1971 Boston Red Sox season
The 1971 Boston Red Sox season was the 71st season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished third in the American League East with a record of 85 wins and 77 losses, 18 games behind the Baltimore Orioles, who went on to win the AL championship.
1971 Boston Red Sox | |
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Owner(s) | Tom Yawkey |
General manager(s) | Dick O'Connell |
Manager(s) | Eddie Kasko |
Local television | WHDH-TV, Ch. 5 |
Local radio | WHDH-AM 850 (Ken Coleman, Ned Martin, Johnny Pesky) |
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Offseason
- December 3, 1970: Carmen Fanzone was traded by the Red Sox to the Chicago Cubs for Phil Gagliano.[1]
- December 31, 1970: Chuck Hartenstein was purchased from the Red Sox by the Chicago White Sox.[2]
- January 13, 1971: John Tamargo was drafted by the Red Sox in the 3rd round of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft (Secondary Phase), but did not sign.[3]
- March 31, 1971: Tony Muser and Vicente Romo were traded by the Red Sox to the Chicago White Sox for Duane Josephson and Danny Murphy.[4]
Regular season
Season summary
In the second year of Eddie Kasko's management, the Red Sox finished 16 games behind the eventual American League champions Baltimore Orioles. The Sox did not have a .300 hitter in 1971, with Reggie Smith's .283 batting average being the best among their regulars. Tony Conigliaro, his health still a question, had been traded the previous October to the California Angels for reliever Ken Tatum and rookie infielder Doug Griffin. Conigliaro played in 74 games for the Angels in 1971 but then had to give up baseball, his sight having deteriorated greatly. Tatum was 2–4 with the Red Sox, and Griffin batted a season .244, while becoming the regular second baseman.
Highlights
Highlights of an otherwise forgettable season included the late arrival of a big catcher from Bellows Falls, Vermont, Carlton Fisk, who got into 14 games for the 1971 Sox and hit two home runs. Making a bigger splash was a utility fielder who had been acquired in 1970 from the New York Yankees but came into his own in 1971. John Kennedy hit .272, with five homers and 22 RBIs, and was nicknamed "Super Sub".
Another bright spot for the Sox in '71 was Jim Lonborg's winning 10 games (and losing 7). But Sonny Siebert, a pitcher acquired in a deal with the Cleveland Indians in 1969, was the top hurler for Boston, winning 16 games. A feisty left-hander, Sparky Lyle was 6–4, with 16 saves and a 2.77 ERA.
Opening Day lineup
11 | Luis Aparicio | SS |
7 | Reggie Smith | CF |
8 | Carl Yastrzemski | LF |
6 | Rico Petrocelli | 3B |
5 | George Scott | 1B |
24 | Duane Josephson | C |
40 | Billy Conigliaro | CF |
2 | Doug Griffin | 2B |
21 | Ray Culp | P |
Season standings
AL East | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
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Baltimore Orioles | 101 | 57 | 0.639 | — | 53–24 | 48–33 |
Detroit Tigers | 91 | 71 | 0.562 | 12 | 54–27 | 37–44 |
Boston Red Sox | 85 | 77 | 0.525 | 18 | 47–33 | 38–44 |
New York Yankees | 82 | 80 | 0.506 | 21 | 44–37 | 38–43 |
Washington Senators | 63 | 96 | 0.396 | 38½ | 35–46 | 28–50 |
Cleveland Indians | 60 | 102 | 0.370 | 43 | 29–52 | 31–50 |
Record vs. opponents
1971 American League Records Sources: | |||||||||||||
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Team | BAL | BOS | CAL | CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIL | MIN | NYY | OAK | WSH | |
Baltimore | — | 9–9 | 7–5 | 8–4 | 13–5 | 8–10 | 6–5 | 9–3 | 10–2 | 11–7 | 7–4 | 13–3 | |
Boston | 9–9 | — | 6–6 | 10–2 | 11–7 | 12–6 | 1–11 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 7–11 | 3–9 | 12–6 | |
California | 5–7 | 6–6 | — | 8–10 | 8–4 | 6–6 | 8–10 | 6–12 | 12–6 | 6–6 | 7–11 | 4–8 | |
Chicago | 4–8 | 2–10 | 10–8 | — | 3–9 | 7–5 | 9–9 | 11–7 | 7–11 | 5–7 | 11–7 | 10–2 | |
Cleveland | 5–13 | 7–11 | 4–8 | 9–3 | — | 6–12 | 2–10 | 4–8 | 4–8 | 8–10 | 4–8 | 7–11 | |
Detroit | 10–8 | 6–12 | 6–6 | 5–7 | 12–6 | — | 8–4 | 10–2 | 6–6 | 10–8 | 4–8 | 14–4 | |
Kansas City | 5–6 | 11–1 | 10–8 | 9–9 | 10–2 | 4–8 | — | 8–10 | 9–9 | 5–7 | 5–13 | 9–3 | |
Milwaukee | 3–9 | 6–6 | 12–6 | 7–11 | 8–4 | 2–10 | 10–8 | — | 10–7 | 2–10 | 3–15 | 6–6 | |
Minnesota | 2–10 | 4–8 | 6–12 | 11–7 | 8–4 | 6–6 | 9–9 | 7–10 | — | 8–4 | 8–10 | 5–6 | |
New York | 7–11 | 11–7 | 6–6 | 7–5 | 10–8 | 8–10 | 7–5 | 10–2 | 4–8 | — | 5–7 | 7–11 | |
Oakland | 4–7 | 9–3 | 11–7 | 7–11 | 8–4 | 8–4 | 13–5 | 15–3 | 10–8 | 7–5 | — | 9–3 | |
Washington | 3–13 | 6–12 | 8–4 | 2–10 | 11–7 | 4–14 | 3–9 | 6–6 | 6–5 | 11–7 | 3–9 | — |
Notable transactions
- April 7, 1971: Tom Satriano was released by the Red Sox.[5]
- May 17, 1971: Luis Tiant was signed as a free agent by the Red Sox.[6]
Roster
1971 Boston Red Sox | |||||||||
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Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
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Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
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Player stats
Batting
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
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C | Duane Josephson | 91 | 306 | 75 | .245 | 10 | 39 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
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Phil Gagliano | 47 | 68 | 22 | .324 | 0 | 13 |
Pitching
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
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Bobby Bolin | 52 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 4.26 | 51 |
Awards and honors
- George Scott, Gold Glove Award (1B)
- Carl Yastrzemski, Gold Glove Award (OF)
Farm system
Level | Team | League | Manager |
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AAA | Louisville Colonels | International League | Darrell Johnson |
AA | Pawtucket Red Sox | Eastern League | Billy Gardner |
A | Winston-Salem Red Sox | Carolina League | Don Lock |
A | Winter Haven Red Sox | Florida State League | John Butler |
A | Greenville Red Sox | Western Carolinas League | Rac Slider |
A-Short Season | Williamsport Red Sox | New York–Penn League | Dick Berardino |
Notes
References
- Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
- 1971 Boston Red Sox team page at Baseball Reference
- 1971 Boston Red Sox season at baseball-almanac.com