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, Mike Piazza is listed on the Dodgers roster for the duration of his career while the Giants claim Bobby Bonds and the Indians declare Roger Maris and Manny Ramirez. 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. Additional information and a discussion forum are available at TuataraSoftware.com.

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 2009 Colorado Rockies         OWAR: 44.4     OWS: 297     OPW%: .561

GM Dan O’Dowd acquired 65% (28 of 43) of the ballplayers on the 2009 Rockies roster. 29 players were selected during the Amateur Draft though staff ace Ubaldo Jimenez was signed as an amateur free agent. Based on the revised standings the “Original” 2009 Rockies captured the National League pennant following a fierce battle with the Dodgers for the Western division title.

Chone Figgins accrued 26 Win Shares and received his lone All-Star nomination during the 2009 campaign. He established career-highs with 114 runs scored, 101 walks and a .395 OBP while swiping 42 bags from the leadoff spot. Troy Tulowitzki (.297/32/92) pilfered 20 bases and registered 101 runs on the way to a fifth-place finish in the N.L. MVP balloting. Matt “Big Daddy” Holliday compiled a .313 BA, swatted 24 long balls and knocked in 109 runs. Todd Helton eclipsed the .300 mark for the eleventh time in twelve campaigns, batting at a .325 clip while contributing 38 two-baggers. Brad Hawpe laced 42 doubles and slugged 23 circuit clouts to merit a trip to the Midsummer Classic. 

LINEUP	POS	WAR	WS
Chone Figgins	3B	4.72	26.32
Seth Smith	DH/LF	2.61	13.43
Troy Tulowitzki	SS	5	25.72
Matt Holliday	LF	4.7	26.18
Brad Hawpe	RF	0.45	18.96
Juan Uribe	3B	3.01	16.45
Todd Helton	1B	3.41	23.24
Chris Iannetta	C	2.27	9.76
Craig Counsell	2B	2.53	14.12
BENCH	POS	WAR	WS
Everth Cabrera	SS	2.44	13.48
Clint Barmes	2B	1.34	14.32
Juan Pierre	LF	1.31	11.2
Ian Stewart	3B	1.13	11.98
Dexter Fowler	CF	1.1	14.4
Jeff Baker	3B	1.03	7.96
Jayson Nix	2B	0.7	6.54
Cory Sullivan	LF	0.16	3.14
Josh Bard	C	0.1	4.61
Eric Young Jr.	2B	-0.25	0.21
Jeff Salazar	CF	-0.32	0.13
Jody Gerut	CF	-0.41	4.01
Garrett Atkins	3B	-0.58	5.21
Ryan Spilborghs	LF	-0.91	6.16

Ubaldo Jimenez whiffed 198 batsmen and accrued 15 victories along with a 3.47 ERA in his second full season in the Rockies’ starting rotation. Aaron Cook posted a record of 11-6 with a 4.16 ERA following his All-Star season in ’08. Justin Miller (3-3, 3.18) led an otherwise undistinguished bullpen staff.

ROTATION	POS	WAR	WS
Ubaldo Jimenez	SP	6.05	19.07
Aaron Cook	SP	2.88	11.26
Esmil Rogers	SP	0.06	0.21
Jhoulys Chacin	SW	0.08	0.39
Franklin Morales	RP	0.31	4.19
BULLPEN	POS	WAR	WS
Justin Miller	RP	0.66	4.47
Matt Daley	RP	0.55	3.97
Mark DiFelice	RP	0.43	3.66
Alberto Arias	RP	0.21	3.27
Jason Jennings	RP	0.2	3.92
Ryan Speier	RP	0.02	0.26
Steven Register	RP	0.01	0.08
Sean Green	RP	-0.14	2.73
Pedro Strop	RP	-0.2	0
Manny Corpas	RP	-0.25	0.88
Juan Morillo	RP	-0.36	0
Jorge Sosa	RP	-0.38	0.09
Jamey Wright	RP	-0.53	3.69
Luis Ayala	RP	-0.59	1.47
David Patton	RP	-0.68	0.02

 The “Original” 2009 Colorado Rockies roster

NAME	POS	WAR	WS	General Manager	Scouting Director
Ubaldo Jimenez	SP	6.05	19.07	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Troy Tulowitzki	SS	5	25.72	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Chone Figgins	3B	4.72	26.32	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Matt Holliday	LF	4.7	26.18	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Todd Helton	1B	3.41	23.24	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Juan Uribe	3B	3.01	16.45	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Aaron Cook	SP	2.88	11.26	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Seth Smith	LF	2.61	13.43	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Craig Counsell	2B	2.53	14.12	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Everth Cabrera	SS	2.44	13.48	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Chris Iannetta	C	2.27	9.76	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Clint Barmes	2B	1.34	14.32	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Juan Pierre	LF	1.31	11.2	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Ian Stewart	3B	1.13	11.98	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Dexter Fowler	CF	1.1	14.4	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Jeff Baker	3B	1.03	7.96	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Jayson Nix	2B	0.7	6.54	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Justin Miller	RP	0.66	4.47	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Matt Daley	RP	0.55	3.97	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Brad Hawpe	RF	0.45	18.96	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Mark DiFelice	RP	0.43	3.66	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Franklin Morales	RP	0.31	4.19	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Alberto Arias	RP	0.21	3.27	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Jason Jennings	RP	0.2	3.92	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Cory Sullivan	LF	0.16	3.14	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Josh Bard	C	0.1	4.61	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Jhoulys Chacin	SW	0.08	0.39	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Esmil Rogers	SP	0.06	0.21	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Ryan Speier	RP	0.02	0.26	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Steven Register	RP	0.01	0.08	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Sean Green	RP	-0.14	2.73	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Pedro Strop	RP	-0.2	0	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Manny Corpas	RP	-0.25	0.88	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Eric Young	2B	-0.25	0.21	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Jeff Salazar	CF	-0.32	0.13	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Juan Morillo	RP	-0.36	0	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Jorge Sosa	RP	-0.38	0.09	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Jody Gerut	CF	-0.41	4.01	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Jamey Wright	RP	-0.53	3.69	Bob Gebhard	Pat Daugherty
Garrett Atkins	3B	-0.58	5.21	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Luis Ayala	RP	-0.59	1.47	Dan O’Dowd	Pat Daugherty
David Patton	RP	-0.68	0.02	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt
Ryan Spilborghs	LF	-0.91	6.16	Dan O’Dowd	Bill Schmidt

Honorable Mention 

The “Original” 2007 Rockies              OWAR: 42.0     OWS: 264     OPW%: .546

Matt Holliday (.340/36/137) topped the Senior Circuit in batting average, RBI, hits (216) and doubles (50), earning a runner-up finish in the 2007 NL MVP vote. Troy Tulowitzki (.291/24/99) accrued 104 tallies and placed second in the Rookie of the Year balloting. Todd Helton ripped 42 doubles and third-sacker Chone Figgins manufactured a career-best .330 BA. Garrett Atkins (.301/25/111) and Brad Hawpe (.291/29/116) contributed to Colorado’s offensive onslaught. Jeff Francis paced the starting staff with a 17-9 record while Manny Corpas posted an ERA of 2.08 and saved 19 contests.

On Deck

The “Original” 1992 Brewers

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

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

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive