RRosternomics
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Cubs CHC

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GM: Jim Hendry

Overview

CONTEND ↘ cooling
expensive & winning · year 3 in this regime · payroll 1.15× league · TAB +0.4
+0.4TAB — talent above budget17th/30
-4.8WAB — realized wins (TAB + luck)21st/30
8.0depth — 2+ WAR regulars7th/30
-3.7dead WAR — sub-replacement drag9th/30
38%dead money %24th/30
0.488win %18th/30
36.4roster fWAR12th/30
-18surplus $M (value vs cost)23rd/30
$83Mpayroll $M10th/30

Roster

CFCorey Patterson 122GJerry Hairston Jr. 48GJose Macias 7G
LFMatt Murton 43GJody Gerut 21GJerry Hairston Jr. 20G
RFJeromy Burnitz 158GJose Macias 8GJerry Hairston Jr. 1G
SSNeifi Perez 130GRonny Cedeno 29GNomar Garciaparra 26G
2BTodd Walker 97GJerry Hairston Jr. 44GNeifi Perez 26G
3BAramis Ramirez 119GNomar Garciaparra 34GJose Macias 23G
1BDerrek Lee 158GScott McClain 4GTodd Walker 4G
STARTERSCarlos Zambrano 5.2WARGreg Maddux 3.3WARMark Prior 3.2WARGlendon Rusch 2.3WARRyan Dempster 1.7WAR
CMichael Barrett 122GHenry Blanco 54G
DHTodd Walker 2GMichael Barrett 1G
BULLPEN★ Roberto Novoa 0svMichael Wuertz 18hWill Ohman 13hTodd Wellemeyer 3hScott Williamson 3hChad Fox 3hCliff Bartosh 1hRich Hill 0h
CMichael Barrett 122 · Henry Blanco 54
1BDerrek Lee 158 · Scott McClain 4 · Todd Walker 4
2BTodd Walker 97 · Jerry Hairston Jr. 44 · Neifi Perez 26
3BAramis Ramirez 119 · Nomar Garciaparra 34 · Jose Macias 23
SSNeifi Perez 130 · Ronny Cedeno 29 · Nomar Garciaparra 26
LFMatt Murton 43 · Jody Gerut 21 · Jerry Hairston Jr. 20
CFCorey Patterson 122 · Jerry Hairston Jr. 48 · Jose Macias 7
RFJeromy Burnitz 158 · Jose Macias 8 · Jerry Hairston Jr. 1
DHTodd Walker 2 · Michael Barrett 1
SPCarlos Zambrano 5.2 · Greg Maddux 3.3 · Mark Prior 3.2 · Glendon Rusch 2.3 · Ryan Dempster 1.7
BP★ Roberto Novoa 0 · Michael Wuertz 18 · Will Ohman 13 · Todd Wellemeyer 3 · Scott Williamson 3 · Chad Fox 3 · Cliff Bartosh 1 · Rich Hill 0

Each position lists its starter then backups by games (so platoons & bench show). Starters (mound) & bullpen (left, foul territory) are ranked by WAR; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.

2005 roster — value & surplus

PlayerAgeServiceGfWARSalary $MSurplus $M
Derrek Lee 29 FA-elig 1587.0 7.7 +5.5
Carlos Zambrano 24 arb 345.2 3.8 +6.1
Greg Maddux 39 FA-elig 353.3 9.0 -2.8
Mark Prior 24 arb 273.2 3.5 +2.6
Michael Barrett 28 FA-elig 1332.9 3.1 +2.4
Aramis Ramirez 27 FA-elig 1232.9 8.9 -3.5
Glendon Rusch 30 FA-elig 462.3 2.0 +2.4
Jerry Hairston Jr. 29 FA-elig 1142.2 1.8 +2.3
Todd Walker 32 FA-elig 1101.8 2.5 +1.0
Ryan Dempster 28 FA-elig 631.7 2.0 +1.1
Matt Murton 23 – 511.6 – –
Jeromy Burnitz 36 FA-elig 1601.5 4.5 -1.8
Michael Wuertz 26 pre-arb 751.1 0.3 +1.8
Neifi Perez 32 FA-elig 1540.7 1.0 +0.3
Henry Blanco 33 FA-elig 540.6 1.2 -0.1
Kerry Wood 28 FA-elig 210.4 9.5 -8.7
Roberto Novoa 25 – 490.4 – –
Jerome Williams↔ SFG 23 pre-arb 180.3 0.3 +0.4
Nomar Garciaparra 31 FA-elig 620.3 8.2 -7.6
Ronny Cedeno 22 – 410.2 – –
Mike Fontenot 25 – 70.1 – –
John Koronka 24 – 40.1 – –
Rich Hill 25 – 100.1 0.1 +0.1
Sergio Mitre 24 – 210.1 – –
Mike Remlinger↔ BOS 39 FA-elig 350.0 3.4 -3.4
Adam Greenberg 24 – 10.0 – –
Ben Grieve 29 – 230.0 – –
Scott Williamson 29 FA-elig 170.0 0.5 -0.5
Todd Hollandsworth↔ ATL 32 FA-elig 1070.0 0.7 -0.7
Will Ohman 27 – 69-0.0 0.3 -0.3
Jody Gerut↔ CLE 27 pre-arb 11-0.0 0.1 -0.1
Geovany Soto 22 – 1-0.0 – –
Ryan Theriot 25 – 9-0.0 – –
Enrique Wilson 31 – 15-0.1 – –
Jermaine Van Buren 24 – 6-0.1 – –
Scott McClain 33 – 13-0.1 – –
Chad Fox 34 FA-elig 11-0.2 0.6 -0.9
Jason Dubois↔ CLE 26 pre-arb 52-0.2 0.3 -0.6
LaTroy Hawkins↔ SFG 32 FA-elig 21-0.2 1.4 -1.8
Joe Borowski↔ TBR 34 FA-elig 11-0.2 0.6 -1.0
Matt Lawton III↔ NYY 33 FA-elig 19-0.3 1.0 -1.5
Jon Leicester 26 pre-arb 6-0.4 0.3 -1.0
Jose Macias 33 FA-elig 112-0.4 0.8 -1.6
Corey Patterson 25 arb 126-0.5 2.8 -3.7
Cliff Bartosh 25 pre-arb 19-0.5 0.3 -1.2
Todd Wellemeyer 26 pre-arb 22-0.5 0.3 -1.3

Key additions (new vs 2004)

PlayerfWAR
Jerry Hairston Jr.2.2
Matt Murton1.6
Jeromy Burnitz1.5
Henry Blanco0.6
Roberto Novoa0.4
Jerome Williams0.3

Key subtractions (gone from 2004)

Player2004 fWAR
Moises Alou5.9
Matt Clement2.9
Sammy Sosa2.3
Mark Grudzielanek1.0
Kent Mercker0.6
Kyle Farnsworth0.3

Current & Historical Payroll

2005 payroll
$83.0M

What the front office was committed to as of 2005, 2005–2011. 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 (23)

PlayerAgeSvc2005200620072008200920102011
Kerry Wood287.000$9.5M$12.0M$1.8M$4.2MFREE AGENT$1.5M
Greg Maddux3919.000$9.0M$5.8MFREE AGENT
Aramis Ramirez277.000$8.9M$10.8M$9.0M$15.0M$16.6M$16.8M$14.6M
Nomar Garciaparra319.000$8.2MFREE AGENT
Derrek Lee298.000$7.7M$9.4M$13.2M$13.2M$13.2M$9.8MFREE AGENT
Jeromy Burnitz3612.000$4.5MFREE AGENT
Mike Remlinger3914.000$3.4MFREE AGENT
Michael Barrett287.000$3.1M$4.3M$2.6MFREE AGENT
Todd Walker329.000$2.5M$1.7MFREE AGENT
Ryan Dempster287.000$2.0M$4.3M$5.3M$7.3M$9.0M$13.5M$13.5M
Glendon Rusch308.000$2.0M$2.8MFREE AGENT
Jerry Hairston Jr.297.000$1.8M$1.4MFREE AGENT
LaTroy Hawkins3210.000$1.4MFREE AGENT
Henry Blanco338.000$1.2M$1.5M$1.8M$3.2MFREE AGENT
Matt Lawton III3310.000$1.0MFREE AGENT
Neifi Perez329.000$1.0M$2.0MFREE AGENT
Jose Macias336.000$825kFREE AGENT
Todd Hollandsworth3210.000$735kFREE AGENT
Joe Borowski3410.000$588kFREE AGENT
Chad Fox348.000$575kFREE AGENT
Scott Williamson296.000$500k$1.5MFREE AGENT
Ben Grieve298.000—FREE AGENT
Enrique Wilson318.000—FREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (4)

PlayerAgeSvc2005200620072008200920102011
Carlos Zambrano244.000$3.8MARB 3FREE AGENT
Mark Prior243.000$3.5MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Corey Patterson255.000$2.8MFREE AGENT
Will Ohman275.000$320kFREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (19)

PlayerAgeSvc2005200620072008200920102011
Todd Wellemeyer262.000$329kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Michael Wuertz261.000$322kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Cliff Bartosh251.000$319kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jon Leicester261.000$300kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jerome Williams232.000$275kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jason Dubois261.000$252kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rich Hill250.000$102kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jody Gerut272.000$66kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Scott McClain33–—
John Koronka240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Sergio Mitre242.000—ARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ronny Cedeno220.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Roberto Novoa25–—
Mike Fontenot250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Geovany Soto220.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jermaine Van Buren24–—
Adam Greenberg24–—
Ryan Theriot250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Murton230.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR. Bars = Cubs 2005; the black line = the league-average player at each slot that season. Staying above the line deep into the roster is the depth edge; dropping below it = holes & dead weight.

What each regime is worth — every settled team-season since 1985

RegimeSeasonsWin %Playoff %Pennant %WS %
WINDOW 28152.131.05.01.1
CONTEND 30056.964.719.710.3
FORCED-SPEND 25648.09.81.61.6
REBUILD 32143.31.20.30.3
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.