Via Drew Sharp at The Free Press - Party time!
They came within one game of tieing the major league record for losses in 2003.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Tigers#Recent_Futility">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Tigers#Recent_Futility
In 2003 Mike Maroth lost 21 games
which represented the first time a starting pitcher had lost more than 20 games since 1980!
But now when I walk around town many people have the Tigers games on their TV. It is a great thing to see. And the current team is made up of 11 players from that 2003 team. In terms of organizational management this shows what can happen with the right mix of experience, talent, leadership, rookie excitement, and character and is similar to the formula the Boston Red Sox used to win the 2004 World Series.
The key elements are:
Pudge
Kenny Rogers
The highly underrated Brandon Inge
Carlos Guillen
Placido Palonco (evidenced by the Tigers struggles while he was on the DL)
Todd Jones (who was booed by the fans early in the season)
The core pitchers from the 2003 season (Bonderman, Maroth, and Robertson)
Jim Leyland
