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Tigers DET

199779–83 (0.488)
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GM: Randy Smith

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1997, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$17M
Surplus $M
+6
Win %
0.488
TAB
-0.3
WAB
+7.7
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
23.9
Dead money %
35%
Depth Players
8.0
Dead WAR
-6.2

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1997 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

BRaul Casanova92
RBrian Johnson⇄45
BMatt Walbeck44
BMarcus Jensen⇄8
RPhil Nevin1

1B

BTony Clark158
LBob Hamelin7
RPhil Nevin7
ROrlando Miller3

2B

RDamion Easley137
RJody Reed41
LFrank Catalanotto6

3B

RTravis Fryman153
RPhil Nevin17
ROrlando Miller4

SS

RDeivi Cruz147
ROrlando Miller31
RDamion Easley21

LF

LBobby Higginson104
RPhil Nevin40
LCurtis Pride⇄34
RBubba Trammell13
RKimera Bartee3
BVince Coleman2
RJimmy Hurst1

CF

RBrian L. Hunter162
RKimera Bartee3
LBobby Higginson2
BMelvin Nieves2
RJuan Encarnacion2
RJimmy Hurst1
BVince Coleman1

RF

BMelvin Nieves100
LBobby Higginson56
RBubba Trammell16
RJuan Encarnacion10
RJimmy Hurst10
LCurtis Pride⇄3
RJoe Hall1

DH

LBob Hamelin87
LCurtis Pride⇄18
RPhil Nevin18
RBubba Trammell11
BMelvin Nieves7
ROrlando Miller5
RDamion Easley4
LFrank Catalanotto2
LBobby Higginson1
RJody Reed1
BTony Clark1
BVince Coleman1

Starters

LJustin Thompson4.8 WAR
RWillie Blair2.9 WAR
RBrian Moehler2.0 WAR
ROmar Olivares⇄2.0 WAR
RA.J. Sager0.9 WAR
RScott Sanders⇄0.7 WAR
RFelipe Lira⇄0.5 WAR
RDoug Brocail0.4 WAR
LGlenn Dishman0.3 WAR
RTim Pugh0.2 WAR
RGreg Keagle0.1 WAR
RKevin Jarvis⇄-0.1 WAR

Bullpen

★ RTodd Jones31 sv
LMike Myers0 h
RDan Miceli0 h
RDoug Brocail0 h
RA.J. Sager0 h
RJose Bautista⇄0 h
LJohn Cummings0 h
RKevin Jarvis⇄0 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 1996)

PlayerfWAR
Willie Blair2.9
Todd Jones1.8
Bob Hamelin1.2
Scott Sanders0.7
Doug Brocail0.4
Brian L. Hunter0.4

Key subtractions (gone from 1996)

Player1996 fWAR
Cecil Fielder1.0
Jose Lima0.6
Brad Ausmus0.6
Chad Curtis0.4
Richie Lewis0.3
Mark Parent0.3

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Tigers. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 1997; everyone else is shown as a 1997 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Justin Thompson 1997 +4.8 +84.9 0.2 +84.7 $0.0M 2.19× –
Willie Blair 1997 +2.9 +45.6 0.8 +44.8 $0.3M 1.96× –
Bobby Higginson 1997 +2.6 +33.2 0.4 +32.8 $0.1M 1.60× –
Todd Jones 1997 +1.8 +27.7 1.0 +26.7 $0.6M 1.95× –
Tony Clark 1997 +3.0 +26.1 0.3 +25.8 $0.1M 1.07× –
Brian Moehler 1997 +2.0 +24.2 0.1 +24.0 $0.1M 1.49× –
Omar Olivares↔ 1997 +2.0 +24.1 0.7 +23.4 $0.3M 1.49× –
Travis Fryman 1997 +3.1 +27.3 6.4 +20.9 $2.1M 1.12× –
Damion Easley 1997 +2.4 +15.4 0.7 +14.8 $0.3M 0.82× –
Scott Sanders↔ 1997 +0.7 +5.7 0.4 +5.3 $0.6M 1.02× –
A.J. Sager 1997 +0.9 +4.5 0.2 +4.3 $0.2M 0.67× –
Felipe Lira↔ 1997 +0.5 +3.8 0.2 +3.6 $0.4M 1.02× –
Brian L. Hunter 1997 +0.4 +2.9 0.3 +2.6 $0.7M 0.83× –
Doug Brocail 1997 +0.4 +2.3 0.4 +1.9 $1.0M 0.67× –
Dan Miceli 1997 +0.3 +1.5 0.5 +1.0 $1.7M 0.67× –
Orlando Miller 1997 +0.3 +1.3 0.3 +1.0 $1.2M 0.61× –
Greg Keagle 1997 +0.1 +0.5 0.2 +0.3 $3.1M 1.02× –
Matt Walbeck 1997 +0.2 +0.7 0.6 +0.1 $3.5M 0.52× –
Raul Casanova 1997 +0.1 +0.3 0.2 +0.1 $2.5M 0.52× –
Marcus Jensen↔ 1997 -0.1 -0.3 0.0 -0.3 – 0.52× –
Fernando Hernandez 1997 -0.0 -0.3 0.1 -0.4 – 0.67× –
Kevin Jarvis↔ 1997 -0.1 -0.3 0.1 -0.4 – 0.67× –
Jose Bautista↔ 1997 -0.1 -0.4 0.1 -0.5 – 0.67× –
John Cummings 1997 -0.2 -1.3 0.2 -1.5 – 0.67× –
Brian Johnson↔ 1997 -0.4 -1.7 0.3 -1.9 – 0.52× –
Bubba Trammell 1997 -0.3 -2.0 0.1 -2.1 – 0.83× –
Vince Coleman 1997 -0.2 -1.7 0.5 -2.2 – 0.83× –
Jody Reed 1997 -0.5 -2.1 0.7 -2.8 – 0.56× –
Mike Myers 1997 -0.5 -2.6 0.2 -2.8 – 0.67× –
Phil Nevin 1997 -0.5 -3.3 0.2 -3.5 – 0.83× –
Melvin Nieves 1997 -0.7 -4.4 0.3 -4.7 – 0.83× –
Curtis Pride↔ 1997 -0.9 -6.1 0.2 -6.3 – 0.83× –
Deivi Cruz 1997 -1.3 -6.5 0.1 -6.7 – 0.61× –
Bob Hamelin 1997 +1.2 +6.7 – – – 0.69× –
Eddie Gaillard 1997 +0.0 +0.2 – – – 0.67× –
Frank Catalanotto 1997 -0.2 -0.9 – – – 0.56× –
Glenn Dishman 1997 +0.3 +2.5 – – – 1.02× –
Jimmy Hurst 1997 -0.0 -0.2 – – – 0.83× –
Joe Hall 1997 +0.1 +0.5 – – – 0.83× –
Juan Encarnacion 1997 -0.1 -0.4 – – – 0.83× –
Kimera Bartee 1997 -0.1 -0.4 – – – 0.83× –
Roberto Duran 1997 -0.1 -0.5 – – – 0.67× –
Tim Pugh 1997 +0.2 +1.5 – – – 1.02× –
Total—+24.0+308.017.0+282.0—

Trades

Every graded 1997 deal involving the Tigers — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 9 total.

1997 · DET / ARI
DET · Randy Smith +$1.6M
Matt Drews#12, Gabe Alvarez, Joe Randa
ARI · Joe Garagiola −$1.6M
Travis Fryman
DET came out ahead by $1.6M
1997 · DET / SEA
DET · Randy Smith +$1.6M
Dean Crow, Scott Sanders, Carlos Villalobos
SEA · Woody Woodward −$1.6M
Felipe Lira, Omar Olivares
DET came out ahead by $1.6M
1997 · DET / CIN
DET · Randy Smith +$4.0M
Paul Bako, Donne Wall
CIN · Jim Bowden −$4.0M
Melvin Nieves
DET came out ahead by $4.0M
1997 · SFG / DET
SFG · Brian Sabean +$4.8M
Brian Johnson
DET · Randy Smith −$4.8M
Marcus Jensen
SFG came out ahead by $4.8M
1997 · SDP / DET
SDP · Kevin Towers +$0.0M
Dave Hajek
DET · Randy Smith +$0.0M
Earl Johnson
Even trade
1997 · DET / ANA
DET · Randy Smith +$8.0M
Nick Skuse
ANA · Bill Bavasi −$8.0M
Phil Nevin, Matt Walbeck
DET came out ahead by $8.0M
1997 · SDP / DET
SDP · Kevin Towers +$20.0M
Mike Darr, Matt Skrmetta
DET · Randy Smith −$20.0M
Jody Reed
SDP came out ahead by $20.0M
1997 · SDP / DET
SDP · Kevin Towers +$2.4M
Ryan Balfe, Dan Miceli, Donne Wall
DET · Randy Smith −$2.4M
Trey Beamon, Tim Worrell
SDP came out ahead by $2.4M
1997 · DET / MIL
DET · Randy Smith +$12.0M
Bryce Florie
MIL · Sal Bando −$12.0M
Rick Greene, Mike Myers, Santiago Pérez
DET came out ahead by $12.0M

Current & Historical Payroll

1997 payroll
$17.1M

What the front office was committed to as of 1997, 1997–2003. 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 (6)

PlayerAgeSvc1997199819992000200120022003
Travis Fryman287.000$6.4MFREE AGENT
Willie Blair317.000$800kFREE AGENT$3.8M$4.5M
Omar Olivares297.000$707kFREE AGENT
Jody Reed3410.000$675kFREE AGENT
Vince Coleman3512.000$500kFREE AGENT
Jose Bautista329.000$98kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (17)

PlayerAgeSvc1997199819992000200120022003
Todd Jones294.000$975kARB 3FREE AGENT
Damion Easley275.000$675kFREE AGENT
Matt Walbeck274.000$550kARB 3FREE AGENT
Dan Miceli264.000$475kARB 3FREE AGENT
Doug Brocail305.000$425kFREE AGENT
Scott Sanders284.000$387kARB 3FREE AGENT
Orlando Miller283.000$338kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Melvin Nieves255.000$335kFREE AGENT
Brian L. Hunter263.000$310kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brian Johnson293.000$267kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
John Cummings284.000$215kARB 3FREE AGENT
Curtis Pride284.000$211kARB 3FREE AGENT
A.J. Sager323.000$200kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kevin Jarvis273.000$105kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Joe Hall313.000—ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bob Hamelin294.000—ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tim Pugh305.000—FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (20)

PlayerAgeSvc1997199819992000200120022003
Bobby Higginson262.000$375kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tony Clark252.000$260kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Myers282.000$235kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Felipe Lira252.000$204kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Justin Thompson241.000$198kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Phil Nevin262.000$178kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Greg Keagle261.000$170kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Raul Casanova241.000$158kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brian Moehler251.000$150kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Fernando Hernandez260.000$150kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Deivi Cruz240.000$150kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bubba Trammell250.000$150kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Marcus Jensen241.000$32kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kimera Bartee241.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Frank Catalanotto230.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Glenn Dishman262.000—ARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Roberto Duran240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Juan Encarnacion210.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Eddie Gaillard26–—
Jimmy Hurst25–—

Graphs

How each 1997 acquisition stacked onto Tigers'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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