1973 Cleveland Indians season
The 1973 Cleveland Indians season was the 73rd in the franchise's history. The club finished in sixth place in the American League East.
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Owner(s) | Nick Mileti |
General manager(s) | Gabe Paul, Phil Seghi |
Manager(s) | Ken Aspromonte |
Local television | WJW-TV |
Local radio | WERE (1300) |
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Offseason
In January, Vernon Stouffer sold the Cleveland Indians to Nick Mileti for $10 million.[1] It was $1.4 million more than the group led by George Steinbrenner had offered in December 1971.[2]
Notable transactions
- October 19, 1972: Eddie Leon was traded by the Indians to the Chicago White Sox for Walt Williams.[3]
- November 27, 1972: Graig Nettles and Jerry Moses were traded by the Indians to the New York Yankees for John Ellis, Jerry Kenney, Charlie Spikes, and Rusty Torres.[4]
- November 30, 1972: Del Unser and Terry Wedgewood (minors) were traded by the Indians to the Philadelphia Phillies for Oscar Gamble and Roger Freed.[5]
- November 30, 1972: Tom Ragland was traded by the Texas Rangers to the Cleveland Indians for Vince Colbert.[6]
- March 8, 1973: Alex Johnson was traded by the Indians to the Texas Rangers for Rich Hinton and Vince Colbert.[7]
- March 24, 1973: Ray Fosse and Jack Heidemann were traded by the Indians to the Oakland Athletics for Dave Duncan and George Hendrick.[8]
Regular season
- John Adams started to drum at Cleveland Stadium on August 24, 1973, when the Indians played the Texas Rangers. Cleveland won, 11–5. Ever since, Adams has sat in the highest bleacher seat in left center field with his bass drum and has been a fixture for the team.
Season standings
AL East | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
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Baltimore Orioles | 97 | 65 | 0.599 | — | 50–31 | 47–34 |
Boston Red Sox | 89 | 73 | 0.549 | 8 | 48–33 | 41–40 |
Detroit Tigers | 85 | 77 | 0.525 | 12 | 47–34 | 38–43 |
New York Yankees | 80 | 82 | 0.494 | 17 | 50–31 | 30–51 |
Milwaukee Brewers | 74 | 88 | 0.457 | 23 | 40–41 | 34–47 |
Cleveland Indians | 71 | 91 | 0.438 | 26 | 34–47 | 37–44 |
Record vs. opponents
1973 American League Records Sources: | |||||||||||||
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Team | BAL | BOS | CAL | CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIL | MIN | NYY | OAK | TEX | |
Baltimore | — | 7–11 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 12–6 | 9–9 | 8–4 | 15–3 | 8–4 | 9–9 | 5–7 | 10–2 | |
Boston | 11–7 | — | 7–5 | 6–6 | 9–9 | 3–15 | 8–4 | 12–6 | 6–6 | 14–4 | 4–8 | 9–3 | |
California | 6–6 | 5–7 | — | 8–10 | 5–7 | 7–5 | 10–8 | 5–7 | 10–8 | 6–6 | 6–12 | 11–7 | |
Chicago | 4–8 | 6–6 | 10–8 | — | 7–5 | 5–7 | 6–12 | 3–9 | 9–9 | 8–4 | 6–12 | 13–5 | |
Cleveland | 6–12 | 9–9 | 7–5 | 5–7 | — | 9–9 | 2–10 | 9–9 | 7–5 | 7–11 | 3–9 | 7–5 | |
Detroit | 9–9 | 15–3 | 5–7 | 7–5 | 9–9 | — | 4–8 | 12–6 | 5–7 | 7–11 | 7–5 | 5–7 | |
Kansas City | 4–8 | 4–8 | 8–10 | 12–6 | 10–2 | 8–4 | — | 8–4 | 9–9 | 6–6 | 8–10 | 11–7 | |
Milwaukee | 3–15 | 6–12 | 7–5 | 9–3 | 9–9 | 6–12 | 4–8 | — | 8–4 | 10–8 | 4–8 | 8–4 | |
Minnesota | 4–8 | 6–6 | 8–10 | 9–9 | 5–7 | 7–5 | 9–9 | 4–8 | — | 3–9 | 14–4 | 12–6 | |
New York | 9–9 | 4–14 | 6–6 | 4–8 | 11–7 | 11–7 | 6–6 | 8–10 | 9–3 | — | 4–8 | 8–4 | |
Oakland | 7–5 | 8–4 | 12–6 | 12–6 | 9–3 | 5–7 | 10–8 | 8–4 | 4–14 | 8–4 | — | 11–7 | |
Texas | 2–10 | 3–9 | 7–11 | 5–13 | 5–7 | 7–5 | 7–11 | 4–8 | 6–12 | 4–8 | 7–11 | — |
Notable transactions
- May 4, 1973: Jerry Kenney was released by the Indians.[9]
- June 12, 1973: Lowell Palmer was traded by the Indians to the New York Yankees for Mike Kekich.[10]
Roster
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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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LF | Charlie Spikes | 140 | 506 | 120 | .237 | 23 | 73 |
RF | Rusty Torres | 122 | 312 | 64 | .205 | 7 | 28 |
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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John Ellis | 127 | 437 | 118 | .270 | 14 | 68 |
Walt Williams | 104 | 350 | 101 | .289 | 8 | 38 |
Tommy Smith | 14 | 41 | 10 | .244 | 2 | 3 |
Jerry Kenney | 5 | 16 | 4 | .250 | 0 | 2 |
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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Dick Bosman | 22 | 97 | 1 | 8 | 6.22 | 41 |
Steve Dunning | 4 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 6.50 | 10 |
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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Ed Farmer | 16 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4.67 | 10 |
Awards and honors
Farm system
Level | Team | League | Manager |
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AAA | Oklahoma City 89ers | American Association | Frank Lucchesi |
AA | San Antonio Brewers | Texas League | Tony Pacheco |
A | Reno Silver Sox | California League | Lou Klimchock |
Rookie | GCL Indians | Gulf Coast League | Len Johnston |
Notes
- Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball, p. 16, Bill Madden, Harper Collins Publishing, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-06-169031-0
- Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball, p. 6
- Walt Williams page at Baseball Reference
- Graig Nettles page at Baseball Reference
- Oscar Gamble page at Baseball Reference
- https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/raglato01.shtml
- Rich Hinton page at Baseball Reference
- Ray Fosse page at Baseball Reference
- Jerry Kenney page at Baseball Reference
- Mike Kekich page at Baseball-Reference
- Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007