RRosternomics
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FC

Frank Cashen

Sep 13, 1925 (Baltimore, MD) – Jun 30, 2014 (Easton, MD) · died at 88

Built champions in two cities — the powerhouse 1970s Baltimore Orioles and the 1986 World Series champion New York Mets.

8 seasons with salary-era data across 3 stints. All figures are franchise-level outcomes during the tenure, not solely attributable to one executive.

Overview

Titles1
Pennants1
Playoffs2
Record712–581
Win %0.551
+5.1GM WAR — wins above a replacement GM (org-adjusted, shrunk; per season) ±4.910th/195 execs
8.6Depth — 2+ WAR regulars per season (the breadth that drives TAB, not stars)11th/195 execs
-2.4Dead WAR — WAR/yr bled by sub-replacement players (closer to 0 = better)2nd/195 execs
21%Dead money — payroll on <0.5-WAR players (lower = better)12th/195 execs
$3MCheap-talent surplus — $/yr of value from cost-controlled (pre-arb/arb) players above their pay; the selection engine, and the stickiest GM skill we track150th/195 execs
$2MDrafted surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own draftees (the develop-from-the-draft engine)152nd/195 execs
$2MTraded-for surplus — cheap-talent surplus from cost-controlled players he acquired via trade109th/195 execs
$0MInt'l surplus — cheap-talent surplus from his own international signees131st/195 execs
+61.9TAB — talent above budget — roster-construction alpha (talent your budget bought above expectation), tenure total13th/195 execs
+32.4WAB — realized wins (TAB + the non-repeatable luck of converting talent to wins)26th/195 execs
3.35Acquisition Leverage — playoff pts per acquired WAR, graded once in the year each deal's wins arrive (the repeatable decision skill)33rd/195 execs
-31Roster surplus $M90th/195 execs

Tenure breakdown

TeamRoleYearsSzns WAB WAB/yr TAB WAR surp HG Trade FA R5 AcqLev W-L% POPenWS Surp $M
▸ Mets GM 1993–1993 1 -25.1 -25.12 -10.8 -23.2 +8.2 +0.7 -8.5 -0.0 0.17 0.364 ––– -19
▸ Mets GM 1981–1991 7 +57.6 +8.22 +72.8 -22.6 +171.3 +81.0 -1.8 +0.3 4.09 0.577 211 -12
▸ Orioles GM 1972–1975 0 +0.0 – +0.0 +0.0 +20.8 +0.0 +0.0 +0.0 – – ––– –
Career total (1985+ data) 8 +32.4 +61.9 -45.9 +200.3 +81.7 -10.3 +0.3 3.35 0.551 21 1 -31

Roster Construction

How the roster was sourced

by valueby volume

Share of acquired fWAR by channel vs. league average.

Build channels — net fWAR

Acquired minus surrendered / signed minus walked.

Home-grown (draft/intl)+200.3
Trade+81.7
Free agency-10.3
Rule 5 / minor draft+0.3
Sourcing mix: 50% draft · 4% FA · 46% trade · 0% R5

Roster value distribution — career average — depth vs. stars

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR, averaged across Frank Cashen's seasons. Bars = his rosters; the black line = the league-average player at each slot. Staying above the line deep into the roster is the depth edge.

Players acquired — 152 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)

PlayerPosTeam How Year Szns fWAR WAR/yr Lev
Dwight Gooden P NYM Draft 1982 10 +47.8 +4.8 –
Edgardo Alfonzo 2B/3B NYM Intl FA 1991 8 +29.0 +3.6 –
Sid Fernandez P NYM Trade 1983 9 +27.5 +3.1 –
Howard Johnson 3B NYM Trade 1984 8 +22.8 +2.8 –
David Cone P NYM Trade 1987 6 +21.4 +3.6 2.4
Eddie Murray 1B BAL Draft 1973 4 +17.3 +4.3 –
Keith Hernandez 1B NYM Trade 1983 5 +16.5 +3.3 –
Dave Magadan 1B/3B NYM Draft 1983 7 +15.8 +2.3 –
Kevin McReynolds OF NYM Trade 1986 6 +15.1 +2.5 14.4
Ron Darling P NYM Trade 1982 7 +14.0 +2.0 –
Gary Carter C NYM Trade 1984 4 +12.8 +3.2 –
Bobby Jones P NYM Draft 1991 8 +12.7 +1.6 –
Lenny Dykstra OF NYM Draft 1981 5 +11.7 +2.3 –
Todd Hundley C NYM Draft 1987 4 +11.1 +2.8 –
Bob Ojeda P NYM Trade 1985 5 +10.9 +2.2 10.5
Bret Saberhagen P NYM Trade 1991 4 +10.8 +2.7 0.5
Bobby Bonilla 3B/OF NYM Free agency 1991 4 +8.1 +2.0 0.4
Frank Viola P NYM Trade 1989 3 +8.0 +2.7 12.8
Gregg Jefferies 1B/OF NYM Draft 1985 5 +7.0 +1.4 –
Tim Teufel 2B NYM Trade 1986 5 +6.5 +1.3 1.2
Rick Aguilera P NYM Draft 1983 5 +6.3 +1.3 –
Kevin Elster SS NYM Draft 1984 7 +4.8 +0.7 –
Randy Myers P NYM Draft 1982 4 +4.8 +1.2 –
Wally Whitehurst P NYM Trade 1987 3 +4.3 +1.4 –
Jason Isringhausen P NYM Draft 1991 3 +4.1 +1.4 –
Mike Flanagan P BAL Draft 1973 4 +3.9 +1.0 –
Eddie Murray 1B NYM Free agency 1991 2 +3.8 +1.9 0.5
Daryl Boston OF NYM Trade 1990 3 +3.5 +1.2 5.9
John Franco P NYM Trade 1989 11 +3.4 +0.3 4.5
Roger McDowell P NYM Draft 1982 4 +3.4 +0.9 –
Benny Agbayani OF NYM Draft 1993 2 +2.7 +1.4 –
Mackey Sasser C NYM Trade 1988 4 +2.7 +0.7 0.2
Pete Schourek P NYM Draft 1987 3 +2.6 +0.9 –
Vance Wilson C NYM Draft 1993 4 +2.5 +0.6 –
Anthony Young P NYM Draft 1987 3 +2.4 +0.8 –
Rey Ordóñez SS NYM Intl FA 1993 5 +2.4 +0.5 –
Charlie O'Brien C NYM Trade 1990 4 +2.3 +0.6 0.7
Ray Knight 3B NYM Trade 1984 1 +2.2 +2.2 –
Terry Leach P NYM Draft 1985 4 +2.0 +0.5 –
Rick Cerone C NYM Free agency 1991 1 +1.9 +1.9 4.1
Danny Heep OF NYM Trade 1982 2 +1.8 +0.9 –
Mark Carreon 1B/OF NYM Draft 1981 3 +1.7 +0.6 –
Vince Coleman OF NYM Free agency 1990 3 +1.7 +0.6 1.8
George Foster OF NYM Trade 1982 2 +1.7 +0.9 –
Bill Pulsipher P NYM Draft 1991 2 +1.7 +0.8 –
Keith Miller 2B/OF NYM Intl FA 1984 3 +1.6 +0.5 –
John Mitchell P NYM Trade 1985 1 +1.6 +1.6 –
Alejandro Peña P NYM Trade 1989 2 +1.4 +0.7 5.0
Frank Tanana P NYM Trade 1993 1 +1.1 +1.1 0.2
Jeromy Burnitz OF NYM Draft 1990 3 +1.0 +0.3 –
Eric Hillman P NYM Draft 1987 1 +1.0 +1.0 –
Dave Gallagher OF NYM Free agency 1993 1 +1.0 +1.0 0.2
Mike Maddux P NYM Trade 1993 1 +0.9 +0.9 0.2
Butch Huskey OF NYM Draft 1989 2 +0.8 +0.4 –
John Cangelosi OF NYM Free agency 1993 1 +0.8 +0.8 0.6
Juan Samuel 2B NYM Trade 1989 1 +0.8 +0.8 5.5
Jason Jacome P NYM Draft 1991 1 +0.7 +0.7 –
Willie Randolph 2B NYM Free agency 1991 1 +0.7 +0.7 0.2
Octavio Dotel P NYM Intl FA 1993 1 +0.7 +0.7 –
Alberto Castillo C NYM Intl FA 1987 2 +0.5 +0.2 –
Jeff Innis P NYM Draft 1983 4 +0.5 +0.1 –
Jim Lindeman 1B/OF NYM Free agency 1993 1 +0.5 +0.5 0.4
Tom O'Malley 3B NYM Trade 1989 2 +0.5 +0.3 1.9
Hubie Brooks 3B/OF NYM Trade 1990 1 +0.4 +0.4 –
Ed Hearn C NYM Trade 1986 1 +0.4 +0.4 –
Bill Latham P NYM Intl FA 1981 1 +0.4 +0.4 –
Randy Niemann P NYM Trade 1985 2 +0.4 +0.2 –
Darren Reed OF NYM Trade 1987 1 +0.4 +0.4 –
Pat Tabler 1B/DH NYM Trade 1990 1 +0.4 +0.4 1.5
Tim Bogar SS NYM Draft 1987 3 +0.3 +0.1 –
Lou Thornton DH/OF NYM Free agency 1989 1 +0.3 +0.3 –
David West P NYM Draft 1983 1 +0.3 +0.3 –
Tim Burke P NYM Trade 1991 2 +0.3 +0.1 0.5
Tony Fernández SS NYM Trade 1993 1 +0.3 +0.3 0.0
Blaine Beatty P NYM Trade 1987 2 +0.2 +0.1 –
Stan Jefferson OF NYM Draft 1983 1 +0.2 +0.2 –
Eric Gunderson P NYM Free agency 1993 2 +0.2 +0.1 0.1
Doug Linton P NYM Free agency 1993 1 +0.2 +0.2 0.1
Brook Fordyce C NYM Draft 1989 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Dave Liddell C NYM Trade 1986 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Rodney McCray DH/OF NYM Free agency 1991 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.0
Doug Simons P NYM Rule 5 1990 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Steve Springer 3B NYM Free agency 1991 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Kenny Greer P NYM Trade 1993 1 +0.1 +0.1 –
Dan Schatzeder P NYM Trade 1990 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.4
Paul Gibson P NYM Trade 1993 1 +0.1 +0.1 0.0
Rich Dauer 2B BAL Draft 1974 – -0.0 – –
Dennis Martínez P BAL Intl FA 1973 2 +0.0 +0.0 –
Bruce Berenyi P NYM Trade 1984 1 -0.0 -0.0 –
Terry Bross P NYM Draft 1987 – -0.0 – –
John Candelaria P NYM Trade 1987 1 +0.0 +0.0 1.9
Mario Díaz SS NYM Trade 1990 – -0.0 – –
Tom Filer P NYM Free agency 1991 – -0.0 – –
Wes Gardner P NYM Draft 1982 – -0.0 – –
Bob Gibson P NYM Free agency 1987 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.1
Pat Howell OF NYM Draft 1987 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
Randy Milligan 1B NYM Draft 1981 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
Bill Pecota 3B/SS NYM Trade 1991 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
Craig Shipley 3B/SS NYM Trade 1988 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.2
Kevin Tapani P NYM Trade 1987 – -0.0 – –
Kelvin Torve 1B NYM Free agency 1989 1 -0.0 -0.0 0.6
Julio Valera P NYM Intl FA 1986 1 -0.0 -0.0 –
Joe Vitko P NYM Draft 1989 – -0.0 – –
Pete Walker P NYM Draft 1990 2 +0.0 +0.0 –
Gene Walter P NYM Trade 1986 1 -0.0 -0.0 0.1
Charlie Greene C NYM Rule 5 1993 – -0.0 – –
Ced Landrum OF NYM Free agency 1993 – -0.0 – –
Mickey Weston P NYM Free agency 1993 1 +0.0 +0.0 –
Bill Almon SS NYM Trade 1987 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.3
Manny Hernández P NYM Trade 1989 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.1
Bob McClure P NYM Trade 1988 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
Ed Núñez P NYM Trade 1988 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.0
Tom Paciorek 1B/OF NYM Trade 1985 1 +0.0 +0.0 0.1
Jeff Barry OF NYM Trade 1991 – -0.1 – –
Juan Castillo P NYM Intl FA 1988 – -0.1 – –
Tony Castillo P NYM Trade 1991 1 -0.1 -0.1 0.5
Tim Corcoran 1B/OF NYM Free agency 1986 – -0.1 – –
Lee Mazzilli OF NYM Free agency 1986 3 -0.1 -0.0 –
Rich Sauveur P NYM Free agency 1991 – -0.1 – –
Calvin Schiraldi P NYM Draft 1983 – -0.1 – –
Don Schulze P NYM Trade 1987 – -0.1 – –
Dave Telgheder P NYM Draft 1989 1 -0.1 -0.1 –
Frank Seminara P NYM Trade 1993 – -0.1 – –
Jeff Tam P NYM Intl FA 1993 – -0.1 – –
Joe Crawford P NYM Draft 1991 – -0.2 – –
D. J. Dozier OF NYM Intl FA 1990 – -0.2 – –
Tom Edens P NYM Trade 1984 – -0.2 – –
Chris Jelic OF NYM Trade 1987 – -0.2 – –
Aaron Ledesma SS NYM Draft 1990 – -0.2 – –
Joe Sambito P NYM Trade 1985 – -0.2 – –
Pete Smith P NYM Trade 1993 – -0.2 – –
Sammy Stewart P BAL Intl FA 1975 – -0.3 – –
Terry Blocker OF NYM Draft 1981 – -0.3 – –
Chuck Carr OF NYM Trade 1988 – -0.3 – –
John Christensen OF NYM Draft 1981 – -0.3 – –
Chris Donnels 3B NYM Draft 1987 1 -0.3 -0.3 –
Clint Hurdle OF NYM Trade 1985 1 -0.3 -0.3 –
Barry Lyons C NYM Draft 1982 2 -0.3 -0.1 –
Terry McDaniel OF NYM Draft 1986 – -0.3 – –
Jeff McKnight 1B/2B NYM Draft 1983 2 -0.3 -0.1 –
Rick Parker OF NYM Free agency 1993 – -0.3 – –
Tom Herr 2B NYM Trade 1991 1 -0.3 -0.3 0.3
Don Aase P NYM Free agency 1989 – -0.4 – –
Jeff Gardner 2B NYM Intl FA 1984 – -0.4 – –
Tom Gorman P NYM Trade 1982 – -0.4 – –
Tito Navarro SS NYM Intl FA 1987 – -0.4 – –
Ricky Otero OF NYM Draft 1990 – -0.4 – –
Doug Saunders 2B NYM Draft 1988 – -0.4 – –
Jonathan Hurst P NYM Free agency 1993 – -0.4 – –
Kevin Baez SS NYM Draft 1988 – -0.6 – –
Mike Remlinger P NYM Free agency 1993 – -0.6 – –
Joe Orsulak OF NYM Trade 1993 1 -0.6 -0.6 0.2

WAB = wins above what the team's payroll predicted (resource-controlled). WAR surplus = era-neutral value (WAR minus payroll in win-equivalents). Roster surplus $M = dollar value of WAR over cost. Build channels (realized fWAR): HG = home-grown via amateur draft / international signing; Trade = acquired minus surrendered (incl. purchases/waivers); FA = signed minus walked; R5 = Rule-5 / minor-league-draft pickups. Credit follows the acquisition year — home-grown to the regime at the player's draft/signing (not whoever was in the chair when he peaked), trade/FA/R5 to the GM who made the move. Players acquired as prospects before debuting (e.g. Smoltz, Bagwell; Rule-5 picks like Uggla) are counted as trade/R5, not home-grown. All are franchise-level outcomes during the stint, not solely attributable to one executive.

Graphs

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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.