Rosternomics
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Sandy Alderson

Sandy Alderson

Born Nov 22, 1947 · Seattle, WA · age 78

Pioneered the on-base-driven, analytical roster-building in 1980s–90s Oakland that became the intellectual foundation of Moneyball — winning the 1989 World Series there — before later serving as MLB's top baseball executive and running the Mets.

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

Titles1
Pennants4
Playoffs6
Record1677–1659
Win %0.503
-5.7WAB — wins above budget93rd/195 execs
-11.3Talent above budget — roster-construction alpha (talent your budget bought above expectation)120th/195 execs
1.41Acquisition leverage — playoff pts each bought win added, given the roster it joined (did you buy where wins matter?)51st/195 execs
-119.5WAR surplus (era-neutral, win-equiv)177th/195 execs
-149Roster surplus $M149th/195 execs

How the roster was sourced

by valueby volume

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)+349.1
Trade+39.2
Free agency-130.0
Rule 5 / minor draft+4.3
Sourcing mix: 52% draft · 22% FA · 25% trade · 1% R5

Tenure breakdown

TeamRoleYearsSzns WAB WAB/yr TAB WAR surp HG Trade FA R5 AcqLev W-L% POPenWS Surp $M
▸ Mets GM 2011–2018 8 -20.3 -2.53 +7.2 -23.9 +120.5 +47.2 -36.1 -0.1 1.54 0.485 21– -76
▸ Athletics GM 1983–1997 13 +14.5 +1.12 -18.5 -95.6 +228.7 -8.0 -93.9 +4.4 1.34 0.514 431 -72
Career total (1985+ data) 21 -5.7 -11.3 -119.5 +349.1 +39.2 -130.0 +4.3 1.41 0.503 64 1 -149

Players acquired — 325 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)

PlayerPosTeam How Year fWAR
Mark McGwire 1B OAK Draft 1984 +41.2
Eric Chavez 3B OAK Draft 1996 +32.3
Jason Giambi 1B/DH OAK Draft 1992 +28.4
Brandon Nimmo OF NYM Draft 2011 +28.0
Tim Hudson P OAK Draft 1997 +27.6
Rickey Henderson OF OAK Trade 1989 +26.8
Terry Steinbach C OAK Draft 1983 +24.7
Dave Stewart P OAK Free agency 1986 +21.3
Jeff McNeil 2B/OF NYM Draft 2013 +21.1
Pete Alonso 1B NYM Draft 2016 +20.9
Noah Syndergaard P NYM Trade 2012 +20.1
Dave Henderson OF OAK Free agency 1987 +18.8
Dennis Eckersley P OAK Trade 1987 +18.3
Michael Conforto OF NYM Draft 2014 +18.1
Miguel Tejada SS OAK Intl FA 1993 +17.0
Zack Wheeler P NYM Trade 2011 +13.0
Mike Moore P OAK Free agency 1988 +10.4
Travis d'Arnaud C NYM Trade 2012 +9.8
David Peterson P NYM Draft 2017 +9.6
Curtis Granderson OF NYM Free agency 2013 +9.4
Ramón Hernández C OAK Intl FA 1994 +9.4
Mike Bordick SS OAK Intl FA 1986 +7.3
Gil Heredia P OAK Free agency 1997 +7.1
Scott Brosius 3B OAK Draft 1987 +7.0
Seth Lugo P NYM Draft 2011 +6.9
Bartolo Colón P NYM Free agency 2013 +6.8
Walt Weiss SS OAK Draft 1985 +6.8
Ron Darling P OAK Free agency 1992 +6.5
Gerónimo Berroa DH/OF OAK Free agency 1994 +6.3
Matt Stairs DH/OF OAK Free agency 1995 +6.3
Bob Welch P OAK Trade 1987 +6.0
Lance Blankenship 2B/OF OAK Draft 1986 +5.9
Yoenis Céspedes OF NYM Free agency 2016 +5.6
Stan Javier OF OAK Trade 1984 +5.4
Tylor Megill P NYM Draft 2018 +5.1
Asdrúbal Cabrera SS NYM Free agency 2015 +4.9
Kenny Rogers P OAK Trade 1997 +4.5
Billy Taylor P OAK Trade 1994 +4.5
Ben Grieve OF OAK Draft 1994 +4.2
Alfredo Griffin SS OAK Trade 1984 +4.2
Frank Menechino 2B OAK Rule 5 1997 +4.0
Todd Stottlemyre P OAK Free agency 1995 +4.0
Bobby Witt P OAK Trade 1992 +4.0
Ariel Prieto P OAK Draft 1995 +3.9
José Rijo P OAK Trade 1984 +3.8
Mike Oquist P OAK Free agency 1996 +3.7
Brent Gates 2B/3B OAK Draft 1991 +3.6
Bruce Bochte 1B/OF OAK Trade 1985 +3.4
Todd Frazier 3B NYM Free agency 2018 +3.2
Ron Hassey C OAK Free agency 1987 +3.2
Jay Howell P OAK Trade 1984 +3.2
Harold Baines DH/OF OAK Trade 1990 +3.1
Troy Neel 1B/DH OAK Trade 1991 +3.1
Bob Welch P OAK Free agency 1990 +3.1
Edwin Díaz P NYM Trade 2018 +2.9
Luis Guillorme 2B/3B NYM Draft 2013 +2.8
Rick Honeycutt P OAK Free agency 1988 +2.8
Dave Magadan 1B/3B OAK Free agency 1997 +2.8
Willie Wilson OF OAK Free agency 1990 +2.8
Storm Davis P OAK Trade 1987 +2.6
Robert Gsellman P NYM Draft 2011 +2.4
Addison Reed P NYM Trade 2015 +2.4
Amed Rosario SS NYM Intl FA 2012 +2.4
Chris Codiroli P OAK Trade 1985 +2.4
Buddy Groom P OAK Free agency 1995 +2.4
Luis Polonia OF OAK Intl FA 1984 +2.4
Neil Walker 2B NYM Trade 2015 +2.3
Dusty Baker OF OAK Trade 1985 +2.2
Todd Burns P OAK Draft 1984 +2.2
Steve Karsay P OAK Trade 1993 +2.2
Glenn Hubbard 2B OAK Free agency 1988 +2.1
Kevin Plawecki C NYM Draft 2012 +2.0
Scott Hairston OF NYM Free agency 2011 +1.9
Jeremy Hefner P NYM Trade 2011 +1.8
Jerry Browne 2B OAK Free agency 1992 +1.8
Brent Mayne C OAK Free agency 1997 +1.8
Jerry Blevins P NYM Free agency 2015 +1.7
Chris Capuano P NYM Free agency 2011 +1.7
Moose Haas P OAK Trade 1986 +1.7
Scott Spiezio 1B/2B OAK Draft 1993 +1.7
Shaun Marcum P NYM Free agency 2013 +1.6
Andrés Torres OF NYM Trade 2011 +1.5
Chris Young P NYM Free agency 2011 +1.5
Mike Aldrete 1B/OF OAK Free agency 1993 +1.4
Jim Corsi P OAK Trade 1988 +1.4
Scott Hemond C OAK Draft 1986 +1.4
Ed Núñez P OAK Free agency 1993 +1.4
Eric Plunk P OAK Trade 1984 +1.4
Scott Sanderson P OAK Free agency 1989 +1.4
T. J. Rivera 2B/3B NYM Intl FA 2011 +1.3
Willie Adams P OAK Draft 1993 +1.3
Tom Candiotti P OAK Free agency 1997 +1.3
Doug Johns P OAK Draft 1990 +1.3
George Williams C OAK Draft 1991 +1.3
Andrés Giménez 2B NYM Intl FA 2015 +1.2
LaTroy Hawkins P NYM Free agency 2013 +1.2
Tomás Nido C NYM Draft 2012 +1.2
Wilson Ramos C NYM Free agency 2018 +1.2
Jamie Quirk C OAK Free agency 1989 +1.2
Dave Telgheder P OAK Free agency 1995 +1.2
Todd Van Poppel P OAK Draft 1990 +1.2
Tony Batista 3B OAK Intl FA 1991 +1.1
Jason McDonald OF OAK Draft 1993 +1.1
Greg Cadaret P OAK Draft 1983 +0.9
Dave Collins OF OAK Trade 1984 +0.9
Dennis Eckersley P OAK Free agency 1995 +0.9
Daisuke Matsuzaka P NYM Free agency 2013 +0.8
Rafael Montero P NYM Intl FA 2011 +0.8
Eric Young OF NYM Trade 2013 +0.8
Jeff Parrett P OAK Free agency 1992 +0.8
Mike Baxter OF NYM Free agency 2011 +0.7
Buddy Carlyle P NYM Free agency 2014 +0.7
Paul Sewald P NYM Draft 2012 +0.7
Carlos Torres P NYM Free agency 2012 +0.7
T. J. Mathews P OAK Trade 1997 +0.7
Bill Mooneyham P OAK Trade 1986 +0.7
Adam Piatt OF OAK Draft 1997 +0.7
Jerry Willard C OAK Free agency 1986 +0.7
Tim Byrdak P NYM Free agency 2011 +0.6
Sean Gilmartin P NYM Rule 5 2014 +0.6
Dilson Herrera 2B NYM Trade 2013 +0.6
Drew Smith P NYM Trade 2017 +0.6
John Wasdin P OAK Draft 1993 +0.6
Steve Wojciechowski P OAK Draft 1991 +0.6
Ronny Cedeño SS NYM Free agency 2012 +0.5
Dennis Lamp P OAK Free agency 1987 +0.5
Mike Mohler P OAK Draft 1989 +0.5
Doug Bair P OAK Free agency 1986 +0.4
Darren Lewis OF OAK Draft 1988 +0.4
Frank Francisco P NYM Free agency 2011 +0.3
Ty Kelly 2B/3B/OF NYM Trade 2016 +0.3
Jon Rauch P NYM Free agency 2011 +0.3
Matt Reynolds 3B/SS NYM Draft 2012 +0.3
Scott Rice P NYM Trade 2013 +0.3
Jason Vargas P NYM Free agency 2018 +0.3
Joaquín Andújar P OAK Trade 1985 +0.3
Andrew Lorraine P OAK Trade 1996 +0.3
Dave Otto P OAK Draft 1985 +0.3
Carlos Reyes P OAK Rule 5 1993 +0.3
Lenn Sakata 2B OAK Free agency 1986 +0.3
Don Wengert P OAK Draft 1992 +0.3
Chase Bradford P NYM Draft 2011 +0.2
Jamie Callahan P NYM Trade 2017 +0.2
Michael Cuddyer OF NYM Free agency 2014 +0.2
Dana Eveland P NYM Free agency 2014 +0.2
Dale Thayer P NYM Free agency 2011 +0.2
Daniel Zamora P NYM Trade 2018 +0.2
Kurt Abbott 2B/SS OAK Draft 1989 +0.2
Rich Bordi P OAK Free agency 1988 +0.2
José Canseco DH/OF OAK Trade 1997 +0.2
Henry Mercedes C OAK Intl FA 1987 +0.2
Steve Mura P OAK Trade 1985 +0.2
Scott Atchison P NYM Free agency 2013 +0.1
Greg Burke P NYM Free agency 2012 +0.1
Phillip Evans 3B/OF NYM Draft 2011 +0.1
Jack Leathersich P NYM Draft 2011 +0.1
Ramón Ramírez P NYM Trade 2011 +0.1
Dana Allison P OAK Draft 1989 +0.1
Marcos Armas 1B OAK Intl FA 1987 +0.1
Ryan Christenson OF OAK Draft 1995 +0.1
Johnny Guzman P OAK Intl FA 1988 +0.1
Dann Howitt OF OAK Draft 1986 +0.1
Brett Laxton P OAK Draft 1996 +0.1
Damon Mashore OF OAK Draft 1991 +0.1
Cody McKay C/3B OAK Draft 1996 +0.1
Randy Ready 2B/3B/OF OAK Free agency 1992 +0.1
Brad Rigby P OAK Draft 1994 +0.1
Eric Show P OAK Free agency 1990 +0.1
Ed Vosberg P OAK Free agency 1993 +0.1
Scott Copeland P NYM Free agency 2018 +0.0
Jack Egbert P NYM Free agency 2011 +0.0
Justin Hampson P NYM Free agency 2011 +0.0
Eric Hanhold P NYM Trade 2017 +0.0
Brandon Lyon P NYM Free agency 2013 -0.0
Garrett Olson P NYM Free agency 2011 -0.0
Mark Acre P OAK Intl FA 1991 -0.0
Fernando Arroyo P OAK Trade 1986 +0.0
Scott Baker P OAK Trade 1992 -0.0
Chris Bando C OAK Free agency 1989 +0.0
Tim Birtsas P OAK Trade 1984 -0.0
Ron Cey 3B OAK Trade 1987 +0.0
Bobby Chouinard P OAK Trade 1993 -0.0
Steve Connelly P OAK Draft 1995 -0.0
Bill Dawley P OAK Free agency 1989 +0.0
Kelly Downs P OAK Free agency 1992 -0.0
Chris Eddy P OAK Rule 5 1994 -0.0
Ramón Fermín P OAK Intl FA 1989 -0.0
Paul Fletcher P OAK Free agency 1995 -0.0
Wayne Gross 3B OAK Free agency 1986 -0.0
Mark Holzemer P OAK Free agency 1997 -0.0
Félix José OF OAK Intl FA 1984 +0.0
Ed Jurak 3B/SS OAK Free agency 1987 -0.0
Vance Law 2B/3B OAK Free agency 1991 -0.0
Scott Lydy OF OAK Draft 1989 +0.0
Fred Manrique 2B OAK Free agency 1991 -0.0
Kerwin Moore OF OAK Trade 1993 -0.0
Mike Neill OF OAK Draft 1991 +0.0
Steve Phoenix P OAK Intl FA 1990 -0.0
Mike Raczka P OAK Trade 1992 -0.0
Todd Revenig P OAK Draft 1990 +0.0
Kevin Seitzer 3B OAK Free agency 1993 +0.0
Jeff Shaver P OAK Draft 1985 -0.0
Scott Sheldon 3B/SS OAK Draft 1991 -0.0
Matt Sinatro C OAK Trade 1987 +0.0
Rusty Tillman OF OAK Trade 1986 -0.0
Ernie Young OF OAK Draft 1990 +0.0
Andrew Brown OF NYM Free agency 2013 -0.1
Taylor Buchholz P NYM Free agency 2011 -0.1
P. J. Conlon P NYM Draft 2015 -0.1
Rajai Davis OF NYM Free agency 2018 -0.1
Kevin Kaczmarski OF NYM Draft 2015 -0.1
Kevin McGowan P NYM Draft 2013 -0.1
Ryan O'Rourke P NYM Free agency 2018 -0.1
Tyler Pill P NYM Draft 2011 -0.1
Omar Quintanilla 2B/SS NYM Free agency 2012 -0.1
Ali Sánchez C NYM Intl FA 2013 -0.1
Thomas Szapucki P NYM Draft 2015 -0.1
Darrel Akerfelds P OAK Trade 1983 -0.1
Don Baylor DH/OF OAK Free agency 1988 -0.1
Jim Bowie 1B OAK Trade 1994 -0.1
Bill Caudill P OAK Free agency 1987 -0.1
Steve Chitren P OAK Draft 1989 -0.1
Tom Dozier P OAK Trade 1983 -0.1
Reggie Harris P OAK Rule 5 1989 -0.1
Chad Harville P OAK Draft 1997 -0.1
A. J. Hinch C OAK Draft 1996 -0.1
Marcus Jones P OAK Draft 1997 -0.1
Orlando Mercado C OAK Free agency 1988 -0.1
Rob Nelson 1B OAK Draft 1983 -0.1
Rick Peters OF OAK Trade 1986 -0.1
Alejandro Sánchez DH/OF OAK Free agency 1987 -0.1
Steve Sax 2B OAK Free agency 1994 -0.1
Dick Scott SS OAK Trade 1989 -0.1
Dale Sveum 3B/SS OAK Free agency 1993 -0.1
Matt Young P OAK Free agency 1989 -0.1
Bobby Abreu OF NYM Free agency 2014 -0.2
Alejandro De Aza OF NYM Free agency 2015 -0.2
Jim Henderson P NYM Free agency 2015 -0.2
Sean Henn P NYM Free agency 2013 -0.2
Fred Lewis OF NYM Free agency 2012 -0.2
Patrick Mazeika C NYM Draft 2015 -0.2
Daniel Muno 3B NYM Draft 2011 -0.2
AJ Ramos P NYM Trade 2017 -0.2
Dominic Smith 1B/OF NYM Draft 2013 -0.2
Taylor Teagarden C NYM Free agency 2014 -0.2
José Valverde P NYM Free agency 2014 -0.2
Bobby Wahl P NYM Trade 2018 -0.2
Troy Afenir C OAK Trade 1989 -0.2
Larry Arndt 1B/3B OAK Draft 1985 -0.2
Kirk Dressendorfer P OAK Draft 1990 -0.2
Webster Garrison 1B/2B OAK Trade 1996 -0.2
Brian Harper C OAK Free agency 1995 -0.2
Gary Haught P OAK Draft 1992 -0.2
Dave Kingman 1B/OF OAK Trade 1985 -0.2
Brad Komminsk OF OAK Free agency 1991 -0.2
José Ortiz 2B OAK Intl FA 1994 -0.2
Jeff Schaefer 3B/SS OAK Free agency 1994 -0.2
Roger Smithberg P OAK Trade 1993 -0.2
Tom Tellmann P OAK Trade 1985 -0.2
Luis Vizcaíno P OAK Intl FA 1994 -0.2
Bruce Walton P OAK Draft 1985 -0.2
Gerson Bautista P NYM Trade 2017 -0.3
Blaine Boyer P NYM Free agency 2011 -0.3
Gavin Cecchini 2B NYM Draft 2012 -0.3
Adrián González 1B NYM Free agency 2018 -0.3
Franklyn Kilome P NYM Trade 2018 -0.3
José Lobatón C NYM Free agency 2017 -0.3
John Mayberry OF NYM Free agency 2014 -0.3
Josh Smoker P NYM Trade 2016 -0.3
Travis Taijeron OF NYM Draft 2011 -0.3
Ozzie Canseco OF OAK Trade 1990 -0.3
Jim Dougherty P OAK Free agency 1997 -0.3
Eric Helfand C OAK Trade 1992 -0.3
Shawn Hillegas P OAK Free agency 1992 -0.3
Tim Kubinski P OAK Draft 1993 -0.3
Francisco Matos 2B OAK Intl FA 1987 -0.3
Brian Snyder P OAK Free agency 1987 -0.3
Rob Johnson C NYM Free agency 2011 -0.4
John Lannan P NYM Free agency 2014 -0.4
Anthony Swarzak P NYM Free agency 2017 -0.4
Billy Beane OF OAK Free agency 1988 -0.4
Mike Brumley SS OAK Free agency 1994 -0.4
Rich Gossage P OAK Free agency 1992 -0.4
Mike Kingery OF OAK Free agency 1991 -0.4
Johnnie LeMaster SS OAK Free agency 1987 -0.4
Pat Lennon DH/OF OAK Free agency 1996 -0.4
Blake Stein P OAK Trade 1997 -0.4
Ron Witmeyer 1B OAK Draft 1988 -0.4
David Aardsma P NYM Free agency 2013 -0.5
Dario Álvarez P NYM Trade 2014 -0.5
Jay Bruce OF NYM Free agency 2018 -0.5
Johnny Monell C NYM Free agency 2014 -0.5
Corey Oswalt P NYM Draft 2012 -0.5
Steve Henderson OF OAK Trade 1985 -0.5
Steve Howard DH/OF OAK Draft 1983 -0.5
Torey Lovullo 2B OAK Free agency 1995 -0.5
Willie Harris 2B/OF NYM Free agency 2011 -0.6
Tim Peterson P NYM Draft 2012 -0.6
Mark Bellhorn 2B/3B OAK Draft 1995 -0.6
Mike Blowers 3B OAK Free agency 1997 -0.6
Kevin Campbell P OAK Trade 1991 -0.6
Reggie Jackson OF OAK Free agency 1986 -0.6
Jack Voigt OF OAK Free agency 1997 -0.6
Stephen Nogosek P NYM Trade 2017 -0.7
Jacob Rhame P NYM Trade 2017 -0.7
Fausto Cruz 2B/SS OAK Intl FA 1990 -0.7
Eric Fox OF OAK Trade 1992 -0.7
Joe Slusarski P OAK Draft 1988 -0.7
Tyler Bashlor P NYM Draft 2013 -0.8
Esteban Germán 2B/3B OAK Intl FA 1996 -0.8
Miguel Jimenez P OAK Draft 1991 -0.8
Izzy Molina C OAK Draft 1990 -0.8
Andy Tomberlin DH/OF OAK Free agency 1994 -0.8
Rafael Bournigal 2B/SS OAK Free agency 1996 -0.9
Doug Jennings OF OAK Rule 5 1987 -0.9
Steve Montgomery P OAK Trade 1996 -0.9
Pedro Muñoz OF OAK Free agency 1996 -0.9
Brian Lesher OF OAK Draft 1992 -1.0
Jay Witasick P OAK Trade 1996 -1.0
Chris Flexen P NYM Draft 2012 -1.1
Drew Gagnon P NYM Trade 2018 -1.1
José Herrera OF OAK Trade 1993 -1.2
Craig Paquette 3B OAK Draft 1989 -1.2
John Briscoe P OAK Draft 1988 -1.5
Rubén Sierra OF OAK Free agency 1992 -3.1

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.

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.