Overview
Tenure breakdown
| Team | Role | Years | Szns | WAB | WAB/yr | TAB | WAR surp | HG | Trade | FA | R5 | AcqLev | W-L% | PO | Pen | WS | Surp $M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
▸  Astros |
GM | 2007–2007 | 1 | -9.7 | -9.70 | -10.7 | -18.1 | +60.7 | -2.7 | +1.6 | -0.4 | 0.13 | 0.451 | – | – | – | -39 |
| ▸ Astros |
GM | 1976–1980 | 0 | +0.0 | – | +0.0 | +0.0 | +22.5 | +20.5 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
▸  Yankees |
GM | 1975–1975 | 0 | +0.0 | – | +0.0 | +0.0 | +0.0 | +14.7 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| ▸ Astros |
GM | 1965–1967 | 0 | +0.0 | – | +0.0 | +0.0 | +0.0 | +0.0 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Career total (1985+ data) | 1 | -9.7 | -10.7 | -18.1 | +83.1 | +32.4 | +1.6 | -0.4 | 0.13 | 0.451 | – | – | – | -39 | |||
Roster Construction
Build channels — net fWAR
Acquired minus surrendered / signed minus walked.
Roster value distribution — career average — depth vs. stars
Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR, averaged across Tal Smith'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 — 41 players, by realized fWAR for the franchise (scroll for more)
| Player | Pos | Team | How | Year | Szns | fWAR | WAR/yr | Lev |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| José Altuve | 2B | HOU |
Intl FA | 2007 | 15 | +60.7 | +4.0 | – |
| Bill Doran | 2B | HOU |
Draft | 1979 | 6 | +16.6 | +2.8 | – |
| Willie Randolph | 2B | NYY |
Trade | 1975 | 4 | +14.7 | +3.7 | – |
| Carlos Lee | OF | HOU |
Trade | 2007 | 5 | +8.5 | +1.7 | 0.3 |
| Bob Knepper | P | HOU |
Trade | 1980 | 3 | +7.0 | +2.3 | – |
| Dave Smith | P | HOU |
Draft | 1976 | 6 | +6.9 | +1.1 | – |
| Denny Walling | 1B/3B/OF | HOU |
Trade | 1977 | 5 | +6.6 | +1.3 | – |
| Alan Ashby | C | HOU |
Trade | 1978 | 4 | +5.0 | +1.2 | – |
| Ty Wigginton | 1B/3B | HOU |
Trade | 2007 | 2 | +3.4 | +1.7 | 0.1 |
| Mark Loretta | 2B | HOU |
Free agency | 2007 | 3 | +2.1 | +0.7 | 1.4 |
| Craig Reynolds | SS | HOU |
Trade | 1978 | 2 | +2.0 | +1.0 | – |
| Kazuo Matsui | 2B | HOU |
Free agency | 2007 | 2 | +1.8 | +0.9 | 2.5 |
| José Valverde | P | HOU |
Trade | 2007 | 2 | +1.8 | +0.9 | 1.5 |
| Brian Moehler | P | HOU |
Trade | 2007 | 4 | +1.5 | +0.4 | 0.0 |
| Geoff Blum | 3B | HOU |
Free agency | 2007 | 5 | +1.4 | +0.3 | 4.6 |
| Jim Pankovits | 2B/OF | HOU |
Draft | 1976 | 3 | +0.8 | +0.3 | – |
| Jeff Calhoun | P | HOU |
Draft | 1980 | 1 | +0.5 | +0.5 | – |
| Dennis Sarfate | P | HOU |
Trade | 2007 | 1 | +0.4 | +0.4 | 0.1 |
| Manny Hernández | P | HOU |
Intl FA | 1978 | 1 | +0.3 | +0.3 | – |
| Woody Williams | P | HOU |
Trade | 2007 | 1 | +0.3 | +0.3 | 0.0 |
| Jason Jennings | P | HOU |
Trade | 2007 | 1 | +0.3 | +0.3 | 0.0 |
| John Mizerock | C | HOU |
Draft | 1979 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | – |
| Doug Brocail | P | HOU |
Free agency | 2007 | 2 | +0.2 | +0.1 | 0.0 |
| Darin Erstad | 1B/OF | HOU |
Free agency | 2007 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | 0.8 |
| Cody Ransom | 3B/SS | HOU |
Trade | 2007 | 1 | +0.2 | +0.2 | 0.0 |
| Ty Gainey | OF | HOU |
Draft | 1979 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | – |
| Geoff Geary | P | HOU |
Trade | 2007 | 1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | 0.8 |
| Chris Jones | OF | HOU |
Draft | 1979 | 1 | +0.0 | +0.0 | – |
| Jack Cassel | P | HOU |
Free agency | 2007 | – | -0.0 | – | – |
| José Cisnero | P | HOU |
Intl FA | 2007 | 1 | -0.0 | -0.0 | – |
| José Cruz | OF | HOU |
Free agency | 2007 | – | -0.1 | – | – |
| Mark Ross | P | HOU |
Draft | 1979 | – | -0.2 | – | – |
| Tim Tolman | 1B/OF | HOU |
Draft | 1978 | – | -0.2 | – | – |
| Tomás Pérez | 2B/3B/SS | HOU |
Free agency | 2007 | – | -0.2 | – | – |
| Chad Paronto | P | HOU |
Free agency | 2007 | – | -0.3 | – | – |
| Bert Peña | SS | HOU |
Intl FA | 1977 | 1 | -0.4 | -0.4 | – |
| Steve Randolph | P | HOU |
Free agency | 2007 | – | -0.4 | – | – |
| Wesley Wright | P | HOU |
Rule 5 | 2007 | 2 | -0.4 | -0.2 | – |
| Jeff Heathcock | P | HOU |
Draft | 1980 | 1 | -0.5 | -0.5 | – |
| Óscar Villarreal | P | HOU |
Trade | 2007 | – | -1.0 | – | – |
| Julio Solano | P | HOU |
Intl FA | 1979 | – | -1.6 | – | – |
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.