropesa P SDP Free agency 2004 -0.3
Óscar Robles 3B/SS SDP Free agency 2007 -0.3
Mandy Romero C SDP Trade 1997 -0.3
Terry Shumpert 2B SDP Free agency 1996 -0.3
J. J. Trujillo P SDP Draft 2002 -0.3
Zac Curtis P ARI Draft 2014 -0.4
Aaron Heilman P ARI Free agency 2011 -0.4
Matt Antonelli 2B SDP Draft 2006 -0.4
Trey Beamon OF SDP Trade 1997 -0.4
Javier Cardona C SDP Trade 2002 -0.4
Callix Crabbe 2B/SS/OF SDP Rule 5 2007 -0.4
Mike Ekstrom P SDP Draft 2004 -0.4
Junior Herndon P SDP Draft 1997 -0.4
Randy Keisler P SDP Free agency 2003 -0.4
Luis Martinez C SDP Draft 2007 -0.4
Miles Mikolas P SDP Draft 2009 -0.4
Steve Montgomery P SDP Trade 1999 -0.4
Roberto Ramírez P SDP Draft 1998 -0.4
Don Slaught C SDP Free agency 1996 -0.4
Jason Szuminski P SDP Trade 2003 -0.4
Josh Bell 3B ARI Trade 2012 -0.5
Manny Alexander 2B/SS SDP Free agency 2005 -0.5
Brad Brach P SDP Draft 2008 -0.5
Deivi Cruz SS SDP Free agency 2002 -0.5
James Darnell 3B/OF SDP Draft 2008 -0.5
Josh Geer P SDP Draft 2005 -0.5
Chris Gwynn OF SDP Free agency 1996 -0.5
Jason Middlebrook P SDP Draft 1996 -0.5
Mike Rivera C SDP Trade 2002 -0.5
John Roskos 1B/OF SDP Free agency 1999 -0.5
Peter O'Brien 1B/OF ARI Trade 2014 -0.6
Matt Stites P ARI Trade 2013 -0.6
Jason Boyd P SDP Free agency 2001 -0.6
Cesar Carrillo P SDP Draft 2005 -0.6
Rymer Liriano OF SDP Intl FA 2007 -0.6
David Newhan OF SDP Trade 1997 -0.6
Duaner Sánchez P SDP Free agency 2009 -0.6
Blake Tekotte OF SDP Draft 2008 -0.6
Eliézer Alfonzo C SDP Free agency 2008 -0.7
Julius Matos 2B/3B SDP Rule 5 1999 -0.7
Luis Perdomo P SDP Trade 2009 -0.7
Braden Shipley P ARI Draft 2013 -0.8
César Crespo 2B/OF SDP Trade 2001 -0.8
Allen Webster P ARI Trade 2014 -1.0
Mike Bynum P SDP Draft 1999 -1.0
Chris Gomez SS SDP Trade 1996 -1.0
Ben Howard P SDP Draft 1997 -1.0
Tuffy Gosewisch C ARI Trade 2013 -1.2
Donaldo Méndez SS SDP Rule 5 2000 -1.3
Yasmany Tomás OF ARI Intl FA 2014 -2.0

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.