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Cubs CHC

199967–95 (0.414)
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GM: Ed Lynch

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1999, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$62M
Surplus $M
-34
Win %
0.414
TAB
-17.4
WAB
-18.0
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
19.8
Dead money %
32%
Depth Players
6.0
Dead WAR
-9.7

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1999 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RBenito Santiago107
LJeff Reed⇄56
LSandy Martínez12
RJosé Molina10

1B

LMark Grace160
RGary Gaetti8
LTyler Houston⇄2
RBenito Santiago1

2B

LMickey Morandini132
RChad Meyers32
RJeff Blauser25
RManny Alexander17

3B

RGary Gaetti81
RManny Alexander21
RShane Andrews⇄19
RJeff Blauser18
RCole Liniak10
LJeff Reed⇄1

SS

RJose Nieves52
RManny Alexander30
RJeff Blauser22
RGary Gaetti1

LF

LHenry Rodriguez122
RGlenallen Hill37
LCurtis Goodwin⇄36
RBo Porter16
LRoosevelt Brown13
RChad Meyers4
RJeff Blauser1

CF

LLance Johnson91
RSammy Sosa25
RJosé Hernández⇄14
RChad Meyers9
RBo Porter5
LRoosevelt Brown5

RF

RSammy Sosa146
RGlenallen Hill26
RBo Porter3
RJosé Hernández⇄2
RManny Alexander2
LRoosevelt Brown1
LTyler Houston⇄1

DH

RGlenallen Hill4
LHenry Rodriguez2

Starters

RJon Lieber4.4 WAR
RKevin Tapani2.3 WAR
RSteve Trachsel2.2 WAR
LAndrew Lorraine0.7 WAR
LTerry Mulholland⇄0.4 WAR
LMicah Bowie⇄0.1 WAR
RScott Sanders0.0 WAR
LBrian McNichol-0.2 WAR
LBrad Woodall-0.2 WAR
RKyle Farnsworth-0.5 WAR
LDan Serafini-0.5 WAR

Bullpen

★ RRick Aguilera⇄14 sv
LFelix Heredia12 h
RRodney Myers8 h
LDan Serafini5 h
RTerry Adams3 h
RMatt Karchner2 h
RRod Beck⇄0 h
RSteve Rain0 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 1998)

PlayerfWAR
Jon Lieber4.4
Jeff Reed0.7
Benito Santiago0.7
Andrew Lorraine0.7
Shane Andrews0.5
Rick Aguilera0.4

Key subtractions (gone from 1998)

Player1998 fWAR
Kerry Wood4.4
Mark Clark3.6
Brant Brown1.8
Geremi Gonzalez1.1
Jason Maxwell0.1
Orlando Merced0.1

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 1999; everyone else is shown as a 1999 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Sammy Sosa 1999 +5.3 +87.3 9.0 +78.3 $1.7M 2.05× –
Jon Lieber 1999 +4.4 +76.6 2.1 +74.5 $0.5M 2.19× –
Henry Rodriguez 1999 +3.0 +38.2 3.7 +34.5 $1.2M 1.60× –
Mark Grace 1999 +3.3 +28.6 4.1 +24.5 $1.2M 1.07× –
Kevin Tapani 1999 +2.3 +27.8 3.5 +24.3 $1.5M 1.49× –
Steve Trachsel 1999 +2.2 +25.8 5.2 +20.6 $2.4M 1.49× –
José Hernández↔ 1999 +1.7 +16.3 1.6 +14.7 $1.0M 1.22× –
Glenallen Hill 1999 +1.3 +8.6 1.1 +7.5 $0.9M 0.83× –
Andrew Lorraine 1999 +0.7 +5.5 0.2 +5.3 $0.3M 1.02× –
Felix Heredia 1999 +0.4 +3.9 0.3 +3.6 $0.8M 1.34× –
Terry Adams 1999 +0.3 +3.4 0.7 +2.6 $2.3M 1.34× –
Jeff Reed↔ 1999 +0.7 +2.9 0.7 +2.2 $1.0M 0.52× –
Shane Andrews↔ 1999 +0.5 +2.3 0.2 +2.1 $0.4M 0.58× –
Terry Mulholland↔ 1999 +0.4 +3.5 1.8 +1.7 $4.2M 1.02× –
Benito Santiago 1999 +0.7 +2.9 1.7 +1.2 $2.4M 0.52× –
Rick Aguilera↔ 1999 +0.4 +4.3 3.1 +1.2 $7.7M 1.34× –
Micah Bowie↔ 1999 +0.1 +1.2 0.2 +1.0 $1.1M 1.02× –
Mark Guthrie↔ 1999 +0.2 +0.9 0.3 +0.6 $1.8M 0.67× –
Rodney Myers 1999 +0.0 +0.1 0.2 -0.1 $15.7M 0.67× –
José Molina 1999 -0.0 -0.1 0.2 -0.3 – 0.52× –
Scott Sanders 1999 +0.0 +0.5 0.8 -0.4 $19.3M 1.34× –
Manny Alexander 1999 -0.0 -0.0 0.5 -0.5 – 0.61× –
Robin Jennings 1999 -0.1 -0.3 0.2 -0.5 – 0.83× –
Kurt Miller 1999 -0.1 -0.7 0.2 -0.9 – 0.67× –
Jeff Blauser 1999 +0.6 +2.7 4.2 -1.5 $7.0M 0.56× –
Brad Woodall 1999 -0.2 -1.4 0.2 -1.6 – 1.02× –
Matt Karchner 1999 -0.2 -1.1 0.8 -1.9 – 0.67× –
Curtis Goodwin↔ 1999 -0.3 -1.8 0.3 -2.1 – 0.83× –
Sandy Martinez 1999 -0.5 -1.9 0.2 -2.1 – 0.52× –
Dan Serafini 1999 -0.5 -2.5 0.2 -2.7 – 0.67× –
Tyler Houston↔ 1999 -0.5 -2.4 0.6 -3.0 – 0.56× –
Jose Nieves 1999 -0.7 -3.6 0.2 -3.8 – 0.61× –
Chad Meyers 1999 -1.0 -4.4 0.2 -4.6 – 0.56× –
Kyle Farnsworth 1999 -0.5 -4.4 0.2 -4.6 – 1.02× –
Rod Beck↔ 1999 -0.3 -1.6 4.0 -5.5 – 0.67× –
Gary Gaetti 1999 -1.3 -5.8 2.0 -7.8 – 0.58× –
Mickey Morandini 1999 -1.3 -5.8 2.0 -7.8 – 0.56× –
Lance Johnson 1999 +0.8 +5.1 5.1 -0.0 $6.7M 0.83× –
Bo Porter 1999 -0.3 -2.0 – – – 0.83× –
Bobby Ayala↔ 1999 -0.2 -1.0 – – – 0.67× –
Brian McNichol 1999 -0.2 -2.0 – – – 1.02× –
Cole Liniak 1999 -0.7 -3.1 – – – 0.58× –
Doug Creek 1999 -0.1 -0.5 – – – 0.67× –
Ray King 1999 -0.3 -1.7 – – – 0.67× –
Richard Barker 1999 +0.0 +0.2 – – – 0.67× –
Roosevelt Brown 1999 -0.4 -3.0 – – – 0.83× –
Steve Rain 1999 +0.1 +0.6 – – – 0.67× –
Total—+19.7+298.161.8+248.7—

Trades

Every graded 1999 deal involving the Cubs — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 9 total.

1999 · CHC / BOS
CHC · Ed Lynch +$15.2M
Mark Guthrie, Cole Liniak
BOS · Dan Duquette −$15.2M
Rod Beck
CHC came out ahead by $15.2M
1999 · BOS / CHC
BOS · Dan Duquette +$0.8M
Manny Alexander
CHC · Ed Lynch −$0.8M
Damon Buford
BOS came out ahead by $0.8M
1999 · LAD / CHC
LAD · Kevin Malone +$37.6M
Terry Adams, Chad Ricketts, Brian Stephenson
CHC · Ed Lynch −$37.6M
Ismael Valdez, Eric Young
LAD came out ahead by $37.6M
1999 · COL / CHC
COL · Gary Hughes +$0.8M
John Cotton, Kevin Rawitzer
CHC · Ed Lynch −$0.8M
Tarrik Brock
COL came out ahead by $0.8M
1999 · CHC / ATL
CHC · Ed Lynch +$5.6M
Micah Bowie, Rubén Quevedo, Joey Nation
ATL · John Schuerholz −$5.6M
José Hernández, Terry Mulholland
CHC came out ahead by $5.6M
1999 · CHC / SDP
CHC · Ed Lynch +$1.6M
Brandon Pernell
SDP · Kevin Towers −$1.6M
Dan Serafini
CHC came out ahead by $1.6M
1999 · BAL / CHC
BAL · Frank Wren +$7.2M
Richard Negrette
CHC · Ed Lynch −$7.2M
Augie Ojeda
BAL came out ahead by $7.2M
1999 · CHC / CLE
CHC · Ed Lynch +$3.2M
Richard Negrette
CLE · John Hart −$3.2M
Tyler Houston
CHC came out ahead by $3.2M
1999 · MIN / CHC
MIN · Terry Ryan +$40.0M
Kyle Lohse, Jason Ryan
CHC · Ed Lynch −$40.0M
Rick Aguilera, Scott Downs
MIN came out ahead by $40.0M

Current & Historical Payroll

1999 payroll
$62.0M

What the front office was committed to as of 1999, 1999–2005. 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 (20)

PlayerAgeSvc1999200020012002200320042005
Sammy Sosa3010.000$9.0M$11.0M$12.5M$15.0M$16.0M$16.0MFREE AGENT
Steve Trachsel286.000$5.2MFREE AGENT
Lance Johnson3512.000$5.1MFREE AGENT
Jeff Blauser3312.000$4.2MFREE AGENT
Mark Grace3511.000$4.1M$5.3MFREE AGENT
Rod Beck308.000$4.0MFREE AGENT
Henry Rodriguez317.000$3.7M$3.1MFREE AGENT
Kevin Tapani3510.000$3.5M$6.0M$6.5MFREE AGENT
Rick Aguilera3714.000$3.1M$3.5MFREE AGENT
Mickey Morandini339.000$2.0MFREE AGENT
Gary Gaetti4018.000$2.0MFREE AGENT
Terry Mulholland3613.000$1.8MFREE AGENT
Benito Santiago3413.000$1.7MFREE AGENT
José Hernández298.000$1.6MFREE AGENT$460k
Glenallen Hill3410.000$1.1M$923kFREE AGENT
Scott Sanders306.000$825kFREE AGENT
Jeff Reed3615.000$719k$1.0MFREE AGENT
Manny Alexander287.000$475kFREE AGENT
Mark Guthrie3310.000$309k$716kFREE AGENT$1.6M
Bobby Ayala297.000—FREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (15)

PlayerAgeSvc1999200020012002200320042005
Jon Lieber295.000$2.1MFREE AGENT
Matt Karchner324.000$776kARB 3FREE AGENT
Terry Adams264.000$736kARB 3FREE AGENT
Tyler Houston283.000$633kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Curtis Goodwin264.000$301kARB 3FREE AGENT
Felix Heredia243.000$275kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Andrew Lorraine265.000$220kFREE AGENT
Sandy Martinez284.000$220kARB 3FREE AGENT
Rodney Myers303.000$205kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kurt Miller265.000$205kFREE AGENT
Shane Andrews274.000$203kARB 3FREE AGENT
Robin Jennings273.000$202kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dan Serafini253.000$200kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brad Woodall305.000$200kFREE AGENT
Doug Creek304.000—ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (12)

PlayerAgeSvc1999200020012002200320042005
Jose Nieves241.000$202kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kyle Farnsworth230.000$200kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Chad Meyers230.000$200kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
José Molina240.000$200kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Micah Bowie240.000$157kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Richard Barker26–—
Roosevelt Brown230.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ray King250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brian McNichol25–—
Cole Liniak220.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bo Porter260.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Steve Rain24–—

Graphs

How each 1999 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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