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Yankees NYY

198974–87 (0.460)
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GM: Bob Quinn

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1989, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$14M
Surplus $M
-2
Win %
0.460
TAB
-2.5
WAB
-7.8
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
31.8
Dead money %
19%
Depth Players
7.0
Dead WAR
-6.3

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1989 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RDon Slaught105
RBob Geren60
RBrian Dorsett8

1B

LDon Mattingly146
RSteve Balboni20
LHal Morris2

2B

RSteve Sax158
BWayne Tolleson13
RTom Brookens5

3B

LMike Pagliarulo⇄74
RTom Brookens51
BWayne Tolleson28
RRandy Velarde27
RMike Blowers13
RHensley Meulens8
RSteve Kiefer5

SS

RAlvaro Espinoza146
BWayne Tolleson28
RRandy Velarde9
RTom Brookens7
LJamie Quirk⇄1

LF

LLuis Polonia⇄61
LMel Hall46
BMarcus Lawton7
LDeion Sanders3
LHal Morris2
RBob Brower1

CF

RRoberto Kelly137
RJesse Barfield⇄18
LDeion Sanders11
RBob Brower9

RF

RJesse Barfield⇄140
LMel Hall31
RBob Brower15
LHal Morris3
RTom Brookens3
LDon Mattingly1
BMarcus Lawton1
LKen Phelps⇄1

DH

RSteve Balboni62
LKen Phelps⇄41
LMel Hall28
LDon Mattingly16
LLuis Polonia⇄5
RTom Brookens2
RJesse Barfield⇄1
RDon Slaught1
LHal Morris1

Starters

LGreg Cadaret⇄1.2 WAR
RAndy Hawkins1.1 WAR
LChuck Cary1.0 WAR
RClay Parker1.0 WAR
LDave LaPoint0.5 WAR
RLance McCullers0.5 WAR
RWalt Terrell⇄0.5 WAR
LJohn Candelaria⇄0.4 WAR
LTommy John0.2 WAR
LAl Leiter⇄0.2 WAR
RDon Schulze⇄0.0 WAR
RJimmy Jones-0.1 WAR
RRichard Dotson⇄-0.1 WAR
RDave Eiland-0.1 WAR
REric Plunk⇄-0.3 WAR
LKevin Mmahat-0.3 WAR

Bullpen

★ LDave Righetti25 sv
LLee Guetterman0 h
RLance McCullers0 h
RDale Mohorcic0 h
RRich Gossage⇄0 h
LAl Leiter⇄0 h
LKevin Mmahat0 h
RDon Schulze⇄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 1988)

PlayerfWAR
Steve Sax4.3
Jesse Barfield3.8
Greg Cadaret1.2
Andy Hawkins1.1
Bob Brower1.1
Mel Hall1.1

Key subtractions (gone from 1988)

Player1988 fWAR
Dave Winfield5.0
Claudell Washington2.9
Jack Clark2.8
Rick Rhoden1.9
Willie Randolph1.8
Charles Hudson1.0

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Yankees. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 1989; everyone else is shown as a 1989 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Jesse Barfield↔ 1989 +3.8 +55.2 1.1 +54.1 $0.3M 1.79× –
Steve Sax 1989 +4.3 +41.2 1.1 +40.1 $0.3M 1.20× –
Rickey Henderson↔ 1989 +3.1 +40.2 0.9 +39.3 $0.3M 1.60× –
Roberto Kelly 1989 +2.9 +36.9 0.1 +36.9 $0.0M 1.60× –
Don Mattingly 1989 +3.7 +35.8 2.2 +33.6 $0.6M 1.20× –
Don Slaught 1989 +2.2 +13.3 0.7 +12.7 $0.3M 0.76× –
Bob Geren 1989 +2.0 +12.2 0.1 +12.1 $0.0M 0.76× –
Randy Velarde 1989 +1.7 +11.9 0.1 +11.8 $0.0M 0.85× –
Dave Righetti 1989 +1.2 +13.0 1.4 +11.6 $1.2M 1.34× –
Lee Guetterman 1989 +1.0 +11.1 0.1 +10.9 $0.1M 1.34× –
Greg Cadaret↔ 1989 +1.2 +10.0 0.1 +10.0 $0.1M 1.02× –
Chuck Cary 1989 +1.0 +8.5 0.1 +8.4 $0.1M 1.02× –
Clay Parker 1989 +1.0 +8.2 0.1 +8.1 $0.1M 1.02× –
Andy Hawkins 1989 +1.1 +8.8 0.9 +7.9 $0.9M 1.02× –
Mel Hall 1989 +1.1 +7.2 0.9 +6.3 $0.9M 0.83× –
Alvaro Espinoza 1989 +1.2 +5.8 0.1 +5.7 $0.1M 0.61× –
Luis Polonia↔ 1989 +0.7 +4.9 0.1 +4.8 $0.1M 0.83× –
Dave LaPoint 1989 +0.5 +4.4 0.8 +3.6 $1.5M 1.02× –
Walt Terrell↔ 1989 +0.5 +3.9 0.3 +3.6 $0.7M 1.02× –
John Candelaria↔ 1989 +0.4 +3.0 0.4 +2.6 $1.0M 1.02× –
Lance McCullers Sr. 1989 +0.5 +2.8 0.5 +2.4 $0.9M 0.67× –
Al Leiter↔ 1989 +0.2 +1.7 0.1 +1.7 $0.3M 1.02× –
Rich Gossage↔ 1989 +0.2 +1.7 0.0 +1.7 $0.1M 1.34× –
Ken Phelps↔ 1989 +0.1 +0.5 0.6 -0.1 $7.1M 0.69× –
Hensley Meulens 1989 -0.0 -0.1 0.1 -0.2 – 0.58× –
Gary Ward↔ 1989 -0.0 -0.3 0.0 -0.3 – 0.83× –
Mike Blowers 1989 -0.2 -1.0 0.1 -1.0 – 0.58× –
Richard Dotson↔ 1989 -0.1 -1.1 0.0 -1.1 – 1.02× –
Eric Plunk↔ 1989 -0.3 -1.4 0.1 -1.5 – 0.67× –
Steve Kiefer 1989 -0.3 -1.4 0.1 -1.5 – 0.58× –
Jamie Quirk↔ 1989 -0.4 -2.0 0.0 -2.0 – 0.61× –
Stan Jefferson↔ 1989 -0.3 -2.3 0.0 -2.3 – 0.83× –
Tom Brookens 1989 -0.9 -4.4 0.5 -4.9 – 0.58× –
Mike Pagliarulo↔ 1989 -1.2 -5.5 0.3 -5.9 – 0.58× –
Bob Brower 1989 +1.1 +7.2 – – – 0.83× –
Bob Davidson 1989 -0.1 -0.4 – – – 0.67× –
Brian Dorsett 1989 +0.3 +1.3 – – – 0.52× –
Dale Mohorcic 1989 -0.7 -3.6 – – – 0.67× –
Dave Eiland 1989 -0.1 -1.2 – – – 1.02× –
Deion Sanders 1989 +0.3 +2.0 – – – 0.83× –
Don Schulze↔ 1989 +0.0 +0.2 – – – 1.02× –
Hal Morris 1989 +0.1 +0.5 – – – 0.83× –
Jimmy Jones 1989 -0.1 -0.7 – – – 1.02× –
Kevin Mmahat 1989 -0.3 -2.5 – – – 1.02× –
Marcus Lawton 1989 -0.4 -2.7 – – – 0.83× –
Scott Nielsen 1989 -0.0 -0.2 – – – 0.67× –
Steve Balboni 1989 +0.3 +1.6 – – – 0.69× –
Tommy John 1989 +0.2 +1.8 – – – 1.02× –
Wayne Tolleson 1989 -0.7 -3.3 – – – 0.58× –
Total—+31.8+322.714.0+309.1—

Trades

Every graded 1989 deal involving the Yankees — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 14 total.

1989 · NYY / TOR
NYY · Bob Quinn +$73.6M
Jesse Barfield
TOR · Pat Gillick −$73.6M
Al Leiter
NYY came out ahead by $73.6M
1989 · NYY / SDP
NYY · Bob Quinn +$6.4M
Walt Terrell, Freddie Toliver
SDP · Jack McKeon −$6.4M
Mike Pagliarulo, Don Schulze
NYY came out ahead by $6.4M
1989 · CIN / NYY
CIN · Murray Cook +$65.6M
Hal Morris, Rod Imes
NYY · Bob Quinn −$65.6M
Tim Leary, Van Snider
CIN came out ahead by $65.6M
1989 · PIT / NYY
PIT · Larry Doughty +$28.0M
Don Slaught
NYY · Bob Quinn −$28.0M
Jeff Robinson, Willie Smith
PIT came out ahead by $28.0M
1989 · NYM / NYY
NYM · Frank Cashen +$3.2M
Scott Nielsen
NYY · Bob Quinn −$3.2M
Marcus Lawton
NYM came out ahead by $3.2M
1989 · NYY / BAL
NYY · Bob Quinn +$14.4M
John Habyan
BAL · Roland Hemond −$14.4M
Stan Jefferson
NYY came out ahead by $14.4M
1989 · CLE / NYY
CLE · Hank Peters +$18.4M
Joel Skinner, Turner Ward
NYY · Bob Quinn −$18.4M
Mel Hall
CLE came out ahead by $18.4M
1989 · NYY / MIN
NYY · Bob Quinn +$1.6M
Balvino Gálvez
MIN · Andy MacPhail −$1.6M
Steve Shields
NYY came out ahead by $1.6M
1989 · NYY / DET
NYY · Bob Quinn +$1.6M
Tom Brookens
DET · Bill Lajoie −$1.6M
Charles Hudson
NYY came out ahead by $1.6M
1989 · SEA / NYY
SEA · Woody Woodward +$9.6M
Dana Ridenour
NYY · Bob Quinn −$9.6M
Steve Balboni
SEA came out ahead by $9.6M
1989 · NYY / HOU
NYY · Bob Quinn +$8.8M
John Fishel, Pedro DeLeon, Mike Hook
HOU · Bill Wood −$8.8M
Rick Rhoden
NYY came out ahead by $8.8M
1989 · NYY / OAK
NYY · Bob Quinn +$16.0M
Scott Holcomb
OAK · Sandy Alderson −$16.0M
Ken Phelps
NYY came out ahead by $16.0M
1989 · NYY / WSN
NYY · Bob Quinn +$0.8M
Mike Blowers
WSN · Dave Dombrowski −$0.8M
John Candelaria
NYY came out ahead by $0.8M
1989 · OAK / NYY
OAK · Sandy Alderson +$383.2M
Rickey Henderson
NYY · Bob Quinn −$383.2M
Greg Cadaret, Eric Plunk, Luis Polonia
OAK came out ahead by $383.2M

Current & Historical Payroll

1989 payroll
$14.0M

What the front office was committed to as of 1989, 1989–1995. 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 (21)

PlayerAgeSvc1989199019911992199319941995
Don Mattingly287.000$2.2M$2.5M$3.4M$3.6M$3.8M$4.0M$4.4M
Dave Righetti3010.000$1.4M$1.6MFREE AGENT
Steve Sax298.000$1.1M$950k$1.7MFREE AGENT
Jesse Barfield298.000$1.1M$1.2M$1.3M$2.2MFREE AGENT
Andy Hawkins297.000$933k$1.1M$1.2MFREE AGENT
Mel Hall288.000$925k$1.1M$1.1M$1.3MFREE AGENT
Rickey Henderson3010.000$919kFREE AGENT
Dave LaPoint299.000$825k$850kFREE AGENT
Don Slaught307.000$650kFREE AGENT
Ken Phelps349.000$581kFREE AGENT
Tom Brookens3510.000$475kFREE AGENT
John Candelaria3514.000$364kFREE AGENT
Walt Terrell317.000$315kFREE AGENT
Richard Dotson3010.000$27kFREE AGENT
Jamie Quirk3414.000$19kFREE AGENT
Rich Gossage3717.000$18kFREE AGENT
Gary Ward3510.000$5kFREE AGENT
Steve Balboni328.000—$900kFREE AGENT
Tommy John4626.000—FREE AGENT
Don Schulze266.000—FREE AGENT
Wayne Tolleson338.000—$425kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (12)

PlayerAgeSvc1989199019911992199319941995
Lance McCullers Sr.254.000$460kARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Pagliarulo295.000$343kFREE AGENT
Lee Guetterman305.000$138kFREE AGENT
Eric Plunk253.000$125kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Steve Kiefer285.000$95kFREE AGENT
Chuck Cary294.000$90kARB 3FREE AGENT
Alvaro Espinoza275.000$68kFREE AGENT
Stan Jefferson263.000$20kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bob Brower293.000—ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jimmy Jones253.000—ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dale Mohorcic333.000—ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Scott Nielsen303.000—ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (16)

PlayerAgeSvc1989199019911992199319941995
Luis Polonia252.000$96kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Blowers240.000$82kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Roberto Kelly242.000$80kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Randy Velarde262.000$72kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bob Geren271.000$70kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Hensley Meulens220.000$68kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Clay Parker262.000$68kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Greg Cadaret272.000$67kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Al Leiter232.000$64kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bob Davidson26–—
Brian Dorsett282.000—ARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dave Eiland221.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Marcus Lawton23–—
Kevin Mmahat24–—
Hal Morris241.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Deion Sanders210.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

How each 1989 acquisition stacked onto Yankees'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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