1972 Boston Red Sox season

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.

1972 Boston Red Sox
Major League affiliations
Location
Results
Record85–70 (.548)
Divisional place2nd (​1⁄2 GB)
Other information
Owner(s)Tom Yawkey
General manager(s)Dick O'Connell
Manager(s)Eddie Kasko
Local televisionWBZ-TV, Ch. 4
(Ken Coleman, Johnny Pesky)
Local radioWHDH-AM 850
(Ned Martin, Dave Martin, John MacLean)
StatsESPN.com
BB-reference
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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][5] 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]
MonthRecordCumulativeAL EastRef.
WonLostWonLostPositionGB
April47474th3[8]
May111215195th​4 1⁄2[9]
June121527344th​7 1⁄2[10]
July201247464th7[11]
August171264584th2[12]
September20984671st+​1 1⁄2[13]
October1385702nd​1⁄2[14]

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
DateGame resultBoston recordDetroit recordAL East leader (GA)Ref.
Entering the series84–68 (.553)84–69 (.549)Boston (+0.5)[15]
October 2Detroit 4–184–69 (.549)85–69 (.552)Detroit (+0.5)[16]
October 3Detroit 3–184–70 (.545)86–69 (.555)Detroit (+1.5)[17]
October 4Boston 4–185–70 (.548)86–70 (.551)Detroit (+0.5)[14]

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.[18] 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]

Season standings
AL East W L Pct. GB Home Road
Detroit Tigers 8670 0.551 — 44–34 42–36
Boston Red Sox 8570 0.548 ½ 52–26 33–44
Baltimore Orioles 8074 0.519 5 38–39 42–35
New York Yankees 7976 0.510 6½ 46–31 33–45
Cleveland Indians 7284 0.462 14 43–34 29–50
Milwaukee Brewers 6591 0.417 21 37–42 28–49

Record vs. opponents
1972 American League Records

Sources:
Team BAL BOS CAL CWS CLE DET KC MIL MIN NYY OAK TEX
Baltimore —7–116–68–48–1010–86–610–56–67–66–66–6
Boston 11–7—8–46–68–75–96–611–74–89–99–38–4
California 6–64–8—7–118–45–79–67–57–84–88–1010–7
Chicago 4–86–611–7—8–45–78–99–38–67–57–814–4
Cleveland 10–87–84–84–8—10–86–65–108–47–112–109–3
Detroit 8–109–57–57–58–10—7–510–89–37–94–810–2
Kansas City 6–66–66–99–86–65–7—7–59–97–57–118–6
Milwaukee 5–107–115–73–910–58–105–7—4–89–94–85–7
Minnesota 6–68–48–76–84–83–99–98–4—6–68–911–7
New York 6–79–98–45–711–79–75–79–96–6—3–98–4
Oakland 6–63–910–88–710–28–411–78–49–89–3—11–4
Texas 6–64–87–104–143–92–106–87–57–114–84–11—

Notable transactions

Opening Day lineup
  4Tommy HarperCF
11Luis AparicioSS
  8Carl Yastrzemski    LF
  7Reggie SmithRF
  6Rico Petrocelli3B
  5Danny Cater1B
  2Doug Griffin2B
24Duane JosephsonC
33Marty PattinP

Source:[23]

Roster
1972 Boston Red Sox
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders

Other batters

 Manager

Coaches

Statistical leaders
Carlton Fisk
CategoryPlayerStatistic
Youngest playerDwight Evans20
Oldest playerLuis Aparicio38
Wins Above ReplacementCarlton Fisk7.3

Source:[24]

Batting
Abbr.CategoryPlayerStatistic
GGames playedRico Petrocelli147
PAPlate appearancesTommy Harper641
ABAt batsTommy Harper556
RRuns scoredTommy Harper92
HHitsTommy Harper141
2BDoublesTommy Harper29
3BTriplesCarlton Fisk9
HRHome runsCarlton Fisk22
RBIRuns batted inRico Petrocelli75
SBStolen basesTommy Harper25
CSCaught stealingTommy Harper7
BBBase on ballsRico Petrocelli78
SOStrikeoutsTommy Harper104
BABatting averageCarlton Fisk.293
OBPOn-base percentageCarlton Fisk.370
SLGSlugging percentageCarlton Fisk.538
OPSOn-base plus sluggingCarlton Fisk.909
OPS+Adjusted OPSCarlton Fisk162
TBTotal basesCarlton Fisk246
GIDPGrounded into double playDanny Cater16
HBPHit by pitchTommy Harper9
SHSacrifice hitsDoug Griffin15
SFSacrifice fliesCarl Yastrzemski9
IBBIntentional base on ballsReggie Smith12

Source:[24]

Pitching
Abbr.CategoryPlayerStatistic
WWinsMarty Pattin17
LLossesMarty Pattin13
W-L %Winning percentageLuis Tiant.714 (15–6)
ERAEarned run averageLuis Tiant1.91
GGames pitchedBill Lee47
GSGames startedMarty Pattin35
GFGames finishedDon Newhauser17
Gary Peters
CGComplete gamesMarty Pattin13
SHOShutoutsLuis Tiant6
SVSavesBob Bolin5
Bill Lee
IPInnings pitchedMarty Pattin253
SOStrikeoutsMarty Pattin168
WHIPWalks plus hits per inning pitchedLuis Tiant1.078

Source:[24]

Awards and honors

Farm system
See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
AAA Louisville Colonels International League Darrell Johnson
AA Pawtucket Red Sox Eastern League Don Lock
A Winston-Salem Red Sox Carolina League Rac Slider
A Winter Haven Red Sox Florida State League John Butler
A-Short Season Williamsport Red Sox New York–Penn League Dick Berardino

Source:[25]

References
  1. Jim Lonborg page at Baseball Reference
  2. Danny Cater page at Baseball Reference
  3. "Pat Skrable Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  4. Kaese, Harold (February 16, 1972). "Spring training without Skrable? The glitter's gone". The Boston Globe. p. 45. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  5. Fitzgerald, Ray (March 20, 1972). "Red Sox give Cards Fiore for Burda". The Boston Globe. p. 29. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  6. "Bobby Pfeil Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  7. "The 1972 Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  8. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/04301972.htm
  9. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/05311972.htm
  10. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/06301972.htm
  11. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/07311972.htm
  12. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/08311972.htm
  13. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/09301972.htm
  14. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/10041972.htm
  15. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/10011972.htm
  16. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/10021972.htm
  17. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/10031972.htm
  18. "Detroit Tigers 4, Boston Red Sox 1". Retrosheet. October 2, 1972. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  19. Lehman, Doug. "October 2, 1972: Lolich fans 15 as Tigers take over first place". SABR. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  20. Shaughnessy, Dan (May 24, 2008). "Series of moments shared by two cities". The Boston Globe. p. 44. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  21. Don Aase page at Baseball Reference
  22. Andy Kosco page at Baseball Reference
  23. "Detroit Tigers 3, Boston Red Sox 2". Retrosheet. April 15, 1972. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  24. "1972 Boston Red Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  25. 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.
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