DETROIT AP) - It didn't really matter who was managing the Detroit Tigers this season.

Whether it was Luis Pujols, who was fired Monday, or the best manager in baseball, losses were going to far outnumber wins because of the lack of talent.

"I don't think there's many people that could've walked into this situation that would have made a significant difference in the number of wins we had," team president Dave Dombrowski said Monday.

Pujols replaced Phil Garner in April after an 0-6 start. He led the Tigers to a 55-106 finish, tied for the worst record in the major leagues, and the worst record (24 (51)- in baseball after the All-Star break.

His winning percentage of .355 is the lowest for a manager in club history.

Pujols became the second manager in baseball history to lose 100 games after being hired following the start of a season. The other manager was Frank Robinson, who replaced Cal Ripken Sr. after six games in 1998 and lost 101 games.

The Tigers lost at Toronto 1-0 Sunday, ending their worst season since they went 53-109 in 1996.

"He walked into a very difficult situation that he put a lot of effort into to try to make it work," Dombrowski said. "But it's time to start fresh."

The next manager will be Detroit's fifth since Sparky Anderson's 17-season tenure ended in 1995.

Dombrowski said he has 50 candidates in mind, hopes to interview about five of them and wants to hire one by the end of October.

"Your ideal manager would have been a good big league player that understood the game," Dombrowski said, "that has gone out to the minors and managed, that has been on a big league coaching staff and is ready to go."

He mentioned only one candidate by name: Bruce Fields, who managed at Triple-A Toledo the past two seasons and led the Mud Hens to a division title this year. Dombrowski said he will interview Fields next week.

"He is a viable candidate," Dombrowski said. "Bruce is a good baseball man. He did a great job in the minor league system for us this year. He looks like a leader. I've been impressed with him when I've talked baseball with him. He has the respect of the players. He communicates and motivates well."

Former Tigers star Alan Trammell is thought to be high on the team's list. But Dombrowski refused to comment on the former star shortstop because he hasn't asked the San Diego Padres for permission to speak with Trammell, their first base coach.

"To be honest with you, if they call, I will talk to them," Trammell said Sunday. "And if that happens, then we'll have to wait and see. It's a situation where I've been out here for three years now with the Padres, I'm from here and I'm very happy here. But again, if anybody was to call - not just the Tigers - I think at this point in my career, I would sit down with somebody."

Another name being mentioned is Ken Macha, Oakland's bench coach.

Dombrowski, whose known Macha for a long time because they worked together in the Montreal Expos' organization, was not surprised to be asked about Macha on Monday.

"He's a guy mentioned that is mentioned with almost every opening that becomes available," Dombrowski said.

Dombrowski, who was hired 11 months ago to fix a broken franchise, doesn't think it will be difficult to attract candidates to a club that hasn't had a winning season since 1993.

"I think the Detroit Tigers, even though it's been a scuffling situation in recent years, is still a prestigious franchise," he said.

Dombrowski said he knew last week that Pujols would not be back next season.

Pujols, a Dominican, was the Tigers' first minority manager. He managed the Tigers' Double-A affiliate in Erie, Pa., last season, his first in the organization. He was a major league catcher with three teams from 1977-85.

Dombrowski did not welcome back any member of Pujols' staff to be a coach at the major league level, but did extend offers for some to stay in the organization.

"Based upon a very difficult year, I don't think anybody was surprised," he said.

He said he didn't offer Pujols another position because he thought it would be "awkward."

Pujols was not available for comment Monday morning after leaving Comerica Park following his meeting with Dombrowski.

Garner, reached on his cell phone Monday night traveling in Myrtle Beach, S.C., didn't take pleasure in knowing his successor failed.

"I think this just shows it was an even tougher job than anybody thought," Garner said. "I felt like we would've done better if we were given a shot to continue, but who knows after they changed their plan and went with kids a couple months into the season. Going with kids was never given to me as an option.

"I just feel bad for the fans because they're going to have to live with another rebuilding program."