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Tigers DET

200343–119 (0.265)
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GM: Dave Dombrowski

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 2003, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$49M
Surplus $M
-47
Win %
0.265
TAB
-28.4
WAB
-34.6
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
1.7
Dead money %
83%
Depth Players
0.0
Dead WAR
-9.8

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

2003 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RBrandon Inge104
BMatt Walbeck55
RA.J. Hinch27
RBen Petrick⇄7

1B

LCarlos Pena128
LKevin Witt27
RShane Halter12
RCraig Paquette5
RBen Petrick⇄2
BDmitri Young1
RDean Palmer1

2B

LWarren Morris89
BRamon Santiago53
RShane Halter24
RDanny Klassen4
ROmar Infante2

3B

LEric Munson91
RShane Halter50
BDmitri Young16
RDanny Klassen13
LKevin Witt5
ROmar Infante4
RDean Palmer1

SS

BRamon Santiago85
ROmar Infante63
RShane Halter27
RDanny Klassen3

LF

RCraig Monroe75
BDmitri Young61
RBen Petrick⇄19
LKevin Witt13
BGene Kingsale8
RCraig Paquette3
RShane Halter2
BAndres Torres1
RHiram Bocachica1

CF

LAlex Sanchez⇄101
BAndres Torres36
BGene Kingsale23
RBen Petrick⇄15
RHiram Bocachica5
RCraig Monroe2
LBobby Higginson1

RF

LBobby Higginson117
RCraig Monroe38
BAndres Torres16
RCody Ross6
RBen Petrick⇄3
RCraig Paquette2

DH

BDmitri Young73
LKevin Witt36
RDean Palmer22
LBobby Higginson8
RCraig Monroe4
RErnie Young4
RShane Halter3
BGene Kingsale2
LCarlos Pena1

Starters

RNate Cornejo1.5 WAR
RJeremy Bonderman1.2 WAR
LMike Maroth0.6 WAR
RAdam Bernero⇄0.5 WAR
LNate Robertson0.3 WAR
RGary Knotts0.2 WAR
RChris Mears0.1 WAR
LWil Ledezma0.1 WAR
RShane Loux-0.3 WAR
RMatt Roney-0.5 WAR

Bullpen

★ LJamie Walker3 sv
RChris Spurling4 h
RFranklyn German4 h
LEric Eckenstahler4 h
RMatt Anderson4 h
RFernando Rodney3 h
RChris Mears1 h
RSteve Sparks⇄0 h

Each position shows its top 3 by games (top = starter) — click "+more" for the rest. The letter is bats/throws; ⇄ marks a player traded mid-season. Starters are ranked by WAR, bullpen by holds; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.

Key additions (new vs 2002)

PlayerfWAR
Jeremy Bonderman1.2
Warren Morris0.9
Nate Robertson0.3
Ben Petrick0.3
Gary Knotts0.2
Chris Mears0.1

Key subtractions (gone from 2002)

Player2002 fWAR
Mark Redman4.0
Jeff Weaver3.2
Robert Fick1.8
Damion Easley1.0
Juan Acevedo0.9
Damian Jackson0.8

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Tigers. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 2003; everyone else is shown as a 2003 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Nate Cornejo 2003 +1.5 +18.3 0.3 +18.0 $0.2M 1.49× –
Jeremy Bonderman 2003 +1.2 +10.0 0.3 +9.7 $0.2M 1.02× –
Dmitri Young 2003 +1.9 +15.4 6.8 +8.7 $3.5M 1.01× –
Mike Maroth 2003 +0.6 +4.5 0.3 +4.2 $0.6M 1.02× –
Adam Bernero↔ 2003 +0.5 +3.7 0.1 +3.6 $0.3M 1.02× –
Jamie Walker 2003 +0.3 +3.0 0.4 +2.6 $1.3M 1.34× –
Brandon Inge 2003 +0.6 +2.7 0.3 +2.4 $0.5M 0.52× –
Carlos Pena 2003 +0.6 +2.5 0.3 +2.2 $0.5M 0.56× –
Gary Knotts 2003 +0.2 +1.7 0.3 +1.4 $1.5M 1.02× –
Chris Spurling 2003 +0.1 +0.8 0.3 +0.5 $4.0M 1.34× –
Wilfredo Ledezma 2003 +0.1 +0.4 0.3 +0.1 $4.5M 0.67× –
Alex Sanchez↔ 2003 +0.0 +0.0 0.2 -0.2 $35.0M 0.83× –
Eric Munson 2003 +0.3 +1.5 1.7 -0.2 $5.2M 0.58× –
Cody Ross 2003 -0.0 -0.1 0.3 -0.4 – 0.83× –
Danny Patterson 2003 +0.4 +2.1 2.5 -0.4 $6.3M 0.67× –
Matt Roney 2003 -0.5 -2.7 0.3 -3.0 – 0.67× –
Omar Infante 2003 -0.6 -2.8 0.3 -3.1 – 0.61× –
Steve Sparks↔ 2003 -0.1 -0.3 3.7 -4.0 – 0.67× –
Hiram Bocachica 2003 -0.6 -4.1 0.3 -4.4 – 0.83× –
Gene Kingsale 2003 -0.7 -4.8 0.3 -5.2 – 0.83× –
Matt Walbeck 2003 -1.2 -4.9 0.4 -5.3 – 0.52× –
Matt Anderson 2003 -0.4 -2.2 3.2 -5.4 – 0.67× –
Craig Paquette 2003 -0.7 -3.0 2.6 -5.6 – 0.56× –
Ramon Santiago 2003 -1.3 -6.4 0.3 -6.7 – 0.61× –
Franklyn German 2003 -0.7 -8.0 0.3 -8.3 – 1.34× –
Bobby Higginson 2003 -0.2 -1.6 11.8 -13.5 – 0.83× –
Dean Palmer 2003 -0.9 -5.2 8.5 -13.7 – 0.69× –
Shane Halter 2003 +0.5 +2.1 2.1 -0.0 $4.7M 0.58× –
A.J. Hinch 2003 -0.2 -0.8 – – – 0.52× –
Andres Torres 2003 -0.4 -2.4 – – – 0.83× –
Ben Petrick↔ 2003 +0.3 +1.7 – – – 0.83× –
Brian Schmack 2003 -0.0 -0.1 – – – 0.67× –
Chris Mears 2003 +0.1 +1.1 – – – 1.34× –
Craig Monroe 2003 +0.6 +4.3 – – – 0.83× –
Danny Klassen 2003 +0.1 +0.5 – – – 0.58× –
Eric Eckenstahler 2003 -0.1 -0.3 – – – 0.67× –
Ernie Young 2003 -0.1 -0.7 – – – 0.69× –
Fernando Rodney 2003 +0.5 +5.4 – – – 1.34× –
Kevin Witt 2003 -0.2 -0.9 – – – 0.69× –
Nate Robertson 2003 +0.3 +2.2 – – – 1.02× –
Shane Loux 2003 -0.3 -1.7 – – – 0.67× –
Steve Avery 2003 -0.6 -3.3 – – – 0.67× –
Warren Morris 2003 +0.9 +4.1 – – – 0.56× –
Total—+1.8+31.748.5-26.0—

Trades

Every graded 2003 deal involving the Tigers — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 4 total.

2003 · MIL / DET
MIL · Douglas Melvin +$2.4M
Chad Petty, Noochie Varner
DET · Dave Dombrowski −$2.4M
Alex Sánchez
MIL came out ahead by $2.4M
2003 · ATL / DET
ATL · John Schuerholz +$4.0M
Matt Coenen
DET · Dave Dombrowski −$4.0M
Chris Spurling
ATL came out ahead by $4.0M
2003 · DET / COL
DET · Dave Dombrowski +$4.8M
Ben Petrick
COL · Daniel O'Dowd −$4.8M
Adam Bernero
DET came out ahead by $4.8M
2003 · MIA / DET
MIA · Larry Beinfest +$29.6M
Mark Redman, Jerrod Fuell
DET · Dave Dombrowski −$29.6M
Gary Knotts, Nate Robertson, Rob Henkel
MIA came out ahead by $29.6M

Current & Historical Payroll

2003 payroll
$48.7M

What the front office was committed to as of 2003, 2003–2009. Pre-2015 has no contract-terms data — forward italic $ are realized actuals (hindsight, not commitments known then). Control labels (ARB/FA) are point-in-time.

current $ guaranteed $ actual $ (hindsight) arbitration (proj) pre-arb (proj) free agent

Guaranteed / signed (12)

PlayerAgeSvc2003200420052006200720082009
Bobby Higginson328.000$11.8M$8.8M$8.8MFREE AGENT
Dean Palmer3414.000$8.5MFREE AGENT
Dmitri Young297.000$6.8M$7.8M$8.0M$8.0MFREE AGENT
Steve Sparks378.000$3.7MFREE AGENT
Craig Paquette3410.000$2.6MFREE AGENT
Danny Patterson327.000$2.5M$2.8MFREE AGENT
Shane Halter336.000$2.1MFREE AGENT
Matt Walbeck3310.000$400kFREE AGENT
Jamie Walker316.000$360k$775k$900k$1.2MFREE AGENT
Gene Kingsale267.000$340kFREE AGENT
Steve Avery3313.000—FREE AGENT
Ernie Young339.000—FREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (8)

PlayerAgeSvc2003200420052006200720082009
Matt Anderson265.000$3.2MFREE AGENT
Eric Munson253.000$1.7MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Hiram Bocachica273.000$325kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Adam Bernero263.000$119kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
A.J. Hinch295.000—FREE AGENT
Danny Klassen275.000—FREE AGENT
Ben Petrick264.000—ARB 3FREE AGENT
Warren Morris294.000—ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (23)

PlayerAgeSvc2003200420052006200720082009
Brandon Inge262.000$315kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Carlos Pena252.000$310kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Maroth251.000$309kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ramon Santiago231.000$307kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Gary Knotts262.000$305kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Chris Spurling260.000$305kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Nate Cornejo232.000$303kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Cody Ross220.000$300kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Wilfredo Ledezma220.000$300kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Franklyn German231.000$300kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Omar Infante211.000$300kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Roney230.000$300kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeremy Bonderman200.000$300kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Alex Sanchez262.000$238kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kevin Witt27–—
Chris Mears25–—
Shane Loux231.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Andres Torres251.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Craig Monroe262.000—ARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Fernando Rodney261.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Nate Robertson251.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Eric Eckenstahler26–—
Brian Schmack29–—

Graphs

How each 2003 acquisition stacked onto Tigers's playoff-odds curve. The side table is ranked by PPA.

Rosternomics — front-office performance, roster value, and transaction history. Follow @rosternomics on X.
Decision-maker records extend to 1933; resource-controlled WAR and payroll metrics cover 1985–2026. Data sources include FanGraphs, Baseball-Reference, the Chadwick Bureau register, the Lahman Database, prospect rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and FanGraphs, and public payroll records. Transaction and trade data was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Executive birth/death data via Wikidata (CC0).
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