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Nationals WSN

198881–81 (0.500)
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GM: Bill Stoneman

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1988, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$9M
Surplus $M
+1
Win %
0.500
TAB
+3.6
WAB
+1.9
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
35.2
Dead money %
29%
Depth Players
7.0
Dead WAR
-3.8

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1988 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RNelson Santovenia86
RMike Fitzgerald47
LJeff Reed⇄43
RDave Engle9
RWilfredo Tejada7

1B

RAndres Galarraga156
BWallace Johnson13
LGraig Nettles5
RNelson Santovenia1

2B

LTom Foley89
RRex Hudler41
BCasey Candaele⇄36
RJohnny Paredes28
LJeff Huson2
RTim Wallach1
BWallace Johnson1

3B

RTim Wallach153
LGraig Nettles12
LTom Foley9
LTom O'Malley7
RDave Engle1
LJeff Huson1

SS

RLuis Rivera116
LTom Foley32
RRex Hudler27
LJeff Huson15

LF

BTim Raines Sr.108
BOtis Nixon25
RTracy Jones⇄20
RMike Fitzgerald3
RRex Hudler2
LDave Martinez⇄1
RDave Engle1

CF

BOtis Nixon61
LDave Martinez⇄52
RTracy Jones⇄6
LJeff Huson1

RF

RHubie Brooks149
RTracy Jones⇄26
LDave Martinez⇄11
RDave Engle3
RRex Hudler2
RMike Fitzgerald1
RJohnny Paredes1

DH

—

Starters

RBryn Smith3.1 WAR
RDennis Martinez2.6 WAR
RPascual Perez2.5 WAR
RBrian Holman1.7 WAR
RJohn Dopson1.1 WAR
LRandy Johnson0.4 WAR
RFloyd Youmans0.2 WAR
LNeal Heaton-1.0 WAR

Bullpen

★ RTim Burke18 sv
RAndy McGaffigan0 h
RJeff Parrett0 h
LJoe Hesketh0 h
LBob McClure⇄0 h
RRandy St. Claire⇄0 h
RMike Smith0 h
LRandy Johnson0 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 1987)

PlayerfWAR
Brian Holman1.7
Otis Nixon1.6
John Dopson1.1
Rex Hudler1.0
Dave Martinez0.9
Tracy Jones0.7

Key subtractions (gone from 1987)

Player1987 fWAR
Bob Sebra3.4
Vance Law1.3
Reid Nichols0.8
Jay Tibbs0.6
Razor Shines0.0
Ubaldo Heredia-0.1

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Nationals. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 1988; everyone else is shown as a 1988 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Andres Galarraga 1988 +5.6 +61.4 0.2 +61.2 $0.0M 1.37× –
Bryn Smith 1988 +3.1 +48.3 0.5 +47.8 $0.2M 1.96× –
Tim Raines Sr. 1988 +3.3 +42.2 1.7 +40.6 $0.5M 1.60× –
Hubie Brooks 1988 +3.2 +41.3 0.8 +40.5 $0.3M 1.60× –
Dennis Martinez 1988 +2.6 +40.5 0.7 +39.7 $0.3M 1.96× –
Pascual Perez 1988 +2.5 +29.4 0.1 +29.3 $0.0M 1.49× –
Tim Wallach 1988 +3.1 +27.3 0.8 +26.5 $0.3M 1.12× –
Otis Nixon 1988 +1.6 +15.5 0.1 +15.5 $0.0M 1.22× –
Joe Hesketh 1988 +1.2 +13.0 0.2 +12.8 $0.2M 1.34× –
Nelson Santovenia 1988 +1.9 +11.3 0.1 +11.2 $0.0M 0.76× –
Tom Foley 1988 +1.7 +11.2 0.2 +10.9 $0.1M 0.82× –
John Dopson 1988 +1.1 +8.7 0.1 +8.6 $0.1M 1.02× –
Dave Martinez↔ 1988 +0.9 +6.0 0.1 +5.9 $0.1M 0.83× –
Mitch Webster↔ 1988 +0.8 +5.3 0.3 +5.0 $0.4M 0.83× –
Rex Hudler 1988 +1.0 +4.7 0.1 +4.6 $0.1M 0.56× –
Tracy Jones↔ 1988 +0.7 +4.7 0.1 +4.6 $0.1M 0.83× –
Andy McGaffigan 1988 +0.8 +4.1 0.5 +3.6 $0.7M 0.67× –
Wallace Johnson 1988 +0.6 +2.8 0.1 +2.7 $0.2M 0.56× –
Floyd Youmans 1988 +0.2 +1.7 0.2 +1.6 $0.8M 1.02× –
Mike Fitzgerald 1988 +0.5 +1.9 0.3 +1.6 $0.7M 0.52× –
Luis Rivera 1988 +0.2 +0.9 0.1 +0.8 $0.4M 0.61× –
Casey Candaele↔ 1988 -0.1 -0.3 0.1 -0.3 – 0.56× –
Jeff Reed↔ 1988 -0.2 -0.8 0.0 -0.8 – 0.52× –
Herm Winningham↔ 1988 -0.2 -1.3 0.1 -1.3 – 0.83× –
Randy St. Claire↔ 1988 -0.2 -1.2 0.0 -1.3 – 0.67× –
Bob McClure↔ 1988 -0.2 -1.3 0.3 -1.6 – 0.67× –
Graig Nettles 1988 -0.6 -2.7 0.2 -2.9 – 0.58× –
Tim Burke 1988 -0.3 -3.5 0.6 -4.2 – 1.34× –
Jeff Parrett 1988 -0.5 -5.4 0.1 -5.5 – 1.34× –
Neal Heaton 1988 -1.0 -5.4 0.6 -6.0 – 0.67× –
Dave Engle 1988 +0.0 +0.2 0.1 +0.0 $3.2M 0.52× –
Brian Holman 1988 +1.7 +20.4 – – – 1.49× –
Jeff Huson 1988 +0.3 +1.7 – – – 0.61× –
Johnny Paredes 1988 -0.2 -0.8 – – – 0.56× –
Mike Smith 1988 -0.0 -0.1 – – – 0.67× –
Randy Johnson 1988 +0.4 +3.1 – – – 1.02× –
Rich Sauveur 1988 -0.1 -0.7 – – – 0.67× –
Tim Barrett 1988 -0.1 -0.7 – – – 0.67× –
Tom O'Malley 1988 +0.1 +0.3 – – – 0.58× –
Wilfredo Tejada 1988 -0.1 -0.3 – – – 0.52× –
Total—+35.3+383.49.4+351.1—

Trades

Every graded 1988 deal involving the Nationals — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 16 total.

1988 · WSN / CIN
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$6.4M
Tracy Jones, Pat Pacillo
CIN · Murray Cook −$6.4M
Jeff Reed, Herm Winningham, Randy St. Claire
WSN came out ahead by $6.4M
1988 · WSN / PHI
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$42.4M
Kevin Gross
PHI · Woody Woodward −$42.4M
Floyd Youmans, Jeff Parrett
WSN came out ahead by $42.4M
1988 · WSN / SFG
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$8.0M
Mike Aldrete
SFG · Al Rosen −$8.0M
Tracy Jones
WSN came out ahead by $8.0M
1988 · WSN / TEX
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$2.4M
Tom O'Malley
TEX · Tom Grieve −$2.4M
Jack Daugherty
WSN came out ahead by $2.4M
1988 · WSN / CHW
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$0.0M
Tim Hulett
CHW · Larry Himes +$0.0M
Edgar Cáceres
Even trade
1988 · WSN / BAL
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$0.0M
Doug Kline
BAL · Roland Hemond +$0.0M
Mike Smith
Even trade
1988 · SFG / WSN
SFG · Al Rosen +$0.0M
Wilfredo Tejada
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$0.0M
Ángel Escobar
Even trade
1988 · WSN / TEX
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$0.8M
Scott Anderson
TEX · Tom Grieve −$0.8M
Mike Berger
WSN came out ahead by $0.8M
1988 · WSN / BOS
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$1.6M
Víctor Rosario
BOS · Lou Gorman −$1.6M
John Trautwein
WSN came out ahead by $1.6M
1988 · STL / WSN
STL · Dal Maxvill +$2.4M
Bob Sudo
WSN · Bill Stoneman −$2.4M
Marty Pevey
STL came out ahead by $2.4M
1988 · WSN / HOU
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$0.8M
Mark Bailey
HOU · Bill Wood −$0.8M
Casey Candaele
WSN came out ahead by $0.8M
1988 · CHC / WSN
CHC · Jim Frey +$0.0M
Bryan Oelkers
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$0.0M
Paul Noce
Even trade
1988 · WSN / BOS
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$12.0M
Spike Owen, Dan Gakeler
BOS · Lou Gorman −$12.0M
John Dopson, Luis Rivera
WSN came out ahead by $12.0M
1988 · BAL / WSN
BAL · Roland Hemond +$8.0M
Jay Tibbs, Al Cardwood
WSN · Bill Stoneman −$8.0M
John Hoover, Doug Cinnella, Rick Carriger
BAL came out ahead by $8.0M
1988 · WSN / CHC
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$52.0M
Dave Martinez
CHC · Jim Frey −$52.0M
Mitch Webster
WSN came out ahead by $52.0M
1988 · WSN / PHI
WSN · Bill Stoneman +$1.6M
Travis Chambers
PHI · Woody Woodward −$1.6M
Bob Sebra
WSN came out ahead by $1.6M

Current & Historical Payroll

1988 payroll
$9.4M

What the front office was committed to as of 1988, 1988–1994. 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 (13)

PlayerAgeSvc1988198919901991199219931994
Tim Raines Sr.289.000$1.7M$2.1M$2.1MFREE AGENT
Tim Wallach308.000$850k$950k$1.2MFREE AGENT$1.9M
Hubie Brooks318.000$850k$950kFREE AGENT
Dennis Martinez3412.000$735k$735k$1.4M$3.3M$3.3M$2.8MFREE AGENT
Neal Heaton286.000$625kFREE AGENT
Bryn Smith327.000$525k$550kFREE AGENT
Andy McGaffigan317.000$500k$632kFREE AGENT
Bob McClure3613.000$288kFREE AGENT
Graig Nettles4321.000$200kFREE AGENT
Dave Engle317.000$150kFREE AGENT
Wallace Johnson317.000$100k$177k$295kFREE AGENT
Pascual Perez318.000$70k$850kFREE AGENT
Tom O'Malley276.000—FREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (13)

PlayerAgeSvc1988198919901991199219931994
Tim Burke293.000$625kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Fitzgerald275.000$335kFREE AGENT
Mitch Webster295.000$295kFREE AGENT
Tom Foley285.000$250kFREE AGENT
Andres Galarraga273.000$240kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Joe Hesketh294.000$191kARB 3FREE AGENT
Floyd Youmans243.000$160kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Herm Winningham264.000$66kARB 3FREE AGENT
Rex Hudler274.000$65kARB 3FREE AGENT
John Dopson243.000$62kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Otis Nixon295.000$62kFREE AGENT
Jeff Reed254.000$42kARB 3FREE AGENT
Randy St. Claire274.000$38kARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (14)

PlayerAgeSvc1988198919901991199219931994
Tracy Jones272.000$93kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeff Parrett262.000$90kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Luis Rivera242.000$70kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Casey Candaele272.000$69kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Nelson Santovenia261.000$62kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dave Martinez232.000$62kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tim Barrett27–—
Brian Holman230.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeff Huson230.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Randy Johnson240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Johnny Paredes250.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rich Sauveur24–—
Mike Smith27–—
Wilfredo Tejada25–—

Graphs

How each 1988 acquisition stacked onto Nationals'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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