Nobody was foolish enough to envision Detroit making the 2003 World Series. The Tigers hadn’t posted a winning percentage above .488 since 1993. They staggered to a cumulative record of 579-812 (.416) during the intervening nine years, punctuated by 106 losses in 2002.
Yet there was reason for optimism in Comerica Park. Franchise icon Alan Trammell, a Tigers shortstop for two decades, took the reins as manager in 2003. He inherited one of the youngest teams in the majors, with six everyday players and all five starting pitchers under the age of 27. Perhaps a winning tradition could be restored in Detroit.
Those hopes were quickly crushed. The Tigers lost their first nine games under Trammell’s tutelage, eked out a lone victory over the Chicago White Sox, then dropped the next eight. Additional losing streaks lay ahead — six straight defeats in late April and early May, seven in mid-May, eight in early June, and nine late in that month.
The Tigers reached the midway point, the end of June, with a 19-61 record, precisely matching the number of losses the New York Yankees would suffer all season. Detroit’s winning percentage of .238 was the worst first-half performance by any team in the Modern Era, setting the stage for a final mark of 43-119.
You’ll recall that we examined the best first-half records earlier in the week, encompassing all big-league clubs since 1961. You can think of today’s story as the flip side, focusing on the 12 clubs that suffered the most in April, May, and June.
The 2003 Tigers were by far the worst first-half club of the entire era, posting a winning percentage 25 points lower than the runners-up, the 1982 Twins.
Minnesota started the ’82 season poorly — dropping 27 of its first 39 games — and was completely doomed by a subsequent 14-game losing streak. The Twins’ first-half record of 20-56 earned second place on this unhappy list.
The following summary gives each club’s records through June 30 and the end of the season, along with the distance (in games behind) between it and the divisional leader.
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1. Detroit Tigers (2003)
First-half record: 19-61
First-half winning percentage: .238
Final record: 43-119
Final winning percentage: .265
Games behind in AL Central: 23.5 at end of first half, 47.0 at end of season
2. Minnesota Twins (1982)
First-half record: 20-56
First-half winning percentage: .263
Final record: 60-102
Final winning percentage: .370
Games behind in AL West: 25.5 at end of first half, 33.0 at end of season
3. Arizona Diamondbacks (2021)
First-half record: 22-60
First-half winning percentage: .268
Final record: 52-110
Final winning percentage: .321
Games behind in NL West: 29.5 at end of first half, 55.0 at end of season
4. New York Mets (1962)
First-half record: 20-53
First-half winning percentage: .274
Final record: 40-120
Final winning percentage: .250
Games behind in NL: 28.0 at end of first half, 60.5 at end of season
5. Toronto Blue Jays (1981)
First-half record: 16-42
First-half winning percentage: .276
Final record: 37-69
Final winning percentage: .349
Games behind in AL East: 19.0 at end of first half, 23.5 at end of season
6. Oakland Athletics (1979)
First-half record: 22-57
First-half winning percentage: .278
Final record: 54-108
Final winning percentage: .333
Games behind in AL West: 23.0 at end of first half, 34.0 at end of season
7. Baltimore Orioles (2018)
First-half record: 23-59
First-half winning percentage: .280
Final record: 47-115
Final winning percentage: .290
Games behind in AL East: 32.0 at end of first half, 61.0 at end of season
8. Detroit Tigers (1996)
First-half record: 23-58
First-half winning percentage: .284
Final record: 53-109
Final winning percentage: .327
Games behind in AL East: 25.0 at end of first half, 39.0 at end of season
9. Baltimore Orioles (1988)
First-half record: 22-55
First-half winning percentage: .286
Final record: 54-107
Final winning percentage: .335
Games behind in AL East: 25.0 at end of first half, 34.5 at end of season
10. (tie) Montreal Expos (1969)
First-half record: 21-52
First-half winning percentage: .288
Final record: 52-110
Final winning percentage: .321
Games behind in NL East: 27.0 at end of first half, 48.0 at end of season
10. (tie) Chicago Cubs (1981)
First-half record: 15-37
First-half winning percentage: .288
Final record: 38-65
Final winning percentage: .369
Games behind in NL East: 17.5 at end of first half, 21.5 at end of season
10. (tie) Minnesota Twins (1995)
First-half record: 17-42
First-half winning percentage: .288
Final record: 56-88
Final winning percentage: .389
Games behind in AL Central: 24.5 at end of first half, 44.0 at end of season