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Recap
Hoping to turn their fortunes around the Tigers turned to their glory days by hiring Alan Trammel to be the team's new manager, while fellow member of the 1984 Championship team Kirk Gibson and Lance Parrish joined him on the coaching staff. However, none of it would have any bearing on the field as the Tigers were simple terrible all season as they lost their first 9 games on the way 3-21 record at the end of April. The losses would continue to mount as the Tigers entered the all-star break with a 24-67 record, which made them the laughing stocks of the Major Leagues. Through August the losses continued to pile up as the Tigers were on pace for the modern day record for losses in a season, while 3 pitchers were in danger of losing 20 games. The Tigers would lose their 100th game before September even began, as each night they were compared to the 1962 New York Mets who lost 120 games. Hoping not to shake his confidence too much the Tigers shut down Jeremy Bonderman when he lost his 19th leaving Mike Maroth alone to become the first pitcher since 1980 to lose 20 games in a season, as Nate Cornejo pitched strong down the stretch, finishing with a 6-17 record. Heading into the last week the Tigers set the AL record for losses in a season and needed a strong week to avoid an embarrassing 120-loss season, which they would be able to avoid thanks to winning 5 of their last 6 games. However a pitiful 43-119 record would leave the 2003 Tigers as possibly the worst team in the history of the American League. Knowing their is no place to go but up the Tigers would be active in the Free Agency market signing pitcher Jason Johnson, 2B Fernando Vi?a, OF Rondell White and post-season hero catcher Ivan Rodriguez.
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