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Astros HOU

200387–75 (0.537)
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GM: Gerry Hunsicker

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 2003, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$70M
Surplus $M
+2
Win %
0.537
TAB
+8.4
WAB
+4.8
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
42.8
Dead money %
20%
Depth Players
10.0
Dead WAR
-4.3

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

2003 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RBrad Ausmus143
BGregg Zaun⇄59
RRaúl Chávez16
BMitch Meluskey12

1B

RJeff Bagwell158
LOrlando Merced12
BGeoff Blum6
BJose Vizcaino1

2B

RJeff Kent128
BGeoff Blum25
BJose Vizcaino20
REric Bruntlett9
RDavid Matranga2
RTripp Cromer III1

3B

RMorgan Ensberg111
BGeoff Blum83
BJose Vizcaino2
LOrlando Merced2
REric Bruntlett1

SS

RAdam Everett128
BJose Vizcaino32
RJulio Lugo⇄22
BGeoff Blum11
REric Bruntlett10

LF

BLance Berkman153
LOrlando Merced10
RBrian L. Hunter5
RJason Lane3
LColin Porter1
REric Bruntlett1
BGeoff Blum1

CF

RCraig Biggio150
RBrian L. Hunter14
LColin Porter7
RJason Lane6
REric Bruntlett1
BLance Berkman1

RF

RRichard Hidalgo137
LOrlando Merced21
RBrian L. Hunter15
LColin Porter6
RJason Lane2
BGeoff Blum1

DH

LOrlando Merced7
RMorgan Ensberg1
RRichard Hidalgo1

Starters

RWade Miller3.3 WAR
RTim Redding3.0 WAR
RRoy Oswalt2.7 WAR
LRon Villone1.3 WAR
LJeriome Robertson1.0 WAR
RKirk Saarloos0.6 WAR
RJared Fernandez0.4 WAR
RRodrigo Rosario0.2 WAR
RScott Linebrink⇄0.0 WAR
RJonathan Johnson-0.2 WAR
RBrian Moehler-0.3 WAR
RPete Munro-0.4 WAR

Bullpen

★ LBilly Wagner44 sv
ROctavio Dotel33 h
RBrad Lidge28 h
RRicky Stone6 h
LMike Gallo6 h
RDan Miceli⇄5 h
RKirk Saarloos4 h
RPete Munro3 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 2002)

PlayerfWAR
Jeff Kent3.3
Ron Villone1.3
Jared Fernandez0.4
Dan Miceli0.2
Rodrigo Rosario0.2
Mike Gallo0.1

Key subtractions (gone from 2002)

Player2002 fWAR
Carlos Hernández1.4
Dave Mlicki0.6
Mark Loretta0.5
Tom Gordon0.3
Keith Ginter0.1
T.J. Mathews0.1

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Astros. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 2003; everyone else is shown as a 2003 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Lance Berkman 2003 +6.0 +98.9 3.5 +95.4 $0.6M 2.05× –
Richard Hidalgo 2003 +6.0 +98.7 8.5 +90.2 $1.4M 2.05× –
Wade Miller 2003 +3.3 +52.2 0.5 +51.6 $0.2M 1.96× –
Tim Redding 2003 +3.0 +46.3 0.3 +46.0 $0.1M 1.96× –
Morgan Ensberg 2003 +4.6 +45.8 0.3 +45.5 $0.1M 1.25× –
Roy Oswalt 2003 +2.7 +42.3 0.5 +41.8 $0.2M 1.96× –
Billy Wagner 2003 +2.3 +36.6 8.0 +28.6 $3.4M 1.95× –
Octavio Dotel 2003 +1.6 +24.9 1.6 +23.3 $1.0M 1.95× –
Jeff Bagwell 2003 +3.7 +35.7 13.0 +22.7 $3.5M 1.20× –
Jeff Kent 2003 +3.3 +28.5 7.5 +21.0 $2.3M 1.07× –
Brad Lidge 2003 +1.4 +15.0 0.3 +14.7 $0.2M 1.34× –
Adam Everett 2003 +2.1 +15.0 0.4 +14.6 $0.2M 0.89× –
Craig Biggio 2003 +2.0 +19.3 9.8 +9.5 $4.9M 1.22× –
Jeriome Robertson 2003 +1.0 +7.9 0.3 +7.6 $0.3M 1.02× –
Dan Miceli↔ 2003 +0.2 +1.3 0.1 +1.1 $0.6M 0.67× –
Geoff Blum 2003 +0.5 +2.4 1.5 +0.9 $2.9M 0.58× –
Scott Linebrink↔ 2003 +0.0 +0.3 0.1 +0.2 $1.7M 1.02× –
Raul Chavez 2003 +0.1 +0.2 0.3 -0.1 $5.9M 0.52× –
Rick White↔ 2003 +0.0 +0.0 0.2 -0.2 $55.5M 0.67× –
Bruce Chen↔ 2003 -0.2 -1.0 0.5 -1.4 – 0.67× –
Gregg Zaun↔ 2003 -0.2 -0.9 1.0 -1.8 – 0.52× –
Brian L. Hunter 2003 -0.1 -0.8 1.2 -2.0 – 0.83× –
Pete Munro 2003 -0.4 -2.1 0.3 -2.4 – 0.67× –
Julio Lugo↔ 2003 -0.5 -2.2 0.2 -2.5 – 0.61× –
Brian Moehler 2003 -0.3 -2.2 0.5 -2.7 – 1.02× –
Ricky Stone 2003 -0.5 -2.6 0.3 -2.9 – 0.67× –
Jose Vizcaino 2003 -0.4 -1.7 2.0 -3.7 – 0.61× –
Brad Ausmus 2003 +0.2 +0.7 5.5 -4.8 $32.3M 0.52× –
Orlando Merced 2003 -0.9 -6.1 1.7 -7.8 – 0.83× –
Brandon Puffer 2003 -0.3 -1.5 – – – 0.67× –
Colin Porter 2003 +0.0 +0.2 – – – 0.83× –
David Matranga 2003 +0.0 +0.2 – – – 0.56× –
Eric Bruntlett 2003 -0.2 -0.9 – – – 0.61× –
Jared Fernandez 2003 +0.4 +3.2 – – – 1.02× –
Jason Lane 2003 +0.3 +2.2 – – – 0.83× –
Jonathan Johnson 2003 -0.2 -1.7 – – – 1.02× –
Kirk Bullinger 2003 -0.1 -0.3 – – – 0.67× –
Kirk Saarloos 2003 +0.6 +3.1 – – – 0.67× –
Mike Gallo 2003 +0.1 +0.4 – – – 0.67× –
Mitch Meluskey 2003 -0.1 -0.3 – – – 0.52× –
Nate Bland 2003 -0.1 -0.6 – – – 0.67× –
Rodrigo Rosario 2003 +0.2 +1.8 – – – 1.02× –
Ron Villone 2003 +1.3 +10.7 – – – 1.02× –
Tripp Cromer III 2003 +0.0 +0.2 – – – 0.56× –
Total—+42.4+569.169.9+482.4—

Trades

Every graded 2003 deal involving the Astros — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 3 total.

2003 · PHI / HOU
PHI · Ed Wade +$26.4M
Billy Wagner
HOU · Gerry Hunsicker −$26.4M
Brandon Duckworth, Taylor Buchholz, Ezequiel Astacio
PHI came out ahead by $26.4M
2003 · HOU / LAD
HOU · Gerry Hunsicker +$8.8M
Ruddy Lugo
LAD · Dan Evans −$8.8M
Daryle Ward
HOU came out ahead by $8.8M
2003 · HOU / TBR
HOU · Gerry Hunsicker +$20.8M
Brandon Backe
TBR · Chuck Lamar −$20.8M
Geoff Blum
HOU came out ahead by $20.8M

Current & Historical Payroll

2003 payroll
$69.8M

What the front office was committed to as of 2003, 2003–2009. 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 (16)

PlayerAgeSvc2003200420052006200720082009
Jeff Bagwell3512.000$13.0M$16.0M$18.0MFREE AGENT
Craig Biggio3715.000$9.8M$3.0M$3.0M$4.0M$5.2MFREE AGENT
Richard Hidalgo286.000$8.5M$7.5MFREE AGENT
Billy Wagner318.000$8.0MFREE AGENT
Jeff Kent3511.000$7.5M$10.0MFREE AGENT
Brad Ausmus3410.000$5.5M$1.0M$3.0MFREE AGENT$4.0M$2.0M
Jose Vizcaino3514.000$2.0M$1.2M$1.2MFREE AGENT
Orlando Merced3613.000$1.7MFREE AGENT
Brian L. Hunter329.000$1.2MFREE AGENT
Gregg Zaun328.000$957kFREE AGENT
Brian Moehler317.000$500kFREE AGENT$500k$500k$2.3M
Raul Chavez307.000$300k$315k$360kFREE AGENT
Rick White349.000$184kFREE AGENT$476k
Dan Miceli3210.000$141k$600kFREE AGENT
Tripp Cromer III3510.000—FREE AGENT
Ron Villone338.000—FREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (12)

PlayerAgeSvc2003200420052006200720082009
Lance Berkman274.000$3.5MARB 3FREE AGENT
Octavio Dotel294.000$1.6MARB 3FREE AGENT
Geoff Blum304.000$1.5MARB 3FREE AGENT
Wade Miller264.000$525kARB 3FREE AGENT
Bruce Chen265.000$481kFREE AGENT
Pete Munro284.000$305kARB 3FREE AGENT
Morgan Ensberg273.000$300kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Julio Lugo273.000$249kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Scott Linebrink263.000$52kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kirk Bullinger335.000—FREE AGENT
Mitch Meluskey295.000—FREE AGENT
Jonathan Johnson285.000—FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (16)

PlayerAgeSvc2003200420052006200720082009
Roy Oswalt252.000$500kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Adam Everett262.000$370kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ricky Stone282.000$325kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tim Redding252.000$300kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brad Lidge261.000$300kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeriome Robertson261.000$300kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jared Fernandez312.000—ARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jason Lane261.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brandon Puffer27–—
Rodrigo Rosario25–—
Kirk Saarloos241.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
David Matranga26–—
Nate Bland28–—
Colin Porter27–—
Eric Bruntlett250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Gallo260.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

How each 2003 acquisition stacked onto Astros'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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