On February 6, 2004, the Detroit Tigers were coming off a 119-loss season — one that offered little hope in sight for the future — when they signed eventual Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez to a multi-year contract. One year later, on February 7, 2005, the Tigers signed Magglio Ordoñez to a seven-year contract worth $105 million, with options included. The two stars would help the team to an American League pennant in 2006, and the club went on to a decade of prosperity.
It’s now February 2020, and the Tigers are coming off a 114-loss season.