RRosternomics
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LH

Larry Himes

Born Oct 7, 1940 · age 85

General manager for the White Sox and Cubs (1987–1994).

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

Overview

Titles0
Pennants0
Playoffs0
Record522–561
Win %0.482
-1.6GM WAR — wins above a replacement GM (org-adjusted, shrunk; per season) ±5.2117th/195 execs
5.6Depth — 2+ WAR regulars per season (the breadth that drives TAB, not stars)127th/195 execs
-5.1Dead WAR — WAR/yr bled by sub-replacement players (closer to 0 = better)98th/195 execs
36%Dead money — payroll on <0.5-WAR players (lower = better)109th/195 execs
$5MCheap-talent surplus — $/yr of value from cost-controlled (pre-arb/arb) players above their pay; the selection engine, and the stickiest GM skill we track138th/195 execs
$2MDrafted surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own draftees (the develop-from-the-draft engine)145th/195 execs
$2MTraded-for surplus — cheap-talent surplus from cost-controlled players he acquired via trade96th/195 execs
$-0MInt'l surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own international signees161st/195 execs
-24.8TAB — talent above budget — roster-construction alpha (talent your budget bought above expectation), tenure total151st/195 execs
-8.3WAB — realized wins (TAB + the non-repeatable luck of converting talent to wins)108th/195 execs
1.09Acquisition Leverage — playoff pts per acquired WAR, graded once in the year each deal's wins arrive (the repeatable decision skill)123rd/195 execs
-25Roster surplus $M84th/195 execs

Tenure breakdown

TeamRoleYearsSzns WAB WAB/yr TAB WAR surp HG Trade FA R5 AcqLev W-L% POPenWS Surp $M
▸ Cubs GM 1992–1994 3 -13.9 -4.65 -13.5 -29.2 +5.0 +74.0 -96.3 -0.3 1.68 0.483 ––– -28
▸ White Sox GM 1987–1990 4 +5.6 +1.40 -11.2 +3.3 +180.8 +25.7 -9.0 -0.4 0.44 0.481 ––– +3
Career total (1985+ data) 7 -8.3 -24.8 -25.9 +185.8 +99.7 -105.3 -0.7 1.09 0.482 –– – -25

Roster Construction

How the roster was sourced

by valueby volume

Share of acquired fWAR by channel vs. league average.

Build channels — net fWAR

Acquired minus surrendered / signed minus walked.

Home-grown (draft/intl)+185.8
Trade+99.7
Free agency-105.3
Rule 5 / minor draft-0.7
Sourcing mix: 58% draft · 3% FA · 40% trade · 0% R5

Roster value distribution — career average — depth vs. stars

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR, averaged across Larry Himes's seasons. Bars = his rosters; the black line = the league-average player at each slot. Staying above the line deep into the roster is the depth edge.

Players acquired — 106 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)

PlayerPosTeam How Year Szns fWAR WAR/yr Lev
Frank Thomas 1B/DH CHW Draft 1989 15 +68.1 +4.5 –
Sammy Sosa OF CHC Trade 1992 13 +60.7 +4.7 0.7
Robin Ventura 3B CHW Draft 1988 10 +39.2 +3.9 –
Jack McDowell P CHW Draft 1987 7 +25.1 +3.6 –
Alex Fernandez P CHW Draft 1990 7 +21.6 +3.1 –
Lance Johnson OF CHW Trade 1988 7 +17.3 +2.5 0.1
Ray Durham 2B CHW Draft 1990 7 +11.9 +1.7 –
James Baldwin P CHW Draft 1990 6 +9.3 +1.5 –
Roberto Hernández P CHW Trade 1989 7 +8.6 +1.2 –
Tim Raines OF CHW Trade 1990 5 +8.2 +1.6 15.5
Greg Hibbard P CHW Trade 1987 4 +8.0 +2.0 –
Melido Perez P CHW Trade 1988 4 +7.7 +1.9 0.0
Dan Pasqua OF CHW Trade 1987 6 +5.7 +0.9 0.1
Mike Morgan P CHC Trade 1992 4 +5.3 +1.3 2.5
José Hernández 3B/SS CHC Trade 1993 5 +4.2 +0.8 1.4
Jason Bere P CHW Draft 1990 3 +3.8 +1.3 –
Dave LaPoint P CHW Trade 1987 2 +3.8 +1.9 1.1
Steve Buechele 3B CHC Trade 1992 2 +3.6 +1.8 0.4
Gary Redus OF CHW Trade 1987 2 +3.5 +1.7 2.2
Kevin Foster P CHC Trade 1994 4 +3.4 +0.8 0.3
Eric King P CHW Trade 1989 2 +3.2 +1.6 0.1
Randy Myers P CHC Free agency 1992 3 +2.7 +0.9 5.4
Glenallen Hill OF CHC Trade 1993 4 +2.5 +0.6 4.7
Kevin Orie 3B CHC Draft 1993 2 +2.5 +1.3 –
Jerry Reuss P CHW Free agency 1988 2 +2.3 +1.1 0.1
Brant Brown OF CHC Draft 1992 2 +2.0 +1.0 –
Kyle Farnsworth P CHC Draft 1994 3 +2.0 +0.7 –
José Guzmán P CHC Free agency 1992 2 +2.0 +1.0 5.9
Greg Hibbard P CHC Trade 1992 1 +1.9 +1.9 5.7
Charlie Hough P CHW Free agency 1990 2 +1.7 +0.8 4.8
José Vizcaíno 2B/SS CHC Trade 1993 1 +1.5 +1.5 5.4
Fred Manrique 2B CHW Trade 1987 3 +1.5 +0.5 1.2
Dave Gallagher OF CHW Free agency 1987 1 +1.3 +1.3 0.1
Barry Jones P CHW Trade 1988 2 +1.2 +0.6 0.0
Brian Keyser P CHW Draft 1989 2 +1.2 +0.6 –
Anthony Young P CHC Trade 1994 1 +1.0 +1.0 0.3
José Bautista P CHC Free agency 1992 1 +0.9 +0.9 2.8
Sammy Sosa OF CHW Trade 1989 2 +0.9 +0.5 1.6
Steve Lyons 3B/OF CHW Trade 1987 3 +0.9 +0.3 1.1
Shawn Hillegas P CHW Trade 1988 3 +0.8 +0.3 0.0
Mark Parent C CHC Free agency 1993 2 +0.7 +0.4 0.2
Eddie Zambrano OF CHC Trade 1993 1 +0.7 +0.7 –
Eddie Williams 1B/3B CHW Trade 1989 1 +0.7 +0.7 0.0
Willie Banks P CHC Trade 1994 1 +0.6 +0.6 0.3
Donnie Hill 2B CHW Trade 1987 1 +0.6 +0.6 1.0
Jerry Kutzler P CHW Draft 1987 1 +0.5 +0.5 –
Ricky Horton P CHW Trade 1988 1 +0.5 +0.5 0.0
Joe Kmak C CHC Free agency 1994 1 +0.4 +0.4 0.5
Karl Rhodes OF CHC Trade 1993 2 +0.4 +0.2 1.6
Kelly Paris 3B CHW Free agency 1987 1 +0.3 +0.3 0.0
Steve Rosenberg P CHW Trade 1987 1 +0.3 +0.3 –
Mark Salas C CHW Trade 1987 1 +0.3 +0.3 0.0
Jerry Royster 2B/3B CHW Trade 1987 1 +0.3 +0.3 0.3
Rod Bolton P CHW Draft 1990 1 +0.2 +0.2 –
Danny Jackson P CHC Trade 1992 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.8
Mike Maksudian 1B CHC Free agency 1993 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.0
Jason Maxwell 2B/3B CHC Draft 1993 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Dan Plesac P CHC Free agency 1992 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.1
Robert Machado C CHW Intl FA 1989 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Richie Barker P CHC Draft 1994 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
William Brennan P CHC Free agency 1992 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.1
Doug Jennings OF CHC Free agency 1993 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
José Molina C CHC Draft 1993 – -0.0 – –
Steve Rain P CHC Draft 1993 1 -0.0 -0.0 –
Dennis Rasmussen P CHC Free agency 1992 – -0.0 – –
Mike Walker P CHC Free agency 1993 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
Luis Andújar P CHW Intl FA 1990 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
Jeff Carter P CHW Trade 1990 – -0.0 – –
Olmedo Sáenz 1B/3B CHW Intl FA 1990 – -0.0 – –
Larry Casian P CHC Free agency 1994 1 -0.1 -0.1 0.0
Chuck Crim P CHC Free agency 1994 – -0.1 – –
Blaise Ilsley P CHC Trade 1994 – -0.1 – –
Brooks Kieschnick P/OF CHC Draft 1993 1 -0.1 -0.1 –
Kennie Steenstra P CHC Draft 1992 – -0.1 – –
Eric Yelding SS/OF CHC Free agency 1993 – -0.1 – –
Julio Zuleta 1B CHC Intl FA 1992 1 -0.1 -0.1 –
Brian Drahman P CHW Trade 1989 2 -0.1 -0.0 –
Ramón García P CHW Intl FA 1987 – -0.1 – –
Ravelo Manzanillo P CHW Trade 1988 – -0.1 – –
Rodney McCray DH/OF CHW Rule 5 1987 – -0.1 – –
Matt Stark C/DH CHW Free agency 1990 – -0.1 – –
Jerry Willard C CHW Free agency 1989 – -0.1 – –
Jeff Kunkel SS CHC Trade 1992 – -0.2 – –
Dave Otto P CHC Free agency 1994 – -0.2 – –
Jeff Robinson P CHC Free agency 1992 – -0.2 – –
Tommy Shields 2B/3B CHC Free agency 1992 – -0.2 – –
Willie Wilson OF CHC Free agency 1992 – -0.2 – –
Jeff Schaefer 3B/SS CHW Trade 1989 – -0.2 – –
Bo Porter OF CHC Draft 1993 – -0.3 – –
Tanyon Sturtze P CHC Rule 5 1994 – -0.3 – –
Ralph Citarella P CHW Trade 1987 – -0.3 – –
Tom McCarthy P CHW Trade 1988 1 -0.3 -0.3 0.0
Randy Veres P CHC Free agency 1993 – -0.4 – –
José Segura P CHW Trade 1988 – -0.4 – –
Sap Randall 1B/DH/OF CHW Trade 1988 – -0.5 – –
Billy Jo Robidoux 1B CHW Free agency 1988 – -0.5 – –
Carl Willis P CHW Trade 1988 – -0.5 – –
Mike Woodard 2B CHW Free agency 1987 – -0.5 – –
Todd Haney 2B CHC Free agency 1993 1 -0.7 -0.7 0.9
Jeff Bittiger P CHW Free agency 1988 – -0.8 – –
John Davis P CHW Trade 1987 – -0.9 – –
Mike Hubbard C CHC Draft 1992 – -1.1 – –
Ken Patterson P CHC Trade 1992 – -1.1 – –
Jim Winn P CHW Trade 1987 – -1.1 – –
Dave Smith P CHC Trade 1992 1 -1.1 -1.1 0.1
Ken Patterson P CHW Trade 1987 1 -1.3 -1.3 –

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.

Graphs

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Rosternomics — quantifying front-office skill, attribution-clean. Follow @rosternomics on X. Decision-makers on record back to 1933; resource-controlled metrics (WAR & payroll) cover 1985–2026.
Data: FanGraphs (WAR), Baseball-Reference & the Chadwick Bureau register (rosters, IDs), the Lahman Database, Baseball America prospect rankings (via The Baseball Cube), and public payroll records. Transaction and trade data was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Executive birth/death data via Wikidata (CC0); bios are original. Emoji graphics by OpenMoji (CC BY-SA 4.0).
All figures are franchise-level outcomes credited to the decision-maker in the acquisition year — not solely attributable to one executive.