Lots of numbers, all adding up to bad season

9/29/2003
BY JOHN WAGNER
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
Mike Maroth finished 9-21. He had more of Detroit's wins (20.9 percent) than the Tigers' losses (17.6 percent).
Mike Maroth finished 9-21. He had more of Detroit's wins (20.9 percent) than the Tigers' losses (17.6 percent).

Here's a look at the Detroit Tigers' 2003 season by the numbers:

  • Detroit's worst month was its first, where a season-opening loss on March 31 was followed by a 3-20 April to combine for a .125 “winning” percentage. The Tigers' best month was May, when they posted an 11-18 record (.379). Detroit was 5-22 in June (.185), 9-17 in July (.346), 6-23 in August (.207) and 9-18 in September (.333).

  • Detroit's best day of the week was Tuesday, when the Tigers were 8-15 (.348). Close behind was Saturday, a day in which Detroit won 9 of 26 games (.346). The worst day of the week to play? Fridays (4-22, .154) were the worst, while Sundays (5-21, .238) weren't far behind. Detroit was 3-9 (.235) on Mondays, 7-17 on Wednesdays (.292) and 7-18 on Thursdays (.280).

  • Weekends were no fun for the Tigers, who won just 18 of the 78 games they played on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for a .231 “winning” percentage.

  • Maybe Cody Ross should have played more in Detroit; the Tigers were 3-3 when Ross started. No other Detroit player's starts resulted in a better record for the team.

  • While Mike Maroth's 21 losses were 17.6 percent of the Tigers' loss total, his nine victories accounted for 20.9 percent of Detroit's win total.

  • The White Sox finished four games behind the Twins, and Chicago can blame the Tigers for falling short. Detroit won 8 of 19 games against the White Sox - more wins than against any other club - and the Tigers beat Minnesota just four times. That difference also is the difference in the standings between the Twins and the White Sox.

  • The Tigers were winless against three National League clubs - Arizona, Los Angeles and San Francisco - and won only once against five AL teams: Anaheim, Boston, New York, Seattle and Texas.

  • The number of games the Tigers trailed the Twins in the American League Central Division race (47) is greater than the number of wins the Tigers amassed (43).

    When the game was close, the Tigers were competitive, posting a 19-18 record in one-run games. But Detroit was 7-30 in two-run games as well as 17-71 when the margin of victory - or defeat - was more than two runs.

  • The Tigers had 17 losing streaks of three games or more this season, including four three-game streaks, two four-game streaks, one five-game streak, three of six games, one of seven games, two of both eight and nine games and one each of 10 and 11 games.

  • Detroit was swept in 21 series and had 10 winless weekends, two winless road trips and one winless home stand.