Rosternomics
← Trade Database
December 11, 1991

NYMKCR

NYM won this trade +$137.6M surplus NYM won this trade +8.2 WAR
NYMNYM Frank Cashen net +$137.6M net +8.2
received +$73.6M+$73.6M ± $21M expected surplus · +$104.0M realized received 8.2 ± 3 expected · 12.2 realized WAR
Playoff odds: this deal moved NYM's 1992 odds 6% → 3% (-3 pts) — how trade timing is graded ↗
receives — most valuable first
Bret SaberhagenP·28y·R/R
+$59.8M+$59.8M± $14M exp surplusrealized +$108.8M 5.3± 2 exp WARrealized 12.2
Prior
no pedigree — league baseline → 0.21/yr
Evidence
recent form 5.2/yr over 2.4 seasons
Talent
3.55/yr blended
Horizon
1.5 control yr
Bill Pecota3B/SS·32y·R/R
+$14.0M+$14.0M± $15M exp surplusrealized −$4.8M 2.9± 2 exp WARrealized 0.0
Prior
no pedigree — league baseline → 0.21/yr
Evidence
recent form 2.5/yr over 1.6 season
Talent
1.52/yr blended
Horizon
2.0 control yrs × 0.94 age decline
KCRKCR Herk Robinson net −$137.6M net -8.2
received +$6.4M+$6.4M ± $36M expected surplus · −$33.6M realized received 9.2 ± 4 expected · 4.0 realized WAR
Playoff odds: this deal moved KCR's 1992 odds 1% → 1% (+0.6 pts) — how trade timing is graded ↗
receives — most valuable first
Gregg Jefferies1B/OF·24y·B/R
+$12.4M+$12.4M± $25M exp surplusrealized +$7.2M 4.3± 3 exp WARrealized 2.1
Prior
league baseline (track record outweighs draft pedigree) → 0.27/yr
Evidence
recent form 2.1/yr over 2.0 seasons
Talent
1.45/yr blended
Horizon
3.0 control yrs
Keith Miller2B/OF·29y·R/R
+$6.2M+$6.2M± $22M exp surplusrealized −$10.4M 2.1± 3 exp WARrealized 0.6
Prior
no pedigree — league baseline → 0.21/yr
Evidence
recent form 1.0/yr over 1.3 season
Talent
0.60/yr blended
Horizon
4.0 control yrs × 0.86 age decline
Kevin McReynoldsOF·32y·R/R
−$12.1M−$12.1M± $13M exp surplusrealized −$30.4M 2.8± 2 exp WARrealized 1.3
Prior
no pedigree — league baseline → 0.21/yr
Evidence
recent form 2.7/yr over 2.6 seasons
Talent
1.95/yr blended
Horizon
1.5 control yr × 0.97 age decline

Each player is valued on what he was expected to produce at the time of the trade, versus what he actually produced for his new team.

Expected WAR blends a player's pedigree (composite top-100 rank / draft slot, or a baseline) with his recent track record, projected over the years of team control acquired. The ± figure is a historically calibrated predictive standard deviation, measuring how widely comparable forecasts have missed around their expected value. Surplus values that production at the FA market price of a win (~$8M/WAR) minus salary — so cost-controlled players carry large surplus and expensive ones little, even at the same WAR. Who won is descriptive, not a skill claim: ~99% of a trade's outcome is unforeseeable at the time.