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Cubs CHC

199177–83 (0.481)
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GM: Jim Frey

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1991, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$23M
Surplus $M
-10
Win %
0.481
TAB
-1.3
WAB
-4.0
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
32.6
Dead money %
26%
Depth Players
5.0
Dead WAR
-3.8

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1991 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

LRick Wilkins82
BDamon Berryhill⇄62
RHector Villanueva55
RJoe Girardi21
RErik Pappas6

1B

LMark Grace160
RLuis Salazar7
RHector Villanueva6

2B

RRyne Sandberg157
BJose Vizcaino9
BChico Walker6
RRey Sanchez2

3B

RLuis Salazar86
BChico Walker57
BJose Vizcaino57
RGary Scott31
BDoug Strange3

SS

RShawon Dunston142
BJose Vizcaino33
RRey Sanchez10

LF

RGeorge Bell146
BDoug Dascenzo32
LCed Landrum25
BChico Walker20
LDerrick May7
LDwight Smith5
RLuis Salazar1

CF

RJerome Walton100
BDoug Dascenzo59
BChico Walker36
LCed Landrum18
LDwight Smith13

RF

RAndre Dawson137
LDwight Smith28
BDoug Dascenzo15
LCed Landrum8
BChico Walker8
RJerome Walton1

DH

—

Starters

RGreg Maddux6.3 WAR
RFrank Castillo2.5 WAR
RLes Lancaster1.6 WAR
RRick Sutcliffe1.2 WAR
RBob Scanlan0.8 WAR
RMike Bielecki⇄0.6 WAR
RShawn Boskie0.6 WAR
RMike Harkey0.3 WAR
LDanny Jackson-0.6 WAR

Bullpen

★ RDave Smith17 sv
LPaul Assenmacher0 h
LChuck McElroy0 h
RHeathcliff Slocumb0 h
LSteve Wilson⇄0 h
RMike Harkey0 h
RLaddie Renfroe0 h
LYorkis Perez0 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 1990)

PlayerfWAR
Frank Castillo2.5
George Bell1.7
Rick Wilkins1.1
Bob Scanlan0.8
Chuck McElroy0.8
Rey Sanchez0.3

Key subtractions (gone from 1990)

Player1990 fWAR
Jeff Pico0.7
Jose Antonio Nunez0.3
Kevin Blankenship-0.0
Lance Dickson-0.0
Kevin Coffman-0.1
Gary Varsho-0.1

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 1991; everyone else is shown as a 1991 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Greg Maddux 1991 +6.3 +126.0 2.4 +123.6 $0.4M 2.50× –
Paul Assenmacher 1991 +2.3 +35.2 1.1 +34.1 $0.5M 1.95× –
Andre Dawson 1991 +2.5 +32.0 3.3 +28.7 $1.3M 1.60× –
George Bell 1991 +1.7 +16.3 2.1 +14.2 $1.3M 1.22× –
Les Lancaster 1991 +1.6 +12.8 0.6 +12.2 $0.3M 0.98× –
Hector Villanueva 1991 +1.9 +11.5 0.1 +11.4 $0.1M 0.76× –
Mark Grace 1991 +1.7 +10.8 1.2 +9.6 $0.7M 0.81× –
Rick Sutcliffe 1991 +1.2 +9.6 2.3 +7.4 $1.9M 1.02× –
Jerome Walton 1991 +1.0 +6.6 0.2 +6.4 $0.2M 0.83× –
Shawon Dunston 1991 +1.5 +7.2 2.1 +5.1 $1.4M 0.61× –
Luis Salazar 1991 +1.2 +5.5 0.6 +5.0 $0.5M 0.58× –
Mike Bielecki↔ 1991 +0.6 +5.2 0.8 +4.5 $1.2M 1.02× –
Shawn Boskie 1991 +0.6 +4.5 0.1 +4.4 $0.2M 1.02× –
Chuck McElroy 1991 +0.8 +4.1 0.1 +4.0 $0.1M 0.67× –
Mike Harkey 1991 +0.3 +2.1 0.2 +1.9 $0.8M 1.02× –
Heathcliff Slocumb 1991 +0.1 +0.3 0.1 +0.2 $1.6M 0.67× –
Steve Wilson↔ 1991 +0.0 +0.2 0.1 +0.1 $2.8M 0.67× –
Jose Vizcaino 1991 -0.0 -0.1 0.1 -0.2 – 0.58× –
Doug Dascenzo 1991 -0.0 -0.3 0.2 -0.4 – 0.83× –
Erik Pappas 1991 -0.1 -0.5 0.1 -0.6 – 0.52× –
Joe Girardi 1991 -0.2 -0.8 0.2 -1.1 – 0.52× –
Damon Berryhill↔ 1991 -0.5 -2.1 0.2 -2.3 – 0.52× –
Dwight Smith 1991 -0.4 -2.4 0.2 -2.6 – 0.83× –
Danny Jackson 1991 -0.6 -5.2 2.6 -7.8 – 1.02× –
Dave Smith 1991 -1.2 -12.3 1.9 -14.2 – 1.34× –
Bob Scanlan 1991 +0.8 +4.5 – – – 0.67× –
Ced Landrum 1991 +0.1 +0.6 – – – 0.83× –
Chico Walker 1991 -0.1 -0.3 – – – 0.58× –
Dave Pavlas 1991 -0.1 -0.4 – – – 0.67× –
Derrick May 1991 +0.0 +0.3 – – – 0.83× –
Doug Strange 1991 -0.0 -0.2 – – – 0.58× –
Frank Castillo 1991 +2.5 +29.4 – – – 1.49× –
Gary Scott 1991 -0.5 -2.2 – – – 0.58× –
Laddie Renfroe 1991 -0.1 -0.5 – – – 0.67× –
Rey Sanchez 1991 +0.3 +1.4 – – – 0.61× –
Rick Wilkins 1991 +1.1 +4.4 – – – 0.52× –
Ryne Sandberg 1991 +6.4 +70.7 – – – 1.38× –
Scott May 1991 +0.0 +0.1 – – – 0.67× –
Yorkis Perez 1991 +0.1 +0.5 – – – 0.67× –
Total—+32.8+374.522.9+243.6—

Trades

Every graded 1991 deal involving the Cubs — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 6 total.

1991 · CHC / PHI
CHC · Jim Frey +$20.0M
Chuck McElroy, Bob Scanlan
PHI · Lee Thomas −$20.0M
Mitch Williams
CHC came out ahead by $20.0M
1991 · CHC / HOU
CHC · Jim Frey +$2.4M
Jeff Baldwin
HOU · Bill Wood −$2.4M
Dean Wilkins
CHC came out ahead by $2.4M
1991 · CHC / PIT
CHC · Jim Frey +$1.6M
Steve Carter
PIT · Larry Doughty −$1.6M
Gary Varsho
CHC came out ahead by $1.6M
1991 · CHC / NYY
CHC · Jim Frey +$0.0M
Steve Adkins
NYY · Gene Michael +$0.0M
David Rosario
Even trade
1991 · ATL / CHC
ATL · John Schuerholz +$0.0M
Mike Bielecki, Damon Berryhill
CHC · Jim Frey +$0.0M
Turk Wendell, Yorkis Pérez
Even trade
1991 · CHC / LAD
CHC · Jim Frey +$3.2M
Jeff Hartsock
LAD · Fred Claire −$3.2M
Steve Wilson
CHC came out ahead by $3.2M

Current & Historical Payroll

1991 payroll
$23.0M

What the front office was committed to as of 1991, 1991–1997. 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 (10)

PlayerAgeSvc1991199219931994199519961997
Andre Dawson3615.000$3.3M$3.3MFREE AGENT
Danny Jackson298.000$2.6M$1.5MFREE AGENT
Rick Sutcliffe3515.000$2.3MFREE AGENT
George Bell3110.000$2.1MFREE AGENT
Shawon Dunston286.000$2.1M$2.5M$3.4M$2.4M$3.8MFREE AGENT$2.0M
Dave Smith3611.000$1.9M$2.5MFREE AGENT
Mike Bielecki317.000$770kFREE AGENT
Luis Salazar3511.000$575k$600kFREE AGENT
Ryne Sandberg3110.000—$2.1M$6.0M$6.0MFREE AGENT$2.3M$3.2M
Chico Walker3311.000—$234kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (8)

PlayerAgeSvc1991199219931994199519961997
Greg Maddux255.000$2.4MFREE AGENT
Mark Grace273.000$1.2MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Paul Assenmacher305.000$1.1MFREE AGENT
Les Lancaster294.000$550kARB 3FREE AGENT
Damon Berryhill274.000$226kARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Harkey243.000$220kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Doug Dascenzo273.000$165kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Steve Wilson263.000$92kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (21)

PlayerAgeSvc1991199219931994199519961997
Dwight Smith272.000$226kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Joe Girardi262.000$225kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jerome Walton252.000$210kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Shawn Boskie241.000$130kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Hector Villanueva261.000$120kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jose Vizcaino232.000$114kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Chuck McElroy232.000$111kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Erik Pappas250.000$100kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Heathcliff Slocumb250.000$100kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Frank Castillo220.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ced Landrum27–—
Derrick May221.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Scott May29–—
Dave Pavlas281.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Yorkis Perez230.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Laddie Renfroe29–—
Rey Sanchez230.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bob Scanlan240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Gary Scott220.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Doug Strange272.000—ARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rick Wilkins240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

How each 1991 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).
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