RRosternomics
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SP

Steve Phillips

Born May 18, 1963 · Detroit, MI · age 63

General manager for the Mets (1998–2003).

6 seasons with salary-era data across 1 stint. All figures are franchise-level outcomes during the tenure, not solely attributable to one executive.

Overview

Titles0
Pennants1
Playoffs2
Record502–469
Win %0.517
-4.2GM WAR — wins above a replacement GM (org-adjusted, shrunk; per season) ±5.4169th/195 execs
6.2Depth — 2+ WAR regulars per season (the breadth that drives TAB, not stars)97th/195 execs
-4.7Dead WAR — WAR/yr bled by sub-replacement players (closer to 0 = better)71st/195 execs
30%Dead money — payroll on <0.5-WAR players (lower = better)64th/195 execs
$3MCheap-talent surplus — $/yr of value from cost-controlled (pre-arb/arb) players above their pay; the selection engine, and the stickiest GM skill we track149th/195 execs
$2MDrafted surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own draftees (the develop-from-the-draft engine)156th/195 execs
$0MTraded-for surplus — cheap-talent surplus from cost-controlled players he acquired via trade146th/195 execs
$2MInt'l surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own international signees73rd/195 execs
-38.2TAB — talent above budget — roster-construction alpha (talent your budget bought above expectation), tenure total169th/195 execs
-16.9WAB — realized wins (TAB + the non-repeatable luck of converting talent to wins)139th/195 execs
2.14Acquisition Leverage — playoff pts per acquired WAR, graded once in the year each deal's wins arrive (the repeatable decision skill)78th/195 execs
-222Roster surplus $M158th/195 execs

Tenure breakdown

TeamRoleYearsSzns WAB WAB/yr TAB WAR surp HG Trade FA R5 AcqLev W-L% POPenWS Surp $M
▸ Mets GM 1998–2003 6 -16.9 -2.82 -38.2 -142.2 +101.3 -77.8 -50.7 -1.6 2.14 0.517 21– -222
Career total (1985+ data) 6 -16.9 -38.2 -142.2 +101.3 -77.8 -50.7 -1.6 2.14 0.517 21 – -222

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)+101.3
Trade-77.8
Free agency-50.7
Rule 5 / minor draft-1.6
Sourcing mix: 56% draft · 34% FA · 10% trade · 0% R5

Roster value distribution — career average — depth vs. stars

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR, averaged across Steve Phillips'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 — 122 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)

PlayerPosTeam How Year Szns fWAR WAR/yr Lev
David Wright 3B NYM Draft 2001 12 +51.3 +4.3 –
José Reyes SS NYM Intl FA 1999 11 +33.0 +3.0 –
Mike Piazza C NYM Trade 1998 8 +27.0 +3.4 4.2
Al Leiter P NYM Trade 1998 7 +22.2 +3.2 3.7
Tom Glavine P NYM Free agency 2002 5 +13.8 +2.8 0.0
Robin Ventura 3B NYM Free agency 1998 3 +12.0 +4.0 32.1
Steve Trachsel P NYM Free agency 2000 5 +8.1 +1.6 0.6
Cliff Floyd OF NYM Free agency 2003 4 +7.2 +1.8 0.0
Glendon Rusch P NYM Trade 1999 3 +7.0 +2.3 0.0
Mike Cameron OF NYM Free agency 2003 2 +5.9 +3.0 0.2
Armando Benítez P NYM Trade 1998 5 +5.8 +1.2 12.0
Jae Weong Seo P NYM Intl FA 1998 4 +5.3 +1.3 –
Mike Hampton P NYM Trade 1999 1 +5.2 +5.2 25.5
Aaron Heilman P NYM Draft 2001 4 +3.5 +0.9 –
Todd Zeile 3B NYM Free agency 1999 2 +3.3 +1.6 12.9
Kevin Appier P NYM Free agency 2000 1 +3.2 +3.2 0.9
Pedro Feliciano P NYM Trade 2002 6 +3.2 +0.5 –
Masato Yoshii P NYM Draft 1998 2 +2.4 +1.2 –
Rickey Henderson OF NYM Free agency 1998 1 +2.1 +2.1 8.4
Desi Relaford SS NYM Trade 2001 1 +2.1 +2.1 0.6
Timo Pérez OF NYM Draft 2000 2 +1.9 +0.9 –
Orel Hershiser P NYM Free agency 1999 1 +1.8 +1.8 7.1
Roger Cedeño OF NYM Trade 1998 1 +1.5 +1.5 5.8
Tsuyoshi Shinjo OF NYM Draft 2001 1 +1.5 +1.5 –
Roberto Alomar 2B NYM Trade 2001 2 +1.4 +0.7 0.4
Derek Bell OF NYM Trade 1999 1 +1.4 +1.4 6.4
Dennis Cook P NYM Free agency 1998 3 +1.4 +0.5 1.3
Jeff D'Amico P NYM Trade 2002 1 +1.4 +1.4 0.4
Mike Jacobs 1B NYM Draft 1999 2 +1.2 +0.6 –
Joe McEwing 2B/OF NYM Trade 2000 3 +1.1 +0.4 0.5
David Weathers P NYM Free agency 2001 2 +1.1 +0.6 0.1
Kenny Rogers P NYM Trade 1999 1 +1.1 +1.1 4.3
Shawn Estes P NYM Trade 2002 1 +1.0 +1.0 0.3
Hideo Nomo P NYM Trade 1998 1 +0.9 +0.9 0.9
Heath Bell P NYM Intl FA 1998 3 +0.8 +0.3 –
Orber Moreno P NYM Free agency 2003 1 +0.8 +0.8 0.0
Tony Tarasco OF NYM Free agency 2001 1 +0.8 +0.8 0.2
John Thomson P NYM Trade 2002 1 +0.8 +0.8 0.2
Jeromy Burnitz OF NYM Trade 2002 3 +0.7 +0.2 –
Daniel Garcia 2B NYM Draft 2001 1 +0.7 +0.7 –
Mike Stanton P NYM Free agency 2002 1 +0.6 +0.6 0.0
Rick White P NYM Trade 2000 2 +0.6 +0.3 1.0
Mark Guthrie P NYM Trade 2002 1 +0.6 +0.6 0.2
Matt Lawton OF NYM Trade 2001 1 +0.6 +0.6 0.2
Brian McRae OF NYM Trade 1998 1 +0.6 +0.6 2.5
Pedro Astacio P NYM Free agency 2002 1 +0.5 +0.5 0.3
Brian Bannister P NYM Draft 2003 1 +0.5 +0.5 –
Steve Reed P NYM Trade 2002 1 +0.5 +0.5 0.1
Turk Wendell P NYM Free agency 2000 3 +0.4 +0.1 0.6
Ty Wigginton 1B/3B NYM Draft 1998 2 +0.4 +0.2 –
Rich Becker OF NYM Trade 1998 1 +0.4 +0.4 0.4
Shawon Dunston SS NYM Trade 1999 1 +0.4 +0.4 1.4
Graeme Lloyd P NYM Trade 2003 1 +0.4 +0.4 0.0
Jason Middlebrook P NYM Trade 2002 2 +0.3 +0.2 0.1
Carlos Gómez OF NYM Intl FA 2002 1 +0.2 +0.2 –
Jon Nunnally OF NYM Trade 1999 1 +0.2 +0.2 1.0
Jerrod Riggan P NYM Trade 2000 2 +0.2 +0.1 –
Scott Strickland P NYM Free agency 2003 2 +0.2 +0.1 0.2
John Valentin 3B/SS NYM Free agency 2002 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.1
Dan Wheeler P NYM Free agency 2003 2 +0.2 +0.1 0.0
Willie Blair P NYM Trade 1998 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.2
Mike Bordick SS NYM Trade 2000 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.7
Bubba Trammell OF NYM Trade 2000 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.9
Bruce Chen P NYM Trade 2001 2 +0.2 +0.1 0.1
Jeff Duncan OF NYM Draft 2000 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Jeremy Griffiths P NYM Draft 1999 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Bobby Jones P NYM Trade 2000 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.6
Ryan McGuire 1B/OF NYM Free agency 1999 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.4
Esix Snead OF NYM Trade 2001 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Allen Watson P NYM Free agency 1999 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.8
Tyler Yates P NYM Trade 2001 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Chuck McElroy P NYM Trade 1999 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.4
C. J. Nitkowski P NYM Trade 2001 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.0
Jim Tatum 1B/3B NYM Trade 1998 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.1
McKay Christensen OF NYM Trade 2002 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.0
Brady Clark OF NYM Trade 2002 2 +0.1 +0.1 0.0
Craig Brazell 1B NYM Draft 1998 – -0.0 – –
Jaime Cerda P NYM Draft 1998 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
Mark Corey P NYM Trade 1999 – -0.0 – –
Kane Davis P NYM Trade 2002 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
Joe Depastino C NYM Trade 2003 – -0.0 – –
Shane Halter 3B/SS NYM Trade 1999 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
Joe Hietpas C NYM Draft 2001 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
Josías Manzanillo P NYM Free agency 1998 2 +0.0 +0.0 0.6
Ralph Milliard 2B NYM Trade 1998 – -0.0 – –
Royce Ring P NYM Trade 2003 – -0.0 – –
Brian Rose P NYM Trade 2001 – -0.0 – –
Gary Bennett C NYM Trade 2001 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
Raúl González OF NYM Trade 2002 1 -0.0 -0.0 0.0
Rigo Beltrán P NYM Trade 1998 1 -0.1 -0.1 0.5
Mike Glavine 1B NYM Trade 2003 – -0.1 – –
Mark Johnson 1B NYM Free agency 2000 1 -0.1 -0.1 0.1
Mike Kinkade OF NYM Trade 1998 – -0.1 – –
Satoru Komiyama P NYM Draft 2002 – -0.1 – –
Jim Mann P NYM Trade 2000 – -0.1 – –
Carlos Muñiz P NYM Draft 2003 1 -0.1 -0.1 –
Bill Pulsipher P NYM Trade 2000 2 -0.1 -0.0 –
Dennis Springer P NYM Free agency 2000 – -0.1 – –
Jorge Toca 1B/OF NYM Intl FA 1998 1 -0.1 -0.1 –
Jorge Velandia 2B/SS NYM Free agency 2001 – -0.1 – –
Matt Watson OF NYM Trade 2002 – -0.1 – –
Mike Bacsik P NYM Trade 2002 1 -0.1 -0.1 0.0
Edwin Almonte P NYM Trade 2003 – -0.2 – –
Tony Clark 1B NYM Free agency 2003 – -0.2 – –
David Cone P NYM Free agency 2003 6 -0.2 -0.0 2.4
Víctor Díaz OF NYM Trade 2003 1 -0.2 -0.2 –
Brett Hinchliffe P NYM Free agency 2000 – -0.2 – –
Prentice Redman OF NYM Draft 1999 – -0.2 – –
Mo Vaughn 1B NYM Trade 2002 1 -0.2 -0.2 0.1
Kurt Abbott 2B/SS NYM Free agency 2000 – -0.3 – –
Darryl Hamilton OF NYM Trade 1999 2 -0.3 -0.1 4.7
Pat Mahomes P NYM Free agency 1998 1 -0.3 -0.3 0.6
Jermaine Allensworth OF NYM Trade 1999 1 -0.3 -0.3 0.2
Wayne Kirby OF NYM Trade 1998 – -0.4 – –
Tom Martin P NYM Trade 2001 – -0.4 – –
Rich Rodriguez P NYM Free agency 2000 – -0.4 – –
Lastings Milledge OF NYM Draft 2003 1 -0.5 -0.5 –
Pat Strange P NYM Draft 1998 1 -0.6 -0.6 –
Roger Cedeño OF NYM Free agency 2001 1 -0.7 -0.7 5.8
Jay Bell SS NYM Free agency 2003 – -0.8 – –
Lenny Harris 3B NYM Trade 1998 1 -0.8 -0.8 3.7
Bobby Bonilla 3B/OF NYM Trade 1998 4 -1.3 -0.3 0.4

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.