In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. Consequently, Joe Cronin is listed on the Pirates roster for the duration of his career while the Senators II / Rangers declare Bill Madlock and the Rays claim Aubrey Huff. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the finest single-season rosters for every Major League organization based on overall rankings in OWAR and OWS along with the general managers and scouting directors that constructed the teams. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

Assessment

The 1980 Houston Astros          OWAR: 63.9     OWS: 352     OPW%: .598

GM Spec Richardson acquired 53% (16/30) of the ballplayers on the 1980 Astros roster. Based on the revised standings the “Original” 1980 Astros rocketed to the pennant by an eighteen-game margin. Houston topped the National League in OWS and OWAR.

Cesar Cedeno supplied a .308 BA, rapped 32 doubles and stole 48 bases to spark the ‘Stros offense. Terry Puhl belted a career-high 13 circuit clouts and contributed 27 steals. Mike Easler finally broke into the lineup after five seasons as a bench player. The “Hit Man” responded with a .338 BA, 21 jacks and a .583 SLG. Joe L. Morgan pilfered 24 bags and topped the League with 93 bases on balls. John Mayberry slammed 30 round-trippers and plated 82 baserunners. Bob Watson contributed a .307 BA with 25 two-base knocks. Rusty Staub delivered a .300 BA with 23 doubles in a platoon role.

Joe L. Morgan leads the All-Time Second Basemen rankings according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” Teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include Cedeno (21^st-CF), Staub (24^th-RF), Watson (33^rd-1B), Mayberry (49^th-1B) and Puhl (86^th-RF).

LINEUP	POS	WAR	WS
Joe L. Morgan	2B	1.91	21.43
Terry Puhl	RF	3.35	23.02
Cesar Cedeno	CF	3.91	26.47
Mike Easler	LF	3.49	21.51
Bob Watson	1B	2.62	16.86
Derrel Thomas	SS	0.32	8.8
Stan Papi	3B	0.07	2.41
Bruce Bochy	C	0.04	0.4
BENCH	POS	WAR	WS
Rusty Staub	DH	1.13	10.1
John Mayberry	1B	0.79	16.26
Danny Heep	1B	0.04	2.64
Danny Walton	DH	0.01	0.14
Scott Loucks	RF	0.01	0.07
Alan Knicely	–	-0.01	0
Cliff Johnson	DH	-0.07	7.19
Greg Gross	LF	-0.07	3.27
Fred Stanley	SS	-0.25	1.01
Glenn Adams	DH	-0.58	4.11
Joe Cannon	LF	-0.7	0.35
Luis Pujols	C	-1.83	1.97

J.R. Richard was selected to the National League All-Star team in 1980 with a 10-4 record and a 1.90 ERA following successive seasons with 300+ strikeouts and an ERA title in 1979. Less than a month later, the Astros ace suffered a stroke prior to a ball game. Despite a valiant comeback attempt, Richard never appeared in another Major League game.

Floyd Bannister (9-13, 3.47) and Ken Forsch (12-13, 3.20) provided quality innings in the starting rotation. The relief staff featured southpaws Tom Burgmeier and Joe Sambito along with right-handers Dave S. Smith and Tom Griffin. Burgmeier fashioned a 2.00 ERA with a 1.081 WHIP and saved 24 contests while making his lone All-Star appearance. Sambito delivered a record of 8-4 with 17 saves, a 2.19 ERA and a WHIP of 0.963. Smith (1.93, 10 SV) contributed 7 victories and placed fifth in the 1980 NL ROY balloting. Griffin furnished a 2.76 ERA and a 1.198 ERA, primarily in long relief.

ROTATION	POS	WAR	WS
Floyd Bannister	SP	3.87	14.75
J. R. Richard	SP	3.3	11.59
Ken Forsch	SP	3.14	12.58
Gordie Pladson	SP	-0.27	0.18
BULLPEN	POS	WAR	WS
Tom Burgmeier	RP	2.94	17.55
Dave S. Smith	RP	2.45	12.89
Tom Griffin	RP	1.69	8.58
Joe Sambito	RP	1.49	14.49
Bert Roberge	RP	-0.68	0
Mike T. Stanton	RP	-1.21	1.71

The “Original” 1980 Houston Astros roster

NAME	POS	WAR	WS	General Manager	Scouting Director
Cesar Cedeno	CF	3.91	26.47	Spec Richardson
Floyd Bannister	SP	3.87	14.75	Tal Smith
Mike Easler	LF	3.49	21.51	Spec Richardson
Terry Puhl	RF	3.35	23.02	Spec Richardson	Lynwood Stallings
J. R. Richard	SP	3.3	11.59	Spec Richardson
Ken Forsch	SP	3.14	12.58	Spec Richardson
Tom Burgmeier	RP	2.94	17.55	Paul Richards
Bob Watson	1B	2.62	16.86	Paul Richards
Dave Smith	RP	2.45	12.89	Tal Smith
Joe Morgan	2B	1.91	21.43	Paul Richards
Tom Griffin	RP	1.69	8.58	Tal Smith
Joe Sambito	RP	1.49	14.49	Spec Richardson	Lynwood Stallings
Rusty Staub	DH	1.13	10.1	Paul Richards
John Mayberry	1B	0.79	16.26	Tal Smith
Derrel Thomas	SS	0.32	8.8	Spec Richardson
Stan Papi	3B	0.07	2.41	Spec Richardson
Bruce Bochy	C	0.04	0.4	Spec Richardson	John Mullen
Danny Heep	1B	0.04	2.64	Tal Smith
Danny Walton	DH	0.01	0.14	Paul Richards
Scott Loucks	RF	0.01	0.07	Tal Smith
Alan Knicely	–	-0.01	0	Spec Richardson	Pat Gillick
Cliff Johnson	DH	-0.07	7.19	Tal Smith
Greg Gross	LF	-0.07	3.27	Spec Richardson
Fred Stanley	SS	-0.25	1.01	Tal Smith
Gordie Pladson	SP	-0.27	0.18	Spec Richardson	Lynwood Stallings
Glenn Adams	DH	-0.58	4.11	Spec Richardson
Bert Roberge	RP	-0.68	0	Tal Smith
Joe Cannon	LF	-0.7	0.35	Spec Richardson	Pat Gillick
Mike T. Stanton	RP	-1.21	1.71	Spec Richardson	Lynwood Stallings
Luis Pujols	C	-1.83	1.97	Spec Richardson	Lynwood Stallings

Honorable Mention

The “Original” 1973 Astros    OWAR: 54.8     OWS: 328     OPW%: .567

Houston topped the circuit in OWAR and squeezed past Cincinnati and Los Angeles to capture the National League title in 1973. Joe L. Morgan (.290/26/82) coaxed 111 bases on balls, registered 116 tallies and pilfered 67 bases. “Little Joe” placed fourth in the NL MVP race and earned his first Gold Glove Award. John Mayberry (.278/26/100) paced the circuit with 122 walks and a .417 OBP while Bob “Bull” Watson produced a .312 BA with 94 ribbies. Mayberry and Watson joined the All-Star ranks for the first time. Cesar Cedeno (.320/25/70) laced 35 doubles and swiped 56 bags in the midst of collecting five consecutive Gold Glove Awards (1972-76). Fellow five-time Gold Glove winner Doug “The Red Rooster” Rader launched 21 moon shots and knocked in 89 runs. Rusty Staub aka “Le Grand Orange” clubbed 36 two-baggers. Wayne Twitchell (13-9, 2.50) received an invitation to the Mid-Summer Classic and fellow hurler Don Wilson notched 11 victories with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.166 WHIP.

On Deck

The “Original” 1905 Giants

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive