RRosternomics
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Phillies PHI

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GM: Lee Thomas

Overview

REBUILD → steady
cheap & losing · year 1 in this regime · payroll 1.0× league · TAB -9.4
-9.4TAB — talent above budget26th/28
-14.9WAB — realized wins (TAB + luck)26th/28
3.0depth — 2+ WAR regulars27th/28
-6.4dead WAR — sub-replacement drag20th/28
30%dead money %21st/28
0.414win %27th/28
24.8roster fWAR25th/28
-11surplus $M (value vs cost)21st/28
$33Mpayroll $M14th/28

Roster

CFRicky Otero 100GLenny Dykstra 39GWendell Magee 18G
LFGregg Jefferies 51GJim Eisenreich 43GWendell Magee 6G
RFJim Eisenreich 50GRuben Amaro Jr. 28GGlenn Murray 24G
SSKevin Stocker 119GMike Benjamin 31GKevin Sefcik 21G
2BMickey Morandini 137GDavid Doster 24GKevin Jordan 7G
3BScott Rolen 37GKevin Sefcik 20GDavid Doster 1G
1BGregg Jefferies 53GKevin Jordan 30GTodd Zeile 28G
STARTERSCurt Schilling 4.7WARSid Fernandez 1.7WARMike Grace 1.2WARDavid West 1.0WARRuss Springer 0.7WAR
CBenito Santiago 114GMike Lieberthal 43GGary Bennett 5G
BULLPEN★ Ricky Bottalico 34svToby Borland 0hKen Ryan 0hJeff Parrett 0hSteve Frey 0hRon Blazier 0hRicardo Jordan 0hGlenn Dishman 0h
CBenito Santiago 114 · Mike Lieberthal 43 · Gary Bennett 5
1BGregg Jefferies 53 · Kevin Jordan 30 · Todd Zeile 28
2BMickey Morandini 137 · David Doster 24 · Kevin Jordan 7
3BScott Rolen 37 · Kevin Sefcik 20 · David Doster 1
SSKevin Stocker 119 · Mike Benjamin 31 · Kevin Sefcik 21
LFGregg Jefferies 51 · Jim Eisenreich 43 · Wendell Magee 6
CFRicky Otero 100 · Lenny Dykstra 39 · Wendell Magee 18
RFJim Eisenreich 50 · Ruben Amaro Jr. 28 · Glenn Murray 24
SPCurt Schilling 4.7 · Sid Fernandez 1.7 · Mike Grace 1.2 · David West 1.0 · Russ Springer 0.7
BP★ Ricky Bottalico 34 · Toby Borland 0 · Ken Ryan 0 · Jeff Parrett 0 · Steve Frey 0 · Ron Blazier 0 · Ricardo Jordan 0 · Glenn Dishman 0

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.

1996 roster — value & surplus

PlayerAgeServiceGfWARSalary $MSurplus $M
Curt Schilling 29 FA-elig 284.7 2.0 +1.9
Jim Eisenreich 37 FA-elig 1132.7 1.2 +1.1
Benito Santiago 31 FA-elig 1362.6 1.7 +0.5
Lenny Dykstra 33 FA-elig 401.7 6.2 -4.7
Sid Fernandez 33 FA-elig 111.7 0.7 +0.8
Gregg Jefferies 28 FA-elig 1041.7 5.5 -4.1
Kevin Stocker 26 arb 1191.4 0.3 +0.9
Ricky Bottalico 26 pre-arb 611.3 0.2 +0.9
Terry Mulholland↔ SEA 33 FA-elig 211.3 0.4 +0.7
Mike Grace 26 pre-arb 121.2 0.1 +0.9
Mark Whiten↔ ATL 29 FA-elig 601.2 0.4 +0.7
Todd Zeile↔ BAL 30 FA-elig 1341.2 2.2 -1.2
David West 31 FA-elig 71.0 0.5 +0.3
Ken Ryan 27 arb 620.9 0.3 +0.5
Ruben Amaro Jr. 31 arb 610.8 0.1 +0.5
Russ Springer 27 arb 510.7 0.2 +0.4
Pete Incaviglia↔ BAL 32 FA-elig 990.6 0.5 +0.0
Mike Lieberthal 24 pre-arb 500.5 0.1 +0.3
Mike Benjamin 30 FA-elig 350.5 0.3 +0.1
Kevin Jordan 26 pre-arb 430.5 0.1 +0.3
Jeff Parrett↔ STL 34 FA-elig 180.4 0.2 +0.1
Kevin Sefcik 25 pre-arb 440.4 0.1 +0.2
Ricardo Jordan 26 pre-arb 260.4 0.1 +0.2
Mike Williams 27 arb 330.4 0.2 +0.1
Bobby Estalella 21 – 70.3 – –
Mike Mimbs 27 pre-arb 210.3 0.2 +0.1
Mickey Morandini 30 FA-elig 1400.2 1.9 -1.7
Calvin Maduro 21 – 40.2 – –
Toby Borland 27 pre-arb 690.2 0.2 -0.0
Gene Schall 26 pre-arb 280.1 0.1 +0.0
Gary Bennett 24 pre-arb 60.1 0.1 -0.1
Matt Beech 24 pre-arb 80.0 0.1 -0.1
Ron Blazier 24 – 27-0.0 – –
Larry Mitchell 24 pre-arb 7-0.0 0.1 -0.1
David Doster 25 – 39-0.0 – –
Bronson Heflin 24 – 3-0.0 – –
Carlos Crawford 24 – 1-0.1 – –
Darren Daulton 34 FA-elig 5-0.1 5.2 -5.3
Glenn Dishman↔ SDP 25 – 4-0.1 – –
Howard Battle 24 – 5-0.1 – –
Bobby Munoz 28 arb 6-0.1 0.1 -0.3
Rich Hunter 21 pre-arb 15-0.1 0.1 -0.2
Rafael Quirico 26 – 1-0.2 – –
Scott Rolen 21 pre-arb 37-0.2 0.1 -0.3
Manny Martinez↔ SEA 25 – 13-0.2 – –
Dave Leiper↔ WSN 34 FA-elig 26-0.3 0.2 -0.4
Ricky Otero 24 pre-arb 104-0.3 0.1 -0.4
J.R. Phillips↔ SFG 26 arb 35-0.3 0.1 -0.3
Steve Frey 32 – 31-0.4 – –
Desi Relaford 22 – 15-0.4 – –
Glenn Murray 25 pre-arb 38-0.5 0.1 -0.5
Jon Zuber 26 pre-arb 30-0.6 0.1 -0.6
Lee Tinsley↔ BOS 27 arb 31-1.0 0.1 -0.9
Wendell Magee 23 pre-arb 38-1.2 0.1 -1.1

Key additions (new vs 1995)

PlayerfWAR
Benito Santiago2.6
Terry Mulholland1.3
Todd Zeile1.2
Ken Ryan0.9
Ruben Amaro Jr.0.8
Pete Incaviglia0.6

Key subtractions (gone from 1995)

Player1995 fWAR
Charlie Hayes2.3
Paul Quantrill1.8
Tony Longmire1.3
Heathcliff Slocumb1.2
Dave Hollins1.1
Tyler Green1.0

Current & Historical Payroll

1996 payroll
$32.7M

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 (17)

PlayerAgeSvc1996199719981999200020012002
Lenny Dykstra3311.000$6.2MFREE AGENT
Gregg Jefferies289.000$5.5M$5.5M$5.2MFREE AGENT
Darren Daulton3413.000$5.2M$3.0MFREE AGENT
Todd Zeile307.000$2.2MFREE AGENT
Curt Schilling298.000$2.0M$3.5M$4.7M$5.2M$3.1MFREE AGENT
Mickey Morandini306.000$1.9M$1.9MFREE AGENT$542k
Benito Santiago3110.000$1.7MFREE AGENT
Jim Eisenreich3714.000$1.2MFREE AGENT
Sid Fernandez3313.000$650kFREE AGENT
David West318.000$500kFREE AGENT
Pete Incaviglia3210.000$491kFREE AGENT
Terry Mulholland3310.000$445kFREE AGENT
Mark Whiten296.000$353kFREE AGENT
Mike Benjamin307.000$325kFREE AGENT
Jeff Parrett3410.000$238kFREE AGENT
Dave Leiper3412.000$197kFREE AGENT
Steve Frey327.000—FREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (8)

PlayerAgeSvc1996199719981999200020012002
Ken Ryan274.000$272kARB 3FREE AGENT
Kevin Stocker263.000$265kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Williams274.000$200kARB 3FREE AGENT
Russ Springer274.000$185kARB 3FREE AGENT
Bobby Munoz283.000$145kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ruben Amaro Jr.315.000$109kFREE AGENT
J.R. Phillips263.000$88kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Lee Tinsley273.000$57kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (29)

PlayerAgeSvc1996199719981999200020012002
Ricky Bottalico262.000$185kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Toby Borland272.000$175kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Mimbs271.000$160kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Lieberthal242.000$125kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Gary Bennett241.000$109kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Beech240.000$109kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Wendell Magee230.000$109kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Larry Mitchell240.000$109kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Grace261.000$109kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rich Hunter210.000$109kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ricardo Jordan261.000$109kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kevin Jordan261.000$109kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ricky Otero241.000$109kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Glenn Murray250.000$109kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Scott Rolen210.000$109kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Gene Schall261.000$109kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jon Zuber260.000$109kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kevin Sefcik251.000$109kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Howard Battle24–—
Ron Blazier240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Carlos Crawford24–—
Glenn Dishman251.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
David Doster250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bobby Estalella210.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bronson Heflin24–—
Calvin Maduro210.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Manny Martinez250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rafael Quirico26–—
Desi Relaford220.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR. Bars = Phillies 1996; 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.