Feb 18, 1929 (Providence, RI) – Apr 1, 2011 (Boston, MA) · died at 82
General manager for the Mariners and Red Sox (1976–1994).
10 seasons with salary-era data across 2 stints. All figures are franchise-level outcomes during the tenure, not solely attributable to one executive.
| Team | Role | Years | Szns | WAB | WAB/yr | TAB | WAR surp | HG | Trade | FA | R5 | AcqLev | W-L% | PO | Pen | WS | Surp $M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▸ Red Sox | GM | 1985–1994 | 10 | -20.4 | -2.04 | +9.5 | -99.4 | +159.0 | -143.7 | -34.0 | +2.1 | 3.62 | 0.512 | 3 | 1 | – | -69 |
| ▸ Mariners | GM | 1976–1980 | 0 | +0.0 | – | +0.0 | +0.0 | +38.1 | -1.4 | -0.1 | +0.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Career total (1985+ data) | 10 | -20.4 | +9.5 | -99.4 | +197.1 | -145.1 | -34.1 | +2.1 | 3.62 | 0.512 | 3 | 1 | – | -69 | |||
Acquired minus surrendered / signed minus walked.
Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR, averaged across Lou Gorman'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.
| Player | Pos | Team | How | Year | Szns | fWAR | WAR/yr | Lev |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomar Garciaparra | SS | BOS | Draft | 1994 | 9 | +38.5 | +4.3 | – |
| John Valentin | 3B/SS | BOS | Draft | 1988 | 9 | +31.2 | +3.5 | – |
| Mo Vaughn | 1B | BOS | Draft | 1989 | 7 | +27.6 | +3.9 | – |
| Trot Nixon | OF | BOS | Draft | 1993 | 8 | +23.2 | +2.9 | – |
| Harold Reynolds | 2B | SEA | Draft | 1980 | 6 | +12.4 | +2.1 | – |
| Tim Naehring | 3B | BOS | Draft | 1988 | 7 | +11.8 | +1.7 | – |
| Dave Valle | C | SEA | Draft | 1978 | 8 | +10.5 | +1.3 | – |
| Aaron Sele | P | BOS | Draft | 1991 | 5 | +9.5 | +1.9 | – |
| Mike Boddicker | P | BOS | Trade | 1988 | 3 | +9.0 | +3.0 | 7.7 |
| Matt Young | P | SEA | Draft | 1980 | 3 | +8.9 | +3.0 | – |
| Greg Harris | P | BOS | Free agency | 1990 | 5 | +6.8 | +1.4 | 1.7 |
| Scott Cooper | 3B | BOS | Draft | 1986 | 4 | +6.7 | +1.7 | – |
| Frank Viola | P | BOS | Free agency | 1992 | 3 | +6.7 | +2.2 | 0.4 |
| Danny Darwin | P | BOS | Free agency | 1990 | 3 | +6.6 | +2.2 | 0.4 |
| Joe Hesketh | P | BOS | Free agency | 1990 | 5 | +5.8 | +1.2 | 1.6 |
| Jim Presley | 3B | SEA | Draft | 1979 | 3 | +5.5 | +1.8 | – |
| John Dopson | P | BOS | Trade | 1988 | 4 | +4.6 | +1.2 | 9.0 |
| Scott Fletcher | 2B/SS | BOS | Free agency | 1992 | 2 | +4.5 | +2.2 | 11.9 |
| Nick Esasky | 1B/3B | BOS | Trade | 1988 | 1 | +4.2 | +4.2 | 22.7 |
| Dennis Lamp | P | BOS | Free agency | 1988 | 4 | +3.6 | +0.9 | 4.8 |
| Lee Smith | P | BOS | Trade | 1987 | 3 | +3.1 | +1.0 | 6.0 |
| Lee Tinsley | OF | BOS | Trade | 1994 | 2 | +2.8 | +1.4 | 0.7 |
| Scott Hatteberg | C/1B | BOS | Draft | 1991 | 6 | +2.5 | +0.4 | – |
| Tom Seaver | P | BOS | Trade | 1986 | 1 | +2.3 | +2.3 | 15.0 |
| Jack Clark | 1B/OF | BOS | Free agency | 1990 | 1 | +2.2 | +2.2 | 7.8 |
| Phil Plantier | OF | BOS | Draft | 1987 | 1 | +2.2 | +2.2 | – |
| Mike Gardiner | P | BOS | Trade | 1991 | 2 | +2.2 | +1.1 | 3.9 |
| Jeff Suppan | P | BOS | Draft | 1993 | 4 | +2.0 | +0.5 | – |
| Luis Alicea | 2B | BOS | Trade | 1994 | 1 | +1.9 | +1.9 | 7.9 |
| Paul Quantrill | P | BOS | Draft | 1989 | 2 | +1.9 | +1.0 | – |
| Tom Brunansky | OF | BOS | Trade | 1990 | 3 | +1.8 | +0.6 | 6.9 |
| Rick Cerone | C | BOS | Free agency | 1988 | 2 | +1.8 | +0.9 | 3.5 |
| Jim Corsi | P | BOS | Free agency | 1985 | 2 | +1.8 | +0.9 | 4.9 |
| Jeff Gray | P | BOS | Free agency | 1990 | 2 | +1.8 | +0.9 | 4.4 |
| Lou Merloni | 2B/3B | BOS | Draft | 1993 | 5 | +1.8 | +0.4 | – |
| Jeff Russell | P | BOS | Free agency | 1993 | 2 | +1.8 | +0.9 | 5.8 |
| Don Baylor | DH/OF | BOS | Trade | 1986 | 2 | +1.8 | +0.9 | 8.7 |
| Wes Gardner | P | BOS | Trade | 1986 | 4 | +1.8 | +0.4 | 0.1 |
| Vaughn Eshelman | P | BOS | Rule 5 | 1994 | 2 | +1.7 | +0.8 | – |
| Ken Ryan | P | BOS | Intl FA | 1986 | 2 | +1.6 | +0.8 | – |
| Iván Calderón | OF | SEA | Intl FA | 1979 | 1 | +1.6 | +1.6 | – |
| Calvin Schiraldi | P | BOS | Trade | 1985 | 2 | +1.5 | +0.8 | 8.2 |
| Matt Young | P | BOS | Free agency | 1990 | 2 | +1.5 | +0.8 | 4.4 |
| Billy Hatcher | OF | BOS | Trade | 1992 | 1 | +1.4 | +1.4 | 4.5 |
| Karl Best | P | SEA | Draft | 1977 | 2 | +1.4 | +0.7 | – |
| Rob Murphy | P | BOS | Trade | 1988 | 1 | +1.3 | +1.3 | 9.7 |
| Bill Haselman | C | BOS | Free agency | 1994 | 2 | +1.2 | +0.6 | 1.7 |
| Tony Peña | C | BOS | Free agency | 1989 | 3 | +1.1 | +0.4 | 5.6 |
| Bruce Kison | P | BOS | Trade | 1985 | 1 | +1.0 | +1.0 | – |
| Luis Rivera | SS | BOS | Trade | 1988 | 2 | +1.0 | +0.5 | 3.6 |
| Larry Andersen | P | BOS | Trade | 1990 | 1 | +1.0 | +1.0 | 3.9 |
| Tony Fossas | P | BOS | Free agency | 1991 | 3 | +0.9 | +0.3 | 0.4 |
| Jim Beattie | P | SEA | Trade | 1979 | 2 | +0.8 | +0.4 | – |
| Randy Kutcher | OF | BOS | Trade | 1987 | 1 | +0.7 | +0.7 | 5.4 |
| Nate Minchey | P | BOS | Trade | 1992 | 2 | +0.7 | +0.3 | – |
| Kevin Morton | P | BOS | Draft | 1989 | 1 | +0.6 | +0.6 | – |
| Dave Henderson | OF | SEA | Draft | 1977 | 2 | +0.5 | +0.2 | – |
| Brian Snyder | P | SEA | Draft | 1979 | 1 | +0.5 | +0.5 | – |
| Ed Vande Berg | P | SEA | Draft | 1980 | 1 | +0.5 | +0.5 | – |
| Dave Henderson | OF | BOS | Trade | 1986 | 2 | +0.5 | +0.3 | 1.9 |
| Scott Bankhead | P | BOS | Free agency | 1992 | 2 | +0.4 | +0.2 | 0.5 |
| Otis Nixon | OF | BOS | Free agency | 1993 | 1 | +0.4 | +0.4 | 0.7 |
| Tony Rodríguez | SS | BOS | Draft | 1991 | 1 | +0.4 | +0.4 | – |
| Mike Marshall | OF | BOS | Trade | 1990 | 2 | +0.4 | +0.2 | 1.3 |
| Spike Owen | SS | BOS | Trade | 1987 | 2 | +0.4 | +0.2 | 1.2 |
| Jerry Reed | P | BOS | Trade | 1990 | 1 | +0.4 | +0.4 | 1.5 |
| Jeff Richardson | SS | BOS | Trade | 1993 | 1 | +0.4 | +0.4 | 1.2 |
| Gar Finnvold | P | BOS | Draft | 1990 | 1 | +0.3 | +0.3 | – |
| Joe Hudson | P | BOS | Draft | 1992 | 2 | +0.3 | +0.2 | – |
| Jeff Reardon | P | BOS | Free agency | 1989 | 3 | +0.3 | +0.1 | 0.8 |
| Eric Wedge | DH | BOS | Draft | 1989 | 2 | +0.3 | +0.1 | – |
| Ed Núñez | P | SEA | Intl FA | 1979 | 2 | +0.3 | +0.2 | – |
| Chris Howard | P | BOS | Free agency | 1994 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | 0.3 |
| Jeff McNeely | OF | BOS | Draft | 1989 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | – |
| Carlos Rodríguez | 2B/SS | BOS | Free agency | 1993 | 2 | +0.2 | +0.1 | 0.2 |
| Joe Price | P | BOS | Trade | 1989 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | 1.1 |
| Danny Heep | OF | BOS | Free agency | 1989 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | 3.1 |
| Jeff Pierce | P | BOS | Trade | 1994 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – |
| Rich Rowland | C | BOS | Trade | 1994 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | 0.7 |
| Joe Sambito | P | BOS | Free agency | 1986 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | 2.1 |
| Dave Sax | C | BOS | Trade | 1985 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – |
| Bob Zupcic | OF | BOS | Draft | 1987 | 2 | +0.1 | +0.0 | – |
| Darnell Coles | 3B/OF | SEA | Draft | 1980 | 2 | +0.1 | +0.0 | – |
| Donell Nixon | OF | SEA | Draft | 1980 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – |
| Rob Deer | OF | BOS | Trade | 1993 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | 0.3 |
| Chris Nabholz | P | BOS | Trade | 1994 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | 0.1 |
| Larry Parrish | 3B | BOS | Trade | 1988 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | 0.3 |
| Tommy Barrett | 2B | BOS | Free agency | 1991 | – | -0.0 | – | – |
| Damon Berryhill | C | BOS | Free agency | 1994 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Byrd | PH/PR | BOS | Draft | 1987 | – | +0.0 | – | – |
| Alex Delgado | C | BOS | Intl FA | 1987 | – | -0.0 | – | – |
| Eric Hetzel | P | BOS | Draft | 1985 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – |
| Peter Hoy | P | BOS | Draft | 1988 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – |
| Jeff Plympton | P | BOS | Draft | 1987 | – | -0.0 | – | – |
| Donnie Sadler | 2B/OF | BOS | Draft | 1994 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – |
| Keith Shepherd | P | BOS | Trade | 1994 | – | -0.0 | – | – |
| Mike Stenhouse | OF | BOS | Trade | 1985 | – | -0.0 | – | – |
| Jeff Stone | OF | BOS | Free agency | 1989 | – | -0.0 | – | – |
| Andy Tomberlin | DH/OF | BOS | Free agency | 1994 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | 0.0 |
| Iván Calderón | OF | BOS | Trade | 1993 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | 0.1 |
| Steve Farr | P | BOS | Trade | 1994 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | 0.1 |
| Cory Bailey | P | BOS | Draft | 1991 | 1 | -0.1 | -0.1 | – |
| Mike Brumley | SS | BOS | Free agency | 1991 | – | -0.1 | – | – |
| Wayne Housie | DH/OF | BOS | Trade | 1990 | – | -0.1 | – | – |
| Daryl Irvine | P | BOS | Draft | 1985 | 1 | -0.1 | -0.1 | – |
| Joel Johnston | P | BOS | Free agency | 1994 | – | -0.1 | – | – |
| Ron Mahay | P | BOS | Draft | 1991 | 1 | -0.1 | -0.1 | – |
| Walt McKeel | C | BOS | Draft | 1990 | – | -0.1 | – | – |
| Brian Rose | P | BOS | Draft | 1994 | 2 | -0.1 | -0.0 | – |
| Al Chambers | DH/OF | SEA | Draft | 1979 | – | -0.1 | – | – |
| Jim Lewis | P | SEA | Intl FA | 1977 | – | -0.1 | – | – |
| José Meléndez | P | BOS | Trade | 1993 | 1 | -0.1 | -0.1 | 0.5 |
| Juan Bell | 2B/SS | BOS | Free agency | 1994 | – | -0.2 | – | – |
| Michael Coleman | OF | BOS | Draft | 1994 | – | -0.2 | – | – |
| Todd Frohwirth | P | BOS | Free agency | 1994 | – | -0.2 | – | – |
| Rick Lancellotti | 1B/OF | BOS | Free agency | 1989 | – | -0.2 | – | – |
| Billy Jo Robidoux | 1B | BOS | Free agency | 1989 | – | -0.2 | – | – |
| John Trautwein | P | BOS | Draft | 1988 | – | -0.2 | – | – |
| Tim Van Egmond | P | BOS | Draft | 1991 | – | -0.2 | – | – |
| Brian Barkley | P | BOS | Draft | 1994 | – | -0.3 | – | – |
| Ernie Riles | 3B/SS | BOS | Free agency | 1993 | – | -0.3 | – | – |
| Bill Selby | 2B/3B | BOS | Draft | 1992 | – | -0.3 | – | – |
| Sergio Valdez | P | BOS | Free agency | 1994 | – | -0.3 | – | – |
| Greg Blosser | OF | BOS | Draft | 1989 | – | -0.4 | – | – |
| John Flaherty | C | BOS | Draft | 1988 | – | -0.4 | – | – |
| José Malavé | OF | BOS | Intl FA | 1989 | – | -0.5 | – | – |
| Luis Ortiz | 3B | BOS | Draft | 1991 | – | -0.5 | – | – |
| Sammy Stewart | P | BOS | Trade | 1985 | – | -0.5 | – | – |
| Scott Taylor | P | BOS | Draft | 1988 | – | -0.5 | – | – |
| Mario Díaz | SS | SEA | Intl FA | 1978 | 2 | -0.6 | -0.3 | – |
| Tim Lollar | P | BOS | Trade | 1985 | – | -0.7 | – | – |
| La Schelle Tarver | OF | BOS | Trade | 1985 | – | -0.7 | – | – |
| Greg Litton | 2B/OF | BOS | Free agency | 1994 | – | -0.8 | – | – |
| Bob Melvin | C | BOS | Free agency | 1992 | – | -0.8 | – | – |
| Herm Winningham | OF | BOS | Free agency | 1992 | – | -0.8 | – | – |
| Mike Smithson | P | BOS | Free agency | 1988 | – | -0.9 | – | – |
| Andre Dawson | OF | BOS | Free agency | 1992 | – | -1.1 | – | – |
| Ed Romero | 2B/SS | BOS | Trade | 1985 | – | -2.5 | – | – |
| John Moses | OF | SEA | Draft | 1980 | – | -3.5 | – | – |
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.