RRosternomics
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Guardians CLE

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President of baseball ops: Chris Antonetti · GM: Mike Chernoff

Overview

WINDOW ↘ cooling
cheap & winning · year 1 in this regime · payroll 0.96× league · TAB +11.4
+11.4TAB — talent above budget6th/30
+11.5WAB — realized wins (TAB + luck)8th/30
9.0depth — 2+ WAR regulars7th/30
-4.5dead WAR — sub-replacement drag12th/30
26%dead money %10th/30
0.574win %8th/30
45.1roster fWAR7th/30
+23surplus $M (value vs cost)5th/30
$125Mpayroll $M13th/30

Roster

CFÓscar Mercado 82GLeonys Martin 65GGreg Allen 18G
LFGreg Allen 60GJake Bauers 53GJordan Luplow 34G
RFYasiel Puig 146GFranmil Reyes 86GTyler Naquin 68G
SSFrancisco Lindor 137GEric Stamets 15GMax Moroff 10G
2BJason Kipnis 117GMike Freeman 33GBrad Miller 13G
3BJosé Ramírez 126GYu Chang 25GMike Freeman 18G
1BCarlos Santana 135GJake Bauers 31GBobby Bradley 5G
STARTERSShane Bieber 5.4WARMike Clevinger 4.5WARAaron Civale 1.5WARZach Plesac 0.9WARCarlos Carrasco 0.9WAR
CRoberto Pérez 118GKevin Plawecki 57GEric Haase 8G
DHFranmil Reyes 47GJake Bauers 35GCarlos Santana 23G
BULLPEN★ Brad Hand 34svOliver Pérez 22hAdam Cimber 19hNick Wittgren 12hNick Goody 10hTyler Clippard 8hHunter Wood 2hTyler Olson 1h
CRoberto Pérez 118 · Kevin Plawecki 57 · Eric Haase 8
1BCarlos Santana 135 · Jake Bauers 31 · Bobby Bradley 5
2BJason Kipnis 117 · Mike Freeman 33 · Brad Miller 13
3BJosé Ramírez 126 · Yu Chang 25 · Mike Freeman 18
SSFrancisco Lindor 137 · Eric Stamets 15 · Max Moroff 10
LFGreg Allen 60 · Jake Bauers 53 · Jordan Luplow 34
CFÓscar Mercado 82 · Leonys Martin 65 · Greg Allen 18
RFYasiel Puig 146 · Franmil Reyes 86 · Tyler Naquin 68
DHFranmil Reyes 47 · Jake Bauers 35 · Carlos Santana 23
SPShane Bieber 5.4 · Mike Clevinger 4.5 · Aaron Civale 1.5 · Zach Plesac 0.9 · Carlos Carrasco 0.9
BP★ Brad Hand 34 · Oliver Pérez 22 · Adam Cimber 19 · Nick Wittgren 12 · Nick Goody 10 · Tyler Clippard 8 · Hunter Wood 2 · Tyler Olson 1

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.

2019 roster — value & surplus

PlayerAgeServiceGfWARSalary $MSurplus $M
Francisco Lindor 25 arb 1436.1 10.8 +9.0
Shane Bieber 24 pre-arb 345.4 0.6 +17.3
Carlos Santana 33 FA-elig 1584.7 20.3 -4.8
Mike Clevinger 28 arb 214.5 0.6 +14.0
Roberto Pérez 30 arb 1194.0 2.6 +10.6
José Ramírez 26 FA-elig 1293.5 4.2 +7.3
Trevor Bauer↔ CIN 28 FA-elig 242.6 9.2 -0.7
Jordan Luplow 25 pre-arb 852.4 0.6 +7.3
Óscar Mercado 24 – 1152.2 0.4 +6.8
Brad Hand 29 FA-elig 601.5 7.1 -2.0
Aaron Civale 24 – 101.5 0.2 +4.6
Tyler Naquin 28 arb 891.4 0.6 +4.0
Yasiel Puig↔ CIN 28 FA-elig 491.2 3.2 +0.7
Mike Freeman 31 pre-arb 751.0 0.5 +2.6
Carlos Carrasco 32 FA-elig 230.9 9.8 -6.8
Zach Plesac 24 – 210.9 0.3 +2.6
Tyler Clippard 34 FA-elig 530.7 0.1 +2.2
Adam Plutko 27 pre-arb 210.6 0.4 +1.7
Kevin Plawecki 28 arb 600.6 1.1 +0.7
Oliver Pérez 37 FA-elig 670.6 2.5 -0.6
Corey Kluber 33 FA-elig 70.6 17.0 -15.2
Jefry Rodriguez 25 pre-arb 100.5 0.4 +1.1
Nick Wittgren 28 pre-arb 550.4 0.5 +0.8
Jason Kipnis 32 FA-elig 1210.4 14.7 -13.5
Greg Allen 26 pre-arb 890.3 0.6 +0.4
A.J. Cole 27 pre-arb 250.2 0.4 +0.3
Adam Cimber 28 pre-arb 680.2 0.6 +0.2
Nick Goody 27 arb 390.2 0.7 +0.0
Brad Miller↔ PHI 29 – 130.2 0.1 +0.6
James Karinchak 23 – 50.1 0.1 +0.4
Cody Anderson 28 arb 50.1 0.6 -0.4
Tyler Olson 29 arb 390.1 0.6 -0.3
Logan Allen↔ SDP 22 – 10.1 0.0 +0.2
Josh D. Smith↔ MIA 29 – 80.1 0.2 +0.0
Phil Maton↔ SDP 26 pre-arb 90.1 0.2 +0.0
Hunter Wood↔ TBR 25 pre-arb 170.0 0.1 -0.1
James Hoyt 32 pre-arb 80.0 0.1 -0.1
Yu Chang 23 – 28-0.0 – –
Andrew Velazquez↔ TBR 24 pre-arb 5-0.0 0.0 -0.2
Franmil Reyes↔ SDP 23 pre-arb 51-0.0 0.2 -0.4
Dan Otero 34 FA-elig 25-0.1 1.3 -1.8
Hanley Ramirez 35 FA-elig 16-0.2 0.1 -0.6
Danny Salazar 29 FA-elig 1-0.2 4.5 -5.1
Max Moroff 26 arb 20-0.2 0.6 -1.3
Neil Ramírez↔ TOR 30 arb 16-0.2 0.7 -1.5
Eric Haase 26 pre-arb 10-0.2 0.1 -0.8
Ryan Flaherty 32 FA-elig 14-0.2 0.1 -0.9
Bobby Bradley 23 – 15-0.2 0.1 -0.8
Jon Edwards 31 arb 9-0.2 0.6 -1.3
Bradley Zimmer 26 pre-arb 9-0.3 0.6 -1.5
Leonys Martin 31 FA-elig 65-0.4 3.0 -4.3
Carlos González↔ CHC 33 FA-elig 30-0.5 0.1 -1.6
Eric Stamets 27 pre-arb 15-0.6 0.6 -2.4
Jake Bauers 23 pre-arb 117-0.8 0.6 -3.1

Key additions (new vs 2018)

PlayerfWAR
Carlos Santana4.7
Jordan Luplow2.4
Óscar Mercado2.2
Aaron Civale1.5
Yasiel Puig1.2
Mike Freeman1.0

Key subtractions (gone from 2018)

Player2018 fWAR
Michael Brantley3.5
Yan Gomes2.6
Edwin Encarnación1.3
Josh Donaldson0.5
Lonnie Chisenhall0.4
Andrew Miller0.3

Current & Historical Payroll

2019 payroll
$124.7M
2020 guaranteed
$0M

What the front office was committed to as of 2019, 2019–2025. Guaranteed $ are contract commitments signed by 2019; arbitration & free-agent years are projected from service time. Hover a figure for its luxury-tax (CBT) & actual-cash values.

current $ guaranteed $ arbitration (proj) pre-arb (proj) free agent club option player option mutual option vesting option

Guaranteed / signed (10)

PlayerAgeSvc2019202020212022202320242025
Carlos Santana338.115$20.3MFREE AGENT
Corey Kluber336.074$17.0MFREE AGENT
Jason Kipnis327.069$14.7MFREE AGENT
Carlos Carrasco327.147$9.8MFREE AGENT
Leonys Martin318.000$3.0MFREE AGENT
Oliver Pérez3714.093$2.5MFREE AGENT
Hanley Ramirez3514.000$100kFREE AGENT
Ryan Flaherty327.000$100kFREE AGENT
Tyler Clippard349.148$100kFREE AGENT
Carlos González3311.000$67kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (11)

PlayerAgeSvc2019202020212022202320242025
Francisco Lindor253.113$10.8MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Trevor Bauer284.158$9.2MARB 3FREE AGENT
Brad Hand295.092$7.1MFREE AGENT
Danny Salazar294.162$4.5MARB 3FREE AGENT
José Ramírez264.074$4.2MARB 3FREE AGENT
Yasiel Puig285.102$3.2MFREE AGENT
Roberto Pérez304.083$2.6MARB 3FREE AGENT
Dan Otero345.124$1.3MFREE AGENT
Neil Ramírez304.001$727kARB 3FREE AGENT
Cody Anderson283.017$641kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brad Miller295.004$53kFREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (33)

PlayerAgeSvc2019202020212022202320242025
Kevin Plawecki282.167$1.1MARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Nick Goody272.160$675kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Clevinger282.040$592kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tyler Naquin282.032$575kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Max Moroff261.008$570kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jordan Luplow250.112$564kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Adam Cimber281.000$564kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bradley Zimmer261.036$561kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tyler Olson291.114$561kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Greg Allen260.148$560kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jake Bauers230.116$560kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Shane Bieber240.097$560kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jon Edwards311.141$556kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Eric Stamets270.000$555kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Nick Wittgren282.071$519kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Freeman310.116$498kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jefry Rodriguez250.060$445kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
A.J. Cole271.154$424kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Óscar Mercado240.000$418kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Adam Plutko270.113$361kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Zach Plesac240.000$343kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Franmil Reyes230.115$194kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Aaron Civale240.000$173kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Josh D. Smith29–$169k
Phil Maton261.106$169kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Hunter Wood250.104$113kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Eric Haase260.030$95kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
James Hoyt321.079$87kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bobby Bradley230.000$69kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
James Karinchak230.000$51kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Andrew Velazquez240.029$27kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Logan Allen22–$13k
Yu Chang230.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR. Bars = Guardians 2019; 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.