Rosternomics
Log in Sign up 𝕏

Cubs CHC

198877–85 (0.475)
‹ Previous Next ›

GM: Jim Frey

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1988, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$13M
Surplus $M
-4
Win %
0.475
TAB
-5.1
WAB
-6.4
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
30.5
Dead money %
42%
Depth Players
7.0
Dead WAR
-3.9

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1988 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

BDamon Berryhill90
RJody Davis⇄88
RJim Sundberg⇄24
RRick Wrona2

1B

LMark Grace133
RManny Trillo24
LLeon Durham⇄24
LRafael Palmeiro5

2B

RRyne Sandberg153
RManny Trillo13
RAngel Salazar2

3B

RVance Law150
RManny Trillo17
RDave Meier1
RAngel Salazar1

SS

RShawon Dunston151
RAngel Salazar29
RManny Trillo7

LF

LRafael Palmeiro145
RDarrin Jackson11
LGary Varsho10
BMitch Webster⇄10
BJerry Mumphrey4
RRolando Roomes4
RVance Law1

CF

BMitch Webster⇄50
RDarrin Jackson46
BDoug Dascenzo20
LRafael Palmeiro2

RF

RAndre Dawson147
RDarrin Jackson20
BMitch Webster⇄10
LGary Varsho8
LRafael Palmeiro3
RRolando Roomes1

DH

—

Starters

RGreg Maddux4.0 WAR
RRick Sutcliffe3.5 WAR
RCalvin Schiraldi2.5 WAR
LJamie Moyer1.8 WAR
RJeff Pico1.3 WAR
RMike Harkey0.5 WAR
RMike Bielecki0.4 WAR
RLes Lancaster0.1 WAR
RBob Tewksbury-0.1 WAR
RKevin Blankenship⇄-0.2 WAR
RAl Nipper-0.4 WAR

Bullpen

★ RRich Gossage13 sv
LFrank DiPino0 h
RLes Lancaster0 h
LPat Perry⇄0 h
RMike Capel0 h
LDrew Hall0 h
RScott Sanderson0 h
RBill Landrum0 h

Each position shows its top 3 by games (top = starter) — click "+more" for the rest. The letter is bats/throws; ⇄ marks a player traded mid-season. Starters are ranked by WAR, bullpen by holds; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.

Key additions (new vs 1987)

PlayerfWAR
Calvin Schiraldi2.5
Vance Law2.0
Jeff Pico1.3
Mark Grace1.1
Mitch Webster0.8
Mike Harkey0.5

Key subtractions (gone from 1987)

Player1987 fWAR
Lee Smith2.9
Steve Trout1.4
Keith Moreland1.3
Bob Dernier0.7
Dickie Noles0.6
Brian Dayett0.2

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Cubs. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 1988; everyone else is shown as a 1988 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Greg Maddux 1988 +4.0 +70.3 0.1 +70.2 $0.0M 2.19× –
Rick Sutcliffe 1988 +3.5 +62.0 2.1 +59.9 $0.6M 2.19× –
Andre Dawson 1988 +4.2 +60.4 1.9 +58.6 $0.4M 1.79× –
Ryne Sandberg 1988 +4.2 +40.7 0.8 +39.8 $0.2M 1.20× –
Calvin Schiraldi 1988 +2.5 +29.3 0.2 +29.1 $0.1M 1.49× –
Rafael Palmeiro 1988 +2.4 +23.5 0.1 +23.4 $0.0M 1.22× –
Jamie Moyer 1988 +1.8 +21.7 0.1 +21.5 $0.1M 1.49× –
Vance Law 1988 +2.0 +13.6 0.4 +13.2 $0.2M 0.85× –
Damon Berryhill 1988 +1.9 +11.3 0.1 +11.3 $0.0M 0.76× –
Frank DiPino 1988 +0.8 +8.0 0.5 +7.6 $0.6M 1.34× –
Jeff Pico 1988 +1.3 +7.2 0.1 +7.1 $0.0M 0.67× –
Darrin Jackson 1988 +0.8 +5.3 0.1 +5.3 $0.1M 0.83× –
Mitch Webster↔ 1988 +0.8 +5.2 0.3 +4.9 $0.3M 0.83× –
Mark Grace 1988 +1.1 +4.7 0.1 +4.6 $0.1M 0.56× –
Mike Bielecki 1988 +0.4 +2.1 0.1 +1.9 $0.3M 0.67× –
Jody Davis↔ 1988 +0.6 +2.5 1.1 +1.4 $1.8M 0.52× –
Shawon Dunston 1988 +0.3 +1.4 0.2 +1.2 $0.7M 0.61× –
Jim Sundberg↔ 1988 +0.3 +1.4 0.3 +1.1 $0.8M 0.52× –
Rich Gossage 1988 +0.2 +2.3 1.3 +0.9 $6.3M 1.34× –
Pat Perry↔ 1988 +0.2 +0.9 0.1 +0.8 $0.6M 0.67× –
Les Lancaster 1988 +0.1 +0.5 0.1 +0.4 $1.8M 1.34× –
Scott Sanderson 1988 +0.1 +0.4 0.9 -0.5 $12.5M 0.67× –
Drew Hall 1988 -0.1 -0.7 0.1 -0.8 – 0.67× –
Dave Martinez↔ 1988 -0.2 -1.3 0.1 -1.4 – 0.83× –
Gary Varsho 1988 -0.2 -1.6 0.1 -1.6 – 0.83× –
Mike Capel 1988 -0.5 -2.8 0.1 -2.8 – 0.67× –
Rolando Roomes 1988 -0.4 -2.7 0.1 -2.8 – 0.83× –
Al Nipper 1988 -0.4 -3.5 0.4 -3.9 – 1.02× –
Jerry Mumphrey 1988 -1.0 -7.0 0.6 -7.6 – 0.83× –
Leon Durham↔ 1988 +0.2 +0.7 0.7 -0.0 $4.5M 0.56× –
Manny Trillo 1988 +0.1 +0.4 0.4 +0.0 $4.0M 0.56× –
Angel Salazar 1988 -0.5 -2.3 – – – 0.61× –
Bill Landrum 1988 -0.0 -0.0 – – – 0.67× –
Bob Tewksbury 1988 -0.1 -1.1 – – – 1.02× –
Dave Meier 1988 -0.1 -0.3 – – – 0.58× –
Doug Dascenzo 1988 +0.2 +1.5 – – – 0.83× –
Kevin Blankenship↔ 1988 -0.2 -1.2 – – – 1.02× –
Mike Harkey 1988 +0.5 +4.3 – – – 1.02× –
Rick Wrona 1988 -0.1 -0.5 – – – 0.52× –
Total—+30.7+356.613.6+342.8—

Trades

Every graded 1988 deal involving the Cubs — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 11 total.

1988 · WSN / CHC
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$52.0M
Dave Martinez
CHC · Jim Frey −$52.0M
Mitch Webster
WSN came out ahead by $52.0M
1988 · CIN / CHC
CIN · Murray Cook +$2.4M
Luis Quiñones
CHC · Jim Frey −$2.4M
Bill Landrum
CIN came out ahead by $2.4M
1988 · CHC / BAL
CHC · Jim Frey +$3.2M
Nick Ramirez, Tom Michno
BAL · Roland Hemond −$3.2M
Wade Rowdon
CHC came out ahead by $3.2M
1988 · CHC / PIT
CHC · Jim Frey +$12.8M
Mike Bielecki
PIT · Larry Doughty −$12.8M
Mike Curtis
CHC came out ahead by $12.8M
1988 · CHC / SDP
CHC · Jim Frey +$3.2M
Rich Gossage, Ray Hayward
SDP · Jack McKeon −$3.2M
Keith Moreland, Mike Brumley
CHC came out ahead by $3.2M
1988 · TEX / CHC
TEX · Tom Grieve +$3.2M
Ray Hayward
CHC · Jim Frey −$3.2M
Dave Meier, Greg Tabor
TEX came out ahead by $3.2M
1988 · CHC / WSN
CHC · Jim Frey +$0.0M
Bryan Oelkers
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$0.0M
Paul Noce
Even trade
1988 · CIN / CHC
CIN · Murray Cook +$3.2M
Rolando Roomes
CHC · Jim Frey −$3.2M
Lloyd McClendon
CIN came out ahead by $3.2M
1988 · CHC / CIN
CHC · Jim Frey +$18.4M
Pat Perry
CIN · Murray Cook −$18.4M
Leon Durham
CHC came out ahead by $18.4M
1988 · TEX / CHC
TEX · Tom Grieve +$442.4M
Rafael Palmeiro, Jamie Moyer, Drew Hall
CHC · Jim Frey −$442.4M
Mitch Williams, Paul Kilgus, Steve Wilson, Curt Wilkerson, Luis Benitez, Pablo Delgado
TEX came out ahead by $442.4M
1988 · CHC / ATL
CHC · Jim Frey +$31.2M
Kevin Coffman, Kevin Blankenship
ATL · Bobby Cox −$31.2M
Jody Davis
CHC came out ahead by $31.2M

Current & Historical Payroll

1988 payroll
$13.2M

What the front office was committed to as of 1988, 1988–1994. Pre-2015 has no contract-terms data — forward italic $ are realized actuals (hindsight, not commitments known then). Control labels (ARB/FA) are point-in-time.

current $ guaranteed $ actual $ (hindsight) arbitration (proj) pre-arb (proj) free agent

Guaranteed / signed (12)

PlayerAgeSvc1988198919901991199219931994
Rick Sutcliffe3212.000$2.1M$2.3M$1.9M$2.3MFREE AGENT
Andre Dawson3312.000$1.9M$2.1M$2.1M$3.3M$3.3MFREE AGENT
Rich Gossage3616.000$1.3MFREE AGENT
Jody Davis317.000$1.1MFREE AGENT
Scott Sanderson3110.000$950k$800kFREE AGENT
Ryne Sandberg287.000$840k$950k$1.6MFREE AGENT$2.1M$6.0M$6.0M
Leon Durham308.000$738kFREE AGENT
Jerry Mumphrey3514.000$608kFREE AGENT
Frank DiPino317.000$465kFREE AGENT
Vance Law318.000$375k$425kFREE AGENT
Manny Trillo3715.000$357kFREE AGENT
Jim Sundberg3714.000$252kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (8)

PlayerAgeSvc1988198919901991199219931994
Al Nipper295.000$397kFREE AGENT
Mitch Webster295.000$255kFREE AGENT
Shawon Dunston253.000$208kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Calvin Schiraldi264.000$208kARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Bielecki284.000$110kARB 3FREE AGENT
Pat Perry293.000$99kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Darrin Jackson243.000$64kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Angel Salazar265.000—FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (19)

PlayerAgeSvc1988198919901991199219931994
Jamie Moyer252.000$142kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Les Lancaster261.000$90kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rafael Palmeiro232.000$90kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Greg Maddux222.000$82kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dave Martinez232.000$73kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Drew Hall252.000$68kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Capel260.000$62kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Damon Berryhill241.000$62kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mark Grace240.000$62kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeff Pico220.000$62kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rolando Roomes260.000$62kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Gary Varsho270.000$62kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kevin Blankenship250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Doug Dascenzo240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Harkey210.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bill Landrum302.000—ARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dave Meier28–—
Bob Tewksbury272.000—ARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rick Wrona240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

How each 1988 acquisition stacked onto Cubs's playoff-odds curve. The side table is ranked by PPA.

Rosternomics — front-office performance, roster value, and transaction history. Follow @rosternomics on X.
Decision-maker records extend to 1933; resource-controlled WAR and payroll metrics cover 1985–2026. Data sources include FanGraphs, Baseball-Reference, the Chadwick Bureau register, the Lahman Database, prospect rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and FanGraphs, 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).
Privacy Policy · Terms of Service · © 2026 Rosternomics