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Yankees NYY

199692–70 (0.568)★ 1996 World Series Champions
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GM: Bob Watson

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1996, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$50M
Surplus $M
-15
Win %
0.568
TAB
+2.4
WAB
+4.8
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
41.6
Dead money %
23%
Depth Players
11.0
Dead WAR
-5.3

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1996 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RJoe Girardi120
RJim Leyritz55
BJorge Posada4
RTim McIntosh1

1B

LTino Martinez151
RCecil Fielder⇄27
LMike Aldrete⇄9
RJim Leyritz5
LPaul O'Neill1
RTim McIntosh1

2B

RMariano Duncan104
LAndy Fox72
RMatt Howard30
RPat Kelly10
RLuis Sojo⇄8
RJim Leyritz2

3B

LWade Boggs123
LAndy Fox31
RCharlie Hayes⇄20
RJim Leyritz13
RLuis Sojo⇄6
RMatt Howard6
RMariano Duncan3
RRobert Eenhoorn⇄2
RTim McIntosh1

SS

RDerek Jeter157
LAndy Fox9
RLuis Sojo⇄4

LF

RGerald Williams⇄70
BTim Raines Sr.50
LDarryl Strawberry26
RRuben Rivera13
LMike Aldrete⇄10
LDion James3
RJim Leyritz3
RMariano Duncan2

CF

BBernie Williams140
RRuben Rivera14

RF

LPaul O'Neill146
RRuben Rivera19
LDarryl Strawberry8
LMike Aldrete⇄6
LAndy Fox1
LDion James1
RMariano Duncan1

DH

RCecil Fielder⇄26
LDarryl Strawberry24
LMike Aldrete⇄13
RJim Leyritz10
LWade Boggs4
LTino Martinez3
BTim Raines Sr.2
BBernie Williams2
LPaul O'Neill2
RMariano Duncan2
LDion James1
RGerald Williams⇄1

Starters

LAndy Pettitte4.6 WAR
LJimmy Key2.7 WAR
LKenny Rogers2.2 WAR
RDavid Cone2.2 WAR
RDwight Gooden2.1 WAR
RRamiro Mendoza1.1 WAR
RBrian Boehringer0.5 WAR
RMark Hutton⇄0.2 WAR
RDavid Weathers⇄0.1 WAR
RWally Whitehurst0.1 WAR
RRicky Bones⇄-0.2 WAR
RScott Kamieniecki-0.4 WAR

Bullpen

★ RJohn Wetteland43 sv
RJeff Nelson0 h
RMariano Rivera0 h
RBob Wickman⇄0 h
LDale Polley0 h
RJim Mecir0 h
LSteve Howe0 h
RDave Pavlas0 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 1995)

PlayerfWAR
Tino Martinez2.4
Kenny Rogers2.2
Dwight Gooden2.1
Mariano Duncan2.0
Jeff Nelson1.3
Ramiro Mendoza1.1

Key subtractions (gone from 1995)

Player1995 fWAR
Jack McDowell3.5
Randy Velarde3.1
Mike Stanley3.1
Sterling Hitchcock2.0
Melido Perez0.5
Tony Fernandez0.5

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 1996; everyone else is shown as a 1996 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Mariano Rivera 1996 +4.3 +98.4 0.1 +98.2 $0.0M 2.88× –
Andy Pettitte 1996 +4.6 +79.8 0.2 +79.6 $0.0M 2.19× –
Bernie Williams 1996 +3.9 +55.4 3.0 +52.4 $0.8M 1.79× –
Paul O'Neill 1996 +3.7 +53.2 5.3 +47.9 $1.4M 1.79× –
Jimmy Key 1996 +2.7 +42.6 1.8 +40.9 $0.6M 1.96× –
Wade Boggs 1996 +3.1 +27.5 2.0 +25.4 $0.7M 1.12× –
Dwight Gooden 1996 +2.1 +24.9 0.9 +23.9 $0.5M 1.49× –
Kenny Rogers 1996 +2.2 +26.4 5.0 +21.4 $2.2M 1.49× –
David Cone 1996 +2.2 +25.7 4.7 +21.1 $2.2M 1.49× –
Derek Jeter 1996 +2.2 +16.0 0.1 +15.9 $0.1M 0.89× –
Tino Martinez 1996 +2.4 +15.6 2.3 +13.3 $1.0M 0.81× –
Mariano Duncan 1996 +2.0 +12.9 0.8 +12.0 $0.4M 0.82× –
John Wetteland 1996 +1.2 +13.2 4.0 +9.2 $3.2M 1.34× –
Ruben Rivera 1996 +1.0 +6.9 0.1 +6.8 $0.1M 0.83× –
Jeff Nelson 1996 +1.3 +6.8 0.9 +6.0 $0.7M 0.67× –
Tim Raines Sr. 1996 +1.1 +7.6 2.1 +5.5 $1.8M 0.83× –
Darryl Strawberry 1996 +0.6 +3.9 0.3 +3.6 $0.5M 0.83× –
Dave Pavlas 1996 +0.6 +3.4 0.1 +3.3 $0.2M 0.67× –
Bob Wickman↔ 1996 +0.7 +3.5 0.7 +2.8 $1.1M 0.67× –
Charlie Hayes↔ 1996 +0.5 +2.2 0.2 +1.9 $0.5M 0.58× –
Joe Girardi 1996 +1.0 +4.1 2.3 +1.8 $2.4M 0.52× –
Jim Leyritz 1996 +0.8 +3.1 1.5 +1.7 $2.0M 0.52× –
Mark Hutton↔ 1996 +0.2 +1.3 0.1 +1.2 $0.2M 0.67× –
Luis Sojo↔ 1996 +0.2 +1.0 0.1 +0.9 $0.5M 0.56× –
David Weathers↔ 1996 +0.1 +0.5 0.1 +0.5 $0.6M 0.67× –
Wally Whitehurst 1996 +0.1 +0.5 0.1 +0.4 $2.0M 1.02× –
Steve Howe 1996 +0.1 +0.6 0.5 +0.1 $4.7M 0.67× –
Matt Luke 1996 +0.0 +0.0 0.1 -0.1 – 0.83× –
Graeme Lloyd↔ 1996 -0.1 -0.4 0.0 -0.4 – 0.67× –
Mike Aldrete↔ 1996 -0.1 -0.4 0.1 -0.5 – 0.69× –
Robert Eenhoorn↔ 1996 -0.2 -0.7 0.1 -0.8 – 0.58× –
Cecil Fielder↔ 1996 +0.4 +1.9 3.1 -1.1 $7.0M 0.56× –
Ricky Bones↔ 1996 -0.2 -0.9 0.2 -1.1 – 0.67× –
Dale Polley 1996 -0.4 -2.0 0.1 -2.1 – 0.67× –
Pat Kelly 1996 -0.3 -1.3 0.9 -2.2 – 0.56× –
Andy Fox 1996 -0.9 -3.9 0.1 -4.0 – 0.56× –
Scott Kamieniecki 1996 -0.4 -3.5 1.1 -4.6 – 1.02× –
Gerald Williams↔ 1996 -0.9 -6.3 0.2 -6.5 – 0.83× –
Ruben Sierra↔ 1996 -0.8 -5.2 4.2 -9.4 – 0.83× –
Billy Brewer 1996 +0.0 +0.1 – – – 0.67× –
Brian Boehringer 1996 +0.5 +2.5 – – – 0.67× –
Dion James 1996 -0.2 -1.4 – – – 0.83× –
Jim Mecir 1996 +0.0 +0.2 – – – 0.67× –
Jorge Posada 1996 -0.2 -1.0 – – – 0.52× –
Matt Howard 1996 -0.6 -2.8 – – – 0.56× –
Paul Gibson 1996 +0.0 +0.0 – – – 0.67× –
Ramiro Mendoza 1996 +1.1 +9.3 – – – 1.02× –
Tim McIntosh 1996 -0.1 -0.3 – – – 0.56× –
Total—+41.5+520.949.5+464.9—

Trades

Every graded 1996 deal involving the Yankees — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 8 total.

1996 · ANA / NYY
ANA · Bill Bavasi +$4.8M
Jim Leyritz
NYY · Bob Watson −$4.8M
Jeremy Blevins, Ryan Kane
ANA came out ahead by $4.8M
1996 · NYY / ANA
NYY · Bob Watson +$0.8M
Mike Aldrete
ANA · Bill Bavasi −$0.8M
Rich Monteleone
NYY came out ahead by $0.8M
1996 · MIA / NYY
MIA · Dave Dombrowski +$0.8M
Mark Hutton
NYY · Bob Watson −$0.8M
David Weathers
MIA came out ahead by $0.8M
1996 · PIT / NYY
PIT · Ted Simmons +$8.0M
Chris Corn
NYY · Bob Watson −$8.0M
Charlie Hayes
PIT came out ahead by $8.0M
1996 · CLE / NYY
CLE · John Hart +$0.0M
Tom Wilson
NYY · Bob Watson +$0.0M
Ryan Martindale, Marc Marini
Even trade
1996 · NYY / LAD
NYY · Bob Watson +$2.4M
Billy Brewer
LAD · Fred Claire −$2.4M
Mike Judd
NYY came out ahead by $2.4M
1996 · MIL / NYY
MIL · Sal Bando +$8.8M
Bob Wickman, Gerald Williams
NYY · Bob Watson −$8.8M
Pat Listach, Graeme Lloyd, Ricky Bones
MIL came out ahead by $8.8M
1996 · DET / NYY
DET · Randy Smith +$44.8M
Rubén Sierra, Matt Drews#12
NYY · Bob Watson −$44.8M
Cecil Fielder
DET came out ahead by $44.8M

Current & Historical Payroll

1996 payroll
$49.5M

What the front office was committed to as of 1996, 1996–2002. 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 (24)

PlayerAgeSvc1996199719981999200020012002
Paul O'Neill3311.000$5.3M$5.5M$5.5M$6.2M$6.5M$7.2MFREE AGENT
Kenny Rogers317.000$5.0M$5.0MFREE AGENT
David Cone3310.000$4.7M$6.7M$6.7M$9.5M$12.0MFREE AGENT
Ruben Sierra3010.000$4.2MFREE AGENT
John Wetteland297.000$4.0MFREE AGENT
Cecil Fielder3211.000$3.1M$9.2MFREE AGENT
Joe Girardi317.000$2.3M$2.2M$2.9M$3.4MFREE AGENT
Tino Martinez286.000$2.3M$4.4M$4.3M$4.3M$4.8M$6.3MFREE AGENT
Tim Raines Sr.3617.000$2.1M$1.7M$1.3MFREE AGENT
Wade Boggs3814.000$2.0M$2.0MFREE AGENT
Jimmy Key3512.000$1.8MFREE AGENT
Jim Leyritz326.000$1.5MFREE AGENT$1.2M$631k
Dwight Gooden3112.000$950k$2.0MFREE AGENT$333k
Mariano Duncan3311.000$845k$489kFREE AGENT
Steve Howe3816.000$500kFREE AGENT
Darryl Strawberry3413.000$300k$750k$875kFREE AGENT
Charlie Hayes318.000$236k$1.7MFREE AGENT
Mike Aldrete3510.000$127kFREE AGENT
Wally Whitehurst327.000$125kFREE AGENT
Dave Pavlas336.000$120kFREE AGENT
Luis Sojo316.000$118k$425k$800k$800k$289k$500kFREE AGENT
Paul Gibson368.000—FREE AGENT
Dion James3313.000—FREE AGENT
Tim McIntosh316.000—FREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (11)

PlayerAgeSvc1996199719981999200020012002
Bernie Williams275.000$3.0MFREE AGENT
Scott Kamieniecki325.000$1.1MFREE AGENT
Pat Kelly285.000$900kFREE AGENT
Jeff Nelson294.000$860kARB 3FREE AGENT
Bob Wickman274.000$704kARB 3FREE AGENT
Gerald Williams294.000$158kARB 3FREE AGENT
Ricky Bones275.000$154kFREE AGENT
David Weathers265.000$58kFREE AGENT
Mark Hutton263.000$57kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Graeme Lloyd293.000$43kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Billy Brewer283.000—ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (13)

PlayerAgeSvc1996199719981999200020012002
Andy Pettitte241.000$195kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mariano Rivera261.000$131kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Derek Jeter221.000$130kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ruben Rivera221.000$109kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dale Polley300.000$109kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Andy Fox250.000$109kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Luke250.000$109kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Robert Eenhoorn282.000$79kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brian Boehringer271.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Howard28–—
Jim Mecir261.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ramiro Mendoza240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jorge Posada251.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

How each 1996 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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