GM: John Hart
1998: made playoffs · 89–73. Ranks are vs the 30 teams that season.
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.
| Player | Age | Service | G | fWAR | Salary $M | Surplus $M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenny Lofton | 31 | FA-elig | 154 | 5.6 | 7.5 | -1.5 |
| Manny Ramirez | 26 | arb | 150 | 5.4 | 2.9 | +3.0 |
| Bartolo Colon | 25 | pre-arb | 31 | 4.4 | 0.2 | +4.6 |
| Brian Giles | 27 | arb | 112 | 4.0 | 0.3 | +4.0 |
| Omar Vizquel | 31 | FA-elig | 151 | 3.4 | 3.0 | +0.7 |
| Jim Thome | 27 | FA-elig | 123 | 3.3 | 4.8 | -1.2 |
| Travis Fryman | 29 | FA-elig | 146 | 2.6 | 5.4 | -2.5 |
| Jaret Wright | 22 | pre-arb | 32 | 2.3 | 0.2 | +2.2 |
| Dave Burba | 31 | FA-elig | 32 | 1.9 | 2.8 | -0.7 |
| Mike Jackson | 33 | FA-elig | 69 | 1.9 | 2.0 | +0.0 |
| Mark Whiten | 31 | FA-elig | 88 | 1.8 | 0.2 | +1.7 |
| Dwight Gooden | 33 | FA-elig | 23 | 1.7 | 2.8 | -0.9 |
| David Justice | 32 | FA-elig | 146 | 1.7 | 6.5 | -4.7 |
| Charles Nagy | 31 | FA-elig | 33 | 1.2 | 3.4 | -2.1 |
| Richie Sexson | 23 | pre-arb | 49 | 1.0 | 0.2 | +0.9 |
| Doug Jones↔ MIL | 41 | FA-elig | 23 | 0.7 | 0.8 | -0.0 |
| Paul Assenmacher | 37 | FA-elig | 69 | 0.6 | 1.3 | -0.6 |
| Paul Shuey | 27 | arb | 43 | 0.5 | 0.6 | -0.0 |
| David Bell↔ SEA | 25 | arb | 107 | 0.5 | 0.2 | +0.4 |
| Enrique Wilson | 24 | pre-arb | 32 | 0.5 | 0.2 | +0.3 |
| Chad Ogea | 27 | arb | 19 | 0.4 | 1.0 | -0.6 |
| Alvin Morman↔ SFG | 29 | pre-arb | 31 | 0.3 | 0.2 | +0.1 |
| Jim Poole↔ SFG | 32 | FA-elig | 12 | 0.2 | 0.3 | -0.1 |
| Eric Plunk↔ MIL | 34 | FA-elig | 37 | 0.2 | 1.1 | -0.9 |
| Steve Reed↔ SFG | 33 | FA-elig | 20 | 0.1 | 0.3 | -0.1 |
| Einar Díaz | 25 | pre-arb | 17 | 0.1 | 0.2 | -0.0 |
| Steve Karsay | 26 | arb | 11 | 0.1 | 0.4 | -0.3 |
| Tim Worrell↔ DET | 30 | arb | 3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -0.0 |
| Sandy Alomar Jr. | 32 | FA-elig | 117 | 0.0 | 2.7 | -2.7 |
| Torey Lovullo | 32 | – | 6 | -0.0 | – | – |
| Jacob Cruz↔ SFG | 25 | pre-arb | 1 | -0.0 | 0.0 | -0.1 |
| Jose Mesa↔ SFG | 32 | FA-elig | 44 | -0.0 | 1.0 | -1.0 |
| Jason Rakers | 25 | – | 1 | -0.0 | – | – |
| Jolbert Cabrera | 25 | pre-arb | 1 | -0.0 | 0.2 | -0.2 |
| Matt Luke↔ LAD | 27 | pre-arb | 2 | -0.0 | 0.0 | -0.1 |
| Rick Krivda↔ CIN | 28 | arb | 11 | -0.1 | 0.1 | -0.2 |
| Russell Branyan | 22 | pre-arb | 1 | -0.1 | 0.2 | -0.3 |
| Alex Ramirez | 23 | – | 3 | -0.1 | – | – |
| Jason Jacome | 27 | – | 1 | -0.2 | – | – |
| Geronimo Berroa↔ DET | 33 | FA-elig | 20 | -0.3 | 0.6 | -0.9 |
| Jeff Manto↔ DET | 33 | FA-elig | 15 | -0.3 | 0.1 | -0.5 |
| Ron Villone | 28 | arb | 25 | -0.3 | 0.2 | -0.6 |
| Shawon Dunston↔ SFG | 35 | FA-elig | 62 | -0.3 | 0.6 | -1.0 |
| Tom Martin | 28 | pre-arb | 14 | -0.4 | 0.2 | -0.6 |
| Joey Cora↔ SEA | 33 | FA-elig | 24 | -0.5 | 0.3 | -0.8 |
| Pat Borders | 35 | FA-elig | 54 | -0.5 | 0.5 | -1.0 |
| Cecil Fielder↔ ANA | 34 | FA-elig | 14 | -0.6 | 0.3 | -1.0 |
| Jeff Branson | 31 | FA-elig | 63 | -0.6 | 0.6 | -1.2 |
| Player | fWAR |
|---|---|
| Kenny Lofton | 5.6 |
| Travis Fryman | 2.6 |
| Dave Burba | 1.9 |
| Mark Whiten | 1.8 |
| Dwight Gooden | 1.7 |
| Doug Jones | 0.7 |
| Player | 1997 fWAR |
|---|---|
| Matt Williams | 4.1 |
| Tony Fernandez | 2.1 |
| Marquis Grissom | 2.0 |
| Orel Hershiser | 1.4 |
| Jack McDowell | 0.5 |
| Brian Anderson | 0.4 |
What the front office was committed to as of 1998, 1998–2004. 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.
| Player | Age | Svc | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenny Lofton | 31 | 7.000 | $7.5M | $7.5M | $7.5M | $8.0M | FREE AGENT | ||
| David Justice | 32 | 9.000 | $6.5M | $7.0M | $3.7M | FREE AGENT | |||
| Travis Fryman | 29 | 8.000 | $5.4M | $5.2M | $5.5M | $5.8M | $5.8M | FREE AGENT | |
| Jim Thome | 27 | 7.000 | $4.8M | $8.2M | $8.2M | $7.9M | $8.0M | FREE AGENT | |
| Charles Nagy | 31 | 8.000 | $3.4M | $6.0M | $6.0M | $6.0M | $6.0M | FREE AGENT | |
| Omar Vizquel | 31 | 9.000 | $3.0M | $3.0M | $3.0M | $3.0M | $4.5M | $5.5M | $6.0M |
| Dave Burba | 31 | 8.000 | $2.8M | $4.7M | $5.0M | $5.0M | $1.3M | FREE AGENT | |
| Dwight Gooden | 33 | 14.000 | $2.8M | $2.6M | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Sandy Alomar Jr. | 32 | 10.000 | $2.7M | $2.8M | $2.7M | FREE AGENT | |||
| Mike Jackson | 33 | 12.000 | $2.0M | $2.1M | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Paul Assenmacher | 37 | 12.000 | $1.3M | $1.5M | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Eric Plunk | 34 | 12.000 | $1.1M | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Jose Mesa | 32 | 11.000 | $984k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Doug Jones | 41 | 16.000 | $833k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Shawon Dunston | 35 | 13.000 | $633k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Geronimo Berroa | 33 | 9.000 | $611k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Jeff Branson | 31 | 6.000 | $550k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Pat Borders | 35 | 10.000 | $500k | $135k | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Cecil Fielder | 34 | 13.000 | $335k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Jim Poole | 32 | 8.000 | $316k | $472k | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Steve Reed | 33 | 6.000 | $286k | $1.4M | $1.6M | $891k | FREE AGENT | ||
| Joey Cora | 33 | 11.000 | $263k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Mark Whiten | 31 | 8.000 | $200k | $450k | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Jeff Manto | 33 | 8.000 | $121k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Torey Lovullo | 32 | 10.000 | — | FREE AGENT |
| Player | Age | Svc | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manny Ramirez | 26 | 5.000 | $2.9M | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Chad Ogea | 27 | 4.000 | $1.0M | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Paul Shuey | 27 | 4.000 | $568k | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Steve Karsay | 26 | 5.000 | $400k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Brian Giles | 27 | 3.000 | $300k | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |||
| Ron Villone | 28 | 3.000 | $240k | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |||
| David Bell | 25 | 3.000 | $162k | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |||
| Rick Krivda | 28 | 3.000 | $84k | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |||
| Tim Worrell | 30 | 5.000 | $70k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Jason Jacome | 27 | 4.000 | — | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
| Player | Age | Svc | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Martin | 28 | 1.000 | $190k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Jaret Wright | 22 | 1.000 | $190k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Bartolo Colon | 25 | 1.000 | $180k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Einar Díaz | 25 | 2.000 | $178k | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||
| Richie Sexson | 23 | 1.000 | $175k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Enrique Wilson | 24 | 1.000 | $175k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Alvin Morman | 29 | 2.000 | $170k | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||
| Russell Branyan | 22 | 0.000 | $170k | Pre-Arb | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
| Jolbert Cabrera | 25 | 0.000 | $170k | Pre-Arb | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
| Jacob Cruz | 25 | 2.000 | $43k | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||
| Matt Luke | 27 | 2.000 | $3k | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||
| Jason Rakers | 25 | 0.000 | — | Pre-Arb | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
| Alex Ramirez | 23 | 0.000 | — | Pre-Arb | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR. Bars = Guardians 1998; 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.
| Regime | Seasons | Win % | Playoff % | Pennant % | WS % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WINDOW | 289 | 52.2 | 30.1 | 4.8 | 1.0 |
| CONTEND | 311 | 56.8 | 63.0 | 19.3 | 10.3 |
| FORCED-SPEND | 260 | 47.9 | 8.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| REBUILD | 328 | 43.3 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
Not enough history to chart.
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