1972 Boston Red Sox season explained

Boston Red Sox
Season:1972
League:American League
Division:East
Ballpark:Fenway Park
City:Boston, Massachusetts
Record:85–70 (.548)
Divisional Place:2nd (GB)
Owner:Tom Yawkey
President:Tom Yawkey
General Manager:Dick O'Connell
Manager:Eddie Kasko
Television:WBZ-TV, Ch. 4
(Ken Coleman, Johnny Pesky)
Radio:WHDH-AM 850
(Ned Martin, Dave Martin, John MacLean)
Espntn:bos
Brtn:BOS

The 1972 Boston Red Sox season was the 72nd season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished second in the American League East with a record of 85 wins and 70 losses, one-half game behind the Detroit Tigers. Due to the cancellation of games missed during the 1972 Major League Baseball strike, Detroit played (and won) one more game than Boston, allowing them to finish with a record of 86–70, winning the division by a half-game.

Offseason

A bad trade

After the 1971 season, the Red Sox management decided on drastic changes. First there was a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. George Scott, who had fallen out of favor with the Red Sox management, was packaged with Billy Conigliaro (younger brother of former Red Sox star Tony Conigliaro), outfielders Joe Lahoud and Don Pavletich, pitchers Ken Brett (George Brett's older brother) and Jim Lonborg and exchanged for pitchers Marty Pattin and Lew Krausse Jr. and outfielders Tommy Harper and Pat Skrable. It was a big deal and, as it turned out, a bad one for Boston. Lonborg won 14 games for Milwaukee in 1972, with a 2.83 ERA, and later was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he won 13, 17, 18, 8 and 11 games during five seasons. Scott batted .263, .266, .306, .281 and .285 in his five seasons with the Brewers, driving in 88, 107, 82, 109, and 77 runs during those same years and clouting an average of 23 homers a season, with 36 in 1975 alone. Meanwhile, although Pattin was 17–13 for Boston in 1972 a 15–15 in 1973, he was then traded away. Harper batted .254 and .281 in his two years with the Sox before being traded. Skrable, a Triple-A player, did not play professionally after the 1971 season.[3] He refused to report to Boston,[4] and the Red Sox received infielder Bobby Pfeil as compensation;[5] Pfeil finished his career with Boston's Triple-A affiliate in 1972.[6]

Regular season

Record by month[7]
Month Record Cumulative Ref.
Won Lost Won Lost Position GB
April 4 7 4 7 4th 3 [8]
May 11 12 15 19 5th [9]
June 12 15 27 34 4th [10]
July 20 12 47 46 4th 7 [11]
August 17 12 64 58 4th 2 [12]
September 20 9 84 67 1st + [13]
October 1 3 85 70 2nd

Following the 1972 Major League Baseball strike, Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn ruled that no games cancelled due to the April strike would be made up. The Red Sox played a total of 155 games of their original 162-game schedule, and finished with a record of 85–70. Meanwhile, the Detroit Tigers played 156 games, and finished with a record of 86–70. Thus, the Tigers were winners of the AL East, by a half-game over the Red Sox.

Boston and Detroit finished their regular-season schedules with a three-game series against each other, played at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. Entering the series, Boston held a half-game lead over Detroit, but Detroit won two of the three games, and the AL East title.

Final series, Boston at Detroit
Date Game result Boston record Detroit record AL East leader (GA) Ref.
Entering the series Boston (+0.5) [14]
October 2 Detroit 4–1 Detroit (+0.5) [15]
October 3 Detroit 3–1 Detroit (+1.5) [16]
October 4 Boston 4–1 Detroit (+0.5) [17]

The first game of the series included a notable play. In the top of the third inning, Boston trailed, 1–0, and had one out with Tommy Harper at third base and Luis Aparicio at first base. Carl Yastrzemski hit a ball that looked to be a triple; Harper scored, but Aparicio fell as he rounded third base. Aparicio got up and retreated to third, but Yastrzemski was already there, causing Yastrzemski to try to return to second, resulting in Yastrzemski being tagged out.[18] Thus, instead of having a 2–1 lead with one out and a runner at third, Boston had only tied the game and had two outs (albeit still with a runner at third). The next batter, Reggie Smith, struck out to end the inning.[18] Boston was unable to score again, and Detroit went on to win the game, 4–1.[19] Aparicio falling as he rounded third base is looked back upon as a key play that could have made a difference.[20]

Notable transactions

Opening Day lineup

  4 CF
11 SS
  8 Carl Yastrzemski     LF
  7 RF
  6 3B
  5 1B
  2 2B
24 C
33 P
Source:[23]

Roster

1972 Boston Red Sox
Roster
PitchersCatchersInfieldersOutfieldersOther battersManagerCoaches (Bullpen) (First base) (Third base) (Pitching)

Player stats

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases; BB = Walks; AVG = Batting average; SLG = Slugging average

bgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="20%"Playerbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"Gbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"ABbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"Rbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"Hbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"2Bbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"3Bbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"HRbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"RBIbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"SBbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"BBbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"AVGbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"SLG
Tommy Harper1445569214129214492567.254.388
Rico Petrocelli147521621251521575078.240.363
Doug Griffin12947043122121235945.260.302
Reggie Smith1314677512625421741568.270.475
Carlton Fisk131457741342892261552.293.538
Carl Yastrzemski125455701201821268567.264.391
Luis Aparicio11043647112263339326.257.351
Danny Cater923173275171839015.237.372
Ben Oglivie942532761102830118.241.391
John Kennedy712122252111222018.245.335
Juan Beníquez33991024411827.242.333
Rick Miller8998132141315011.214.367
Phil Gagliano528292141010110.256.329
Duane Josephson26821122411704.268.378
Bob Montgomery2477722102703.286.377
Bob Burda4573412102908.164.260
Dwight Evans1857215311607.263.404
Andy Kosco1747510213602.213.489
Cecil Cooper121704100202.235.294
Bob Gallagher7500000000.000.000
Vic Correll1412000100.500.500
Pitcher Totals1554233468141431014.161.227
Team Totals155520864012892293412459466522.248.376
Source:https://baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1972-batting.shtml

Pitching

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts

bgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="20%"Playerbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"Wbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"Lbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"ERAbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"Gbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"GSbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"SVbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"IPbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"Hbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"Rbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"ERbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"BBbgcolor=#DDDDFF; width="7%"SO
Marty Pattin17133.2438350253.02321029165168
Sonny Siebert12123.8032300196.12041058359123
Luis Tiant1561.9143193179.0128453865123
John Curtis1183.7326210154.1161696450106
Lynn McGlothen873.4122220145.0135665559112
Ray Culp584.4616160105.010460525352
Gary Peters334.32334185.19148413867
Bill Lee743.20470584.17531303243
Lew Krausse Jr.136.38247160.27448432835
Don Newhauser422.43310437.03011102527
Bobby Bolin012.93210530.22411101127
Ken Tatum023.07220429.13212101515
Bob Veale200.006028.0200310
Roger Moret003.603005.053264
Stan Williams006.233004.153313
Mike Garman0110.803103.144421
Mike Nagy009.001002.032202
Team Totals85703.47155155251382.21309620533512918
Source:https://baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1972-pitching.shtml

Statistical leaders

Category Player Statistic
Youngest player 20
Oldest player 38
7.3
Source:[24]

Batting

Abbr. Category Player Statistic
G 147
PA Plate appearances 641
AB At bats Tommy Harper 556
R Runs scored Tommy Harper 92
H Hits Tommy Harper 141
2B Doubles Tommy Harper 29
3B Triples 9
HR Home runs Carlton Fisk 22
RBI Rico Petrocelli 75
SB Stolen bases Tommy Harper 25
CS Tommy Harper 7
BB Rico Petrocelli 78
SO Strikeouts Tommy Harper 104
BA Carlton Fisk .293
OBP Carlton Fisk .370
SLG Carlton Fisk .538
OPS Carlton Fisk .909
OPS+ Carlton Fisk 162
TB Carlton Fisk 246
GIDP 16
HBP Tommy Harper 9
SH Sacrifice hits 15
SF 9
IBB 12
Source:[24]

Pitching

Abbr. Category Player Statistic
W Wins 17
L Losses Marty Pattin 13
W-L % .714 (15–6)
ERA Luis Tiant 1.91
G Games pitched 47
GS Games started Marty Pattin 35
GF Games finished 17
Gary Peters
CG Complete games Marty Pattin 13
SHO Luis Tiant 6
SV Saves 5
Bill Lee
IP Marty Pattin 253
SO Strikeouts Marty Pattin 168
WHIP Luis Tiant 1.078
Source:[24]

Awards and honors

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball.

Source:[25] [26]

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lonboji01.shtml Jim Lonborg page at Baseball Reference
  2. https://www.baseball-reference.com/c/caterda01.shtml Danny Cater page at Baseball Reference
  3. Web site: Pat Skrable Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History . . October 10, 2020.
  4. News: Spring training without Skrable? The glitter's gone . Harold . Kaese . . 45 . February 16, 1972 . October 10, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  5. News: Red Sox give Cards Fiore for Burda . Ray . Fitzgerald . . 29 . March 20, 1972 . October 10, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  6. Web site: Bobby Pfeil Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History . . October 10, 2020.
  7. Web site: The 1972 Boston Red Sox . . October 10, 2020.
  8. Web site: Events of Sunday, April 30, 1972.
  9. Web site: Events of Wednesday, May 31, 1972.
  10. Web site: Events of Friday, June 30, 1972.
  11. Web site: Events of Monday, July 31, 1972.
  12. Web site: Events of Thursday, August 31, 1972.
  13. Web site: Events of Saturday, September 30, 1972.
  14. Web site: Events of Sunday, October 1, 1972.
  15. Web site: Events of Monday, October 2, 1972.
  16. Web site: Events of Tuesday, October 3, 1972.
  17. Web site: Events of Wednesday, October 4, 1972.
  18. Web site: Detroit Tigers 4, Boston Red Sox 1 . October 2, 1972 . . October 10, 2020.
  19. Web site: October 2, 1972: Lolich fans 15 as Tigers take over first place . Doug . Lehman . . October 10, 2020.
  20. News: Series of moments shared by two cities . Dan . Shaughnessy . . 44 . May 24, 2008 . October 10, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  21. https://www.baseball-reference.com/a/aasedo01.shtml Don Aase page at Baseball Reference
  22. https://www.baseball-reference.com/k/koscoan01.shtml Andy Kosco page at Baseball Reference
  23. Web site: Detroit Tigers 3, Boston Red Sox 2 . April 15, 1972 . . October 11, 2020.
  24. Web site: 1972 Boston Red Sox Statistics . . October 13, 2020.
  25. Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
  26. Book: Boston Red Sox Guide for Press TV Radio . 1972 . 2 . March 14, 2021 . Wayback Machine.

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