RRosternomics
𝕏

Royals KCR

‹ ›

GM: Allard Baird

Overview

REBUILD ↘ cooling
cheap & losing · year 3 in this regime · payroll 0.71× league · TAB -15.8
-15.8TAB — talent above budget28th/30
-15.5WAB — realized wins (TAB + luck)25th/30
5.0depth — 2+ WAR regulars19th/30
-11.7dead WAR — sub-replacement drag29th/30
32%dead money %19th/30
0.383win %27th/30
14.2roster fWAR28th/30
-21surplus $M (value vs cost)22nd/30
$47Mpayroll $M22nd/30

Roster

CFCarlos Beltrán 149GMichael Tucker 14GBrandon Berger 4G
LFChuck Knoblauch 74GRaul Ibanez 42GMichael Tucker 33G
RFMichael Tucker 67GAaron Guiel 61GBrandon Berger 21G
SSNeifi Perez 139GAngel Berroa 20GMike Caruso 5G
2BCarlos Febles 116GLuis Alicea 32GLuis Ordaz 28G
3BJoe Randa 129GLuis Alicea 32GKit Pellow 12G
1BMike Sweeney 102GRaul Ibanez 49GKit Pellow 10G
STARTERSPaul Byrd 3.1WARJeff Suppan 1.4WARRunelvys Hernandez 1.2WARJeremy Affeldt 0.9WARChris George 0.6WAR
CBrent Mayne 99GA.J. Hinch 68GJuan Brito 9G
DHRaul Ibanez 36GMike Sweeney 24GMichael Tucker 21G
BULLPEN★ Roberto Hernandez 26svJason Grimsley 12hScott Mullen 6hCory Bailey 5hRyan Bukvich 5hBrian Shouse 2hBlake Stein 1hBrad Voyles 1h
CBrent Mayne 99 · A.J. Hinch 68 · Juan Brito 9
1BMike Sweeney 102 · Raul Ibanez 49 · Kit Pellow 10
2BCarlos Febles 116 · Luis Alicea 32 · Luis Ordaz 28
3BJoe Randa 129 · Luis Alicea 32 · Kit Pellow 12
SSNeifi Perez 139 · Angel Berroa 20 · Mike Caruso 5
LFChuck Knoblauch 74 · Raul Ibanez 42 · Michael Tucker 33
CFCarlos Beltrán 149 · Michael Tucker 14 · Brandon Berger 4
RFMichael Tucker 67 · Aaron Guiel 61 · Brandon Berger 21
DHRaul Ibanez 36 · Mike Sweeney 24 · Michael Tucker 21
SPPaul Byrd 3.1 · Jeff Suppan 1.4 · Runelvys Hernandez 1.2 · Jeremy Affeldt 0.9 · Chris George 0.6
BP★ Roberto Hernandez 26 · Jason Grimsley 12 · Scott Mullen 6 · Cory Bailey 5 · Ryan Bukvich 5 · Brian Shouse 2 · Blake Stein 1 · Brad Voyles 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.

2002 roster — value & surplus

PlayerAgeServiceGfWARSalary $MSurplus $M
Carlos Beltrán 25 arb 1625.4 3.5 +5.8
Mike Sweeney 28 FA-elig 1264.5 8.0 -0.2
Paul Byrd 31 FA-elig 333.1 0.8 +4.4
Raul Ibanez 30 FA-elig 1372.3 0.8 +3.2
Joe Randa 32 FA-elig 1512.1 4.0 -0.4
Jeff Suppan 27 FA-elig 331.4 4.2 -1.8
Runelvys Hernandez 24 – 121.2 – –
Jeremy Affeldt 23 pre-arb 340.9 0.2 +1.4
Michael Tucker 31 FA-elig 1440.9 2.2 -0.7
Jason Grimsley 34 FA-elig 700.8 1.9 -0.5
Roberto Hernandez 37 FA-elig 530.6 6.0 -4.9
Chris George 22 – 60.6 – –
A.J. Hinch 28 arb 720.5 0.3 +0.5
Miguel Asencio 21 pre-arb 310.4 0.2 +0.5
Darrell May 30 FA-elig 300.4 0.4 +0.3
Angel Berroa 24 – 200.2 – –
Dusty Wathan 28 – 30.2 – –
Mike MacDougal 25 – 60.1 – –
Jeff Austin 25 pre-arb 100.1 0.2 +0.0
Blake Stein 28 arb 270.1 1.4 -1.2
Juan Brito 22 – 90.0 – –
Dee Brown 24 – 160.0 – –
Ryan Bukvich 24 – 260.0 – –
Mac Suzuki 27 – 7-0.0 – –
Jeremy Hill 24 – 10-0.0 – –
Brent Mayne 34 FA-elig 101-0.0 2.5 -2.6
Shawn Sedlacek 25 – 16-0.0 – –
Bryan Rekar 30 – 2-0.1 – –
Dan Reichert 25 arb 30-0.1 0.3 -0.4
Scott Mullen 27 – 44-0.1 – –
Chan Perry 29 – 5-0.1 – –
Wes Obermueller 25 – 2-0.1 – –
Alexis Gomez 23 – 5-0.1 – –
Nate Field 26 – 5-0.2 – –
Chad Durbin 24 arb 2-0.2 0.3 -0.6
Donzell McDonald II 27 – 10-0.2 – –
Kit Pellow 28 – 29-0.2 – –
Brad Voyles 25 – 22-0.2 – –
Brian Shouse 33 FA-elig 23-0.2 0.2 -0.6
Carlos Febles 26 arb 119-0.3 0.8 -1.3
Dave McCarty↔ TBR 32 FA-elig 13-0.3 0.4 -1.0
Mark Quinn 28 arb 23-0.4 0.4 -1.0
Mike Caruso 25 – 12-0.4 – –
Brandon Berger 27 pre-arb 51-0.4 0.2 -0.9
Luis Ordaz 26 – 33-0.4 – –
Cory Bailey 31 FA-elig 37-0.5 0.3 -1.2
Kris Wilson 25 pre-arb 12-0.6 0.2 -1.3
Donnie Sadler↔ TEX 27 arb 35-0.7 0.1 -1.4
Luis Alicea 36 FA-elig 94-0.8 0.8 -2.2
Chuck Knoblauch 33 FA-elig 80-0.8 2.0 -3.4
Aaron Guiel 29 – 70-1.2 – –
Neifi Perez 29 FA-elig 145-2.9 4.1 -9.1

Key additions (new vs 2001)

PlayerfWAR
Runelvys Hernandez1.2
Jeremy Affeldt0.9
Michael Tucker0.9
Miguel Asencio0.4
Darrell May0.4
Dusty Wathan0.2

Key subtractions (gone from 2001)

Player2001 fWAR
Rey Sanchez2.5
Gregg Zaun1.2
Jose Santiago0.3
Jermaine Dye0.3
Sal Fasano-0.0
Héctor Ortiz-0.0

Current & Historical Payroll

2002 payroll
$46.7M

What the front office was committed to as of 2002, 2002–2008. 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 (18)

PlayerAgeSvc2002200320042005200620072008
Mike Sweeney287.000$8.0M$11.0M$11.0M$11.0M$11.0M$11.0MFREE AGENT
Roberto Hernandez3711.000$6.0MFREE AGENT
Jeff Suppan277.000$4.2MFREE AGENT
Neifi Perez296.000$4.1MFREE AGENT
Joe Randa327.000$4.0M$4.5M$3.2MFREE AGENT
Brent Mayne3412.000$2.5M$2.8MFREE AGENT
Michael Tucker317.000$2.2M$2.8MFREE AGENT
Chuck Knoblauch3311.000$2.0MFREE AGENT
Jason Grimsley3413.000$1.9M$2.0M$562kFREE AGENT
Paul Byrd317.000$850kFREE AGENT
Raul Ibanez306.000$800k$3.0MFREE AGENT
Luis Alicea3614.000$800kFREE AGENT
Dave McCarty329.000$442kFREE AGENT
Darrell May307.000$375k$450k$1.8MFREE AGENT
Cory Bailey319.000$320kFREE AGENT
Brian Shouse339.000$215kFREE AGENT
Bryan Rekar307.000—FREE AGENT
Mac Suzuki276.000—FREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (11)

PlayerAgeSvc2002200320042005200620072008
Carlos Beltrán254.000$3.5MARB 3FREE AGENT
Blake Stein284.000$1.4MARB 3FREE AGENT
Carlos Febles264.000$775kARB 3FREE AGENT
Mark Quinn283.000$375kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dan Reichert253.000$310kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Chad Durbin243.000$275kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
A.J. Hinch284.000$260kARB 3FREE AGENT
Donnie Sadler274.000$122kARB 3FREE AGENT
Luis Ordaz265.000—FREE AGENT
Mike Caruso254.000—ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dee Brown244.000—ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (23)

PlayerAgeSvc2002200320042005200620072008
Kris Wilson252.000$240kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeff Austin251.000$205kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brandon Berger271.000$202kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeremy Affeldt230.000$200kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Miguel Asencio210.000$200kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Donzell McDonald II27–—
Dusty Wathan28–—
Chris George221.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeremy Hill24–—
Scott Mullen272.000—ARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike MacDougal251.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Chan Perry29–—
Alexis Gomez23–—
Brad Voyles25–—
Angel Berroa241.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Nate Field260.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Aaron Guiel290.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Juan Brito22–—
Kit Pellow280.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Shawn Sedlacek25–—
Ryan Bukvich240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Runelvys Hernandez240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Wes Obermueller250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR. Bars = Royals 2002; 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.