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Mets NYM

199888–74 (0.543)
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GM: Steve Phillips

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1998, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$57M
Surplus $M
-21
Win %
0.543
TAB
-5.8
WAB
+2.1
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
32.2
Dead money %
45%
Depth Players
7.0
Dead WAR
-6.7

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1998 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RMike Piazza⇄106
RAlberto Castillo35
LJorge Fabregas⇄20
RTodd Pratt16
LRick Wilkins⇄5
RJim Tatum4
BTodd Hundley2

1B

LJohn Olerud157
LMatt Franco11
RJim Tatum9
RTodd Pratt3
RCraig Paquette2
LLenny Harris⇄1
RTim Spehr⇄1

2B

BCarlos Baerga144
BLuis Lopez50
RRalph Milliard5
LLenny Harris⇄1
RTodd Haney1

3B

REdgardo Alfonzo144
LMatt Franco13
BLuis Lopez11
LLenny Harris⇄6
RCraig Paquette4
RJim Tatum3
RMike Kinkade1
RShawn Gilbert⇄1

SS

RRey Ordonez151
BLuis Lopez39
REdgardo Alfonzo1
RRalph Milliard1

LF

BTony Phillips⇄38
BTodd Hundley34
LLenny Harris⇄21
LMatt Franco12
BLuis Lopez8
RJay Payton8
RJim Tatum4
LWayne Kirby3
RJermaine Allensworth⇄1
RCraig Paquette1
RBenny Agbayani1
RTodd Haney1

CF

BBrian McRae154
RJermaine Allensworth⇄25
LWayne Kirby4
RBenny Agbayani2
RBernard Gilkey⇄1
LLenny Harris⇄1

RF

RButch Huskey103
LLenny Harris⇄45
BTony Phillips⇄14
LWayne Kirby12
RJermaine Allensworth⇄7
RBenny Agbayani6
RBernard Gilkey⇄4
RJay Payton1
LMatt Franco1
BLuis Lopez1

DH

RMike Piazza⇄3
LMatt Franco2
RJim Tatum1
RButch Huskey1

Starters

LAl Leiter4.8 WAR
RRick Reed2.9 WAR
RBobby Jones2.0 WAR
RMasato Yoshii1.2 WAR
RHideo Nomo⇄0.9 WAR
RArmando Reynoso0.7 WAR
LBrian Bohanon⇄0.6 WAR
RWillie Blair⇄0.2 WAR
RDave Mlicki⇄0.2 WAR
LBill Pulsipher⇄0.1 WAR

Bullpen

★ LJohn Franco38 sv
LDennis Cook0 h
RTurk Wendell0 h
RGreg McMichael⇄0 h
RMel Rojas0 h
RJohn Hudek⇄0 h
LBrian Bohanon⇄0 h
LBill Pulsipher⇄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 1997)

PlayerfWAR
Mike Piazza5.7
Al Leiter4.8
Dennis Cook1.4
Masato Yoshii1.2
Hideo Nomo0.9
Rich Becker0.4

Key subtractions (gone from 1997)

Player1997 fWAR
Lance Johnson1.6
Manny Alexander0.8
Cory Lidle0.6
Mark Clark0.5
Carlos Mendoza0.1
Carl Everett0.1

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Mets. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 1998; everyone else is shown as a 1998 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
John Olerud 1998 +8.1 +88.7 3.8 +85.0 $0.5M 1.37× –
Al Leiter 1998 +4.8 +84.9 3.0 +81.9 $0.6M 2.19× –
Mike Piazza↔ 1998 +5.7 +58.2 5.8 +52.4 $1.0M 1.28× –
Rick Reed 1998 +2.9 +45.4 1.4 +44.0 $0.5M 1.96× –
Brian McRae 1998 +2.9 +37.5 3.9 +33.7 $1.3M 1.60× –
Edgardo Alfonzo 1998 +3.0 +27.0 1.8 +25.3 $0.6M 1.12× –
Bobby Jones 1998 +2.0 +23.8 3.1 +20.7 $1.6M 1.49× –
Masato Yoshii 1998 +1.2 +10.0 1.1 +8.9 $0.9M 1.02× –
Dennis Cook 1998 +1.4 +7.3 0.8 +6.5 $0.6M 0.67× –
John Franco 1998 +0.8 +9.1 2.9 +6.2 $3.4M 1.34× –
Hideo Nomo↔ 1998 +0.9 +7.3 1.6 +5.7 $1.8M 1.02× –
Armando Reynoso 1998 +0.7 +5.9 1.2 +4.6 $1.7M 1.02× –
Brian Bohanon↔ 1998 +0.6 +3.4 0.2 +3.2 $0.4M 0.67× –
Butch Huskey 1998 +0.5 +3.2 0.3 +2.9 $0.6M 0.83× –
Turk Wendell 1998 +0.7 +3.5 0.7 +2.8 $1.0M 0.67× –
Rich Becker↔ 1998 +0.4 +2.9 0.6 +2.3 $1.4M 0.83× –
Alberto Castillo 1998 +0.6 +2.4 0.2 +2.2 $0.3M 0.52× –
Todd Pratt 1998 +0.5 +2.0 0.3 +1.7 $0.6M 0.52× –
Matt Franco 1998 +0.4 +1.8 0.2 +1.6 $0.5M 0.58× –
Dave Mlicki↔ 1998 +0.2 +1.6 0.4 +1.1 $2.2M 1.02× –
Jim Tatum 1998 +0.1 +0.3 0.2 +0.1 $3.2M 0.56× –
Willie Blair↔ 1998 +0.2 +1.2 1.1 +0.1 $4.7M 0.67× –
John Hudek↔ 1998 -0.0 -0.0 0.2 -0.2 – 0.67× –
Rick Wilkins↔ 1998 -0.1 -0.5 0.1 -0.6 – 0.52× –
Luis Lopez 1998 -0.1 -0.3 0.4 -0.7 – 0.56× –
Craig Paquette 1998 -0.1 -0.5 0.3 -0.8 – 0.58× –
Jeff Tam 1998 -0.1 -0.7 0.2 -0.8 – 0.67× –
Tony Phillips↔ 1998 -0.1 -0.4 0.4 -0.9 – 0.83× –
Tim Spehr↔ 1998 -0.2 -0.8 0.2 -1.0 – 0.56× –
Jorge Fabregas↔ 1998 -0.4 -1.5 0.3 -1.8 – 0.52× –
Jermaine Allensworth↔ 1998 -0.4 -2.4 0.1 -2.5 – 0.83× –
Lenny Harris↔ 1998 -0.4 -2.5 0.4 -2.9 – 0.83× –
Bernard Gilkey↔ 1998 +0.0 +0.3 3.7 -3.5 $99.1M 0.83× –
Greg McMichael↔ 1998 -0.6 -3.0 1.5 -4.5 – 0.67× –
Carlos Baerga 1998 +0.0 +0.1 4.7 -4.7 $406.5M 0.56× –
Rey Ordonez 1998 -1.5 -7.3 0.3 -7.7 – 0.61× –
Mel Rojas 1998 -0.7 -4.0 4.6 -8.6 – 0.67× –
Todd Hundley 1998 -1.1 -7.6 4.9 -12.5 – 0.83× –
Benny Agbayani 1998 -0.2 -1.1 – – – 0.83× –
Bill Pulsipher↔ 1998 +0.1 +0.4 – – – 0.67× –
Brad Clontz↔ 1998 -0.1 -0.3 – – – 0.67× –
Jay Payton 1998 +0.0 +0.2 – – – 0.83× –
Mike Kinkade 1998 -0.0 -0.2 – – – 0.58× –
Preston Wilson↔ 1998 -0.0 -0.3 – – – 0.83× –
Ralph Milliard 1998 -0.0 -0.1 – – – 0.56× –
Rigo Beltran 1998 -0.1 -0.4 – – – 0.67× –
Shawn Gilbert↔ 1998 -0.1 -0.3 – – – 0.58× –
Todd Haney 1998 -0.1 -0.6 – – – 0.56× –
Wayne Kirby 1998 -0.4 -2.3 – – – 0.83× –
Total—+31.9+391.356.9+339.2—

Trades

Every graded 1998 deal involving the Mets — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 22 total.

1998 · NYM / LAD
NYM · Steve Phillips +$4.8M
Brad Clontz, Hideo Nomo
LAD · Tommy Lasorda −$4.8M
Greg McMichael, Dave Mlicki
NYM came out ahead by $4.8M
1998 · NYM / DET
NYM · Steve Phillips +$13.6M
Joe Randa
DET · Randy Smith −$13.6M
Willie Blair
NYM came out ahead by $13.6M
1998 · NYM / LAD
NYM · Steve Phillips +$46.4M
Roger Cedeño, Charles Johnson
LAD · Tommy Lasorda −$46.4M
Todd Hundley, Arnie Gooch
NYM came out ahead by $46.4M
1998 · STL / NYM
STL · Walt Jocketty +$2.4M
Juan Acevedo
NYM · Steve Phillips −$2.4M
Rigo Beltrán
STL came out ahead by $2.4M
1998 · ARI / NYM
ARI · Joe Garagiola +$0.0M
Joe Lisio
NYM · Steve Phillips +$0.0M
Mike Bell
Even trade
1998 · SEA / NYM
SEA · Woody Woodward +$2.4M
Lindsay Gulin
NYM · Steve Phillips −$2.4M
Rick Wilkins
SEA came out ahead by $2.4M
1998 · NYM / MIA
NYM · Steve Phillips +$89.6M
Al Leiter, Ralph Milliard
MIA · Dave Dombrowski −$89.6M
A. J. Burnett, Jesús Sánchez, Rob Stratton
NYM came out ahead by $89.6M
1998 · CIN / NYM
CIN · Jim Bowden +$1.6M
Roberto Petagine
NYM · Steve Phillips −$1.6M
Yuri Sanchez
CIN came out ahead by $1.6M
1998 · STL / NYM
STL · Walt Jocketty +$2.4M
Shawn Gilbert
NYM · Steve Phillips −$2.4M
Wayne Kirby
STL came out ahead by $2.4M
1998 · CIN / NYM
CIN · Jim Bowden +$3.2M
John Hudek
NYM · Steve Phillips −$3.2M
Lenny Harris
CIN came out ahead by $3.2M
1998 · LAD / NYM
LAD · Tommy Lasorda +$10.4M
Mel Rojas
NYM · Steve Phillips −$10.4M
Bobby Bonilla
LAD came out ahead by $10.4M
1998 · NYM / MIA
NYM · Steve Phillips +$4.8M
Óscar Henríquez
MIA · Dave Dombrowski −$4.8M
Jorge Fábregas
NYM came out ahead by $4.8M
1998 · NYM / MIA
NYM · Steve Phillips +$0.0M
Rob Stratton
MIA · Dave Dombrowski +$0.0M
Brandon Villafuerte, César Crespo
Even trade
1998 · TOR / NYM
TOR · Gord Ash +$1.6M
Leo Estrella
NYM · Steve Phillips −$1.6M
Tony Phillips
TOR came out ahead by $1.6M
1998 · KCR / NYM
KCR · Herk Robinson +$3.2M
cash / PTBNL
NYM · Steve Phillips −$3.2M
Jermaine Allensworth
KCR came out ahead by $3.2M
1998 · SEA / NYM
SEA · Woody Woodward +$0.8M
Butch Huskey
NYM · Steve Phillips −$0.8M
Leslie Brea
SEA came out ahead by $0.8M
1998 · NYM / MIL
NYM · Steve Phillips +$0.0M
Mike Kinkade
MIL · Sal Bando +$0.0M
Bill Pulsipher
Even trade
1998 · LAD / NYM
LAD · Tommy Lasorda +$28.0M
Brian Bohanon
NYM · Steve Phillips −$28.0M
Greg McMichael
LAD came out ahead by $28.0M
1998 · NYM / BAL
NYM · Steve Phillips +$29.6M
Armando Benítez
BAL · Pat Gillick −$29.6M
Charles Johnson
NYM came out ahead by $29.6M
1998 · MIA / NYM
MIA · Dave Dombrowski +$4.8M
Geoff Goetz#96, Preston Wilson, Ed Yarnall
NYM · Steve Phillips −$4.8M
Mike Piazza
MIA came out ahead by $4.8M
1998 · NYM / ARI
NYM · Steve Phillips +$36.8M
Willie Blair, Jorge Fábregas
ARI · Joe Garagiola −$36.8M
Nelson Figueroa, Bernard Gilkey
NYM came out ahead by $36.8M
1998 · KCR / NYM
KCR · Herk Robinson +$45.6M
Joe Randa
NYM · Steve Phillips −$45.6M
Juan LeBron
KCR came out ahead by $45.6M

Current & Historical Payroll

1998 payroll
$57.0M

What the front office was committed to as of 1998, 1998–2004. 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)

PlayerAgeSvc1998199920002001200220032004
Mike Piazza296.000$5.8M$7.2M$12.1M$13.6M$10.6M$15.6M$16.1M
Todd Hundley298.000$4.9MFREE AGENT
Carlos Baerga298.000$4.7MFREE AGENT
Mel Rojas318.000$4.6MFREE AGENT
Brian McRae308.000$3.9M$2.7MFREE AGENT
John Olerud299.000$3.8M$4.2MFREE AGENT
Bernard Gilkey318.000$3.7MFREE AGENT
Al Leiter3211.000$3.0M$5.2M$7.8M$9.8M$9.2M$8.0M$10.3M
John Franco3714.000$2.9M$3.0M$3.4M$3.6MFREE AGENT$3.8M$1.0M
Rick Reed3310.000$1.4M$1.7M$4.4M$4.2MFREE AGENT
Armando Reynoso327.000$1.2MFREE AGENT
Willie Blair328.000$1.1MFREE AGENT
Dennis Cook3510.000$850k$2.0M$2.2M$1.7MFREE AGENT
Tony Phillips3916.000$448kFREE AGENT
Lenny Harris3310.000$440kFREE AGENT$746k$1.1M
Dave Mlicki306.000$417kFREE AGENT
Todd Pratt316.000$300k$350k$500k$338kFREE AGENT
Jim Tatum306.000$225kFREE AGENT
Brian Bohanon298.000$224kFREE AGENT
Tim Spehr317.000$187kFREE AGENT
Rick Wilkins317.000$89kFREE AGENT
Todd Haney326.000—FREE AGENT
Wayne Kirby347.000—FREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (15)

PlayerAgeSvc1998199920002001200220032004
Bobby Jones285.000$3.1MFREE AGENT
Edgardo Alfonzo243.000$1.8MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Hideo Nomo293.000$1.6MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Greg McMichael315.000$1.5MFREE AGENT
Turk Wendell315.000$662kFREE AGENT
Rich Becker265.000$593kFREE AGENT
Luis Lopez275.000$375kFREE AGENT
Jorge Fabregas284.000$300kARB 3FREE AGENT
Craig Paquette295.000$300kFREE AGENT
Butch Huskey265.000$300kFREE AGENT
John Hudek314.000$241kARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Franco283.000$202kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Alberto Castillo283.000$192kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brad Clontz273.000—ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bill Pulsipher243.000—ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (11)

PlayerAgeSvc1998199920002001200220032004
Masato Yoshii330.000$1.1MPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rey Ordonez272.000$320kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeff Tam270.000$170kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jermaine Allensworth262.000$66kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rigo Beltran281.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Shawn Gilbert33–—
Ralph Milliard24–—
Preston Wilson230.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Benny Agbayani260.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jay Payton250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Kinkade250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

How each 1998 acquisition stacked onto Mets'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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