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And yet there they were, lined up near Comerica Park, in their Tiger caps and jackets, for blocks. Once inside, they literally waited hours for autographs and glimpses at Tiger players.

Not only were the Tigers selling game tickets at a record pace, but tickets for TigerFest, the kickoff to the club's annual off-season tour -- which more often than not is greeted with a collective yawn -- were selling at scalper's prices on the Internet.

General manager Dave Dombrowski was the toast of the town.

How could it have gone so wrong?

There have been many Detroit sports teams worse than the 2008 Tigers. None, however, has been as disappointing.

All those seats filled. All that money spent. A result not only dreadful under the circumstances, but excruciatingly dull and utterly uninspiring as a process.

This is not a Matt Millen tale. Dombrowski has a top pedigree that includes a world championship in Florida and the American League pennant in 2006, which brought a much-welcomed resurgence of baseball in Detroit.

It should not be overlooked, however, that Dombrowski has had a year surpassing the disappointment of any of his players on the field.

The big trade with the Florida Marlins, coupled with another trade with the Atlanta Braves, have been disasters.

The Marlins trade: Miguel Cabrera ultimately has put up decent statistics, although it falls under the category of "too little, too late." Pitcher Dontrelle Willis fell apart before our eyes as a major league pitcher.

The Atlanta trade: Shortstop Edgar Renteria, who cost the Tigers a solid, young starting pitcher in Jair Jurrjens, has been staggeringly unproductive.

Todd Jones and Kenny Rogers, re-signed as free agents by Dombrowski, are 40-something pitchers, who have displayed clear evidence that Father Time has caught up to them. They cost $15 million combined for the 2008 season.

When the Tigers traded for aging Gary Sheffield prior to the 2007 season, Dombrowski unwisely gave him a three-contract contract extension. Now the Tigers are likely stuck with a disgruntled and decidedly-ineffective Sheffield for next season, too -- at $14 million. Again, another veteran Dombrowski didn't evaluate properly.

Willis has two years remaining on his contract after Dombrowski extended his deal shortly after the trade. Right there -- nearly $30 million more of guaranteed money not wisely appropriated.

The Jacque Jones trade did not work out. He was released. How have you liked the Pudge Rodriguez for Kyle Farnsworth trade with the Yankees so far?

The Tigers would have been better off if Francisco Cruceta's visa problems lingered forever. Remember Denny Bautista? Sorry about the reminder. Cruceta and Bautista were the so-called hidden gems Dombrowski touted as being the answer to augmenting the Tigers bullpen.

OK, so Dombrowski hit big-time with an obscure minor league trade with Texas for pitcher Armando Galarraga.

It means he's hit about .100 this season.

It's understood that this sounds like 20-20 hindsight. There is an undeniable element of truth about it. Most of the media, present company included, expected the Tigers to contend this season, and perhaps bring the World Series title that escaped their grasp in 2006.

It's neither the media nor the fans, however, who are responsible for this season. Dombrowski's job is to know better. He's the one that really counts. This time he got it wrong.

There will be those who point the finger of blame at manager Jim Leyland for not getting more out of such a high-priced ball club. Honestly, though, it might have been worse if Leyland, who still commands respect with his players, didn't maintain control of the clubhouse, which soured under previous manager Alan Trammell.

No, the disappointment of this season falls directly on the shoulders of Dombrowski.

He made improper evaluations of high-cost veteran players. He didn't do enough to bolster the bullpen during the offseason. He mortgaged the Tigers' future on two big trades that didn't work out -- with the added weight of ill-conceived contract extensions. He was ineffective at adjusting an obviously unbalanced club once the season began.

Dave Dombrowski created this mess. His challenge is to clean it up.

Those waiting in the long line last winter -- and everybody else who invested so heavily financially and emotionally in the Tigers -- deserves much better.

Pat Caputo is senior sports reporter and a columnist for The Oakland Press. Contact him at pat.caputo@oakpress.com. Read his sports blog and listen to his audio podcast at Blog Central at theoaklandpress.com.