1971 Boston Red Sox season

1971 Boston Red Sox
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
Eastern Division (since 1969)
Location
Fenway Park (since 1912)
Boston, Massachusetts (since 1901)
Other information
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)
< Previous season     Next season  >

The 1971 Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing third in the American League East with a record of 85 wins and 77 losses.

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
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:
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
Roster
Pitchers 26 Bobby Bolin 18 Ken Brett 21 Ray Culp 22 John Curtis 39 Mike Garman 17 Cal Koonce 37 Bill Lee 16 Jim Lonborg 28 Sparky Lyle 29 Roger Moret 15 Mike Nagy 43 Gary Peters 42 Sonny Siebert 25 Ken Tatum 23 Luis Tiant		Catchers 27 Carlton Fisk 24 Duane Josephson 10 Bob Montgomery 19 Don Pavletich Infielders 11 Luis Aparicio 20 Juan Beníquez 17 Cecil Cooper  3 Mike Fiore  2 Doug Griffin 38 Buddy Hunter 12 John Kennedy  6 Rico Petrocelli  5 George Scott		Outfielders 40 Billy Conigliaro  1 Phil Gagliano 14 Joe Lahoud 35 Rick Miller  4 Ben Oglivie  7 Reggie Smith 22 George Thomas  8 Carl Yastrzemski		Manager 30 Eddie Kasko Coaches 34 Doug Camilli 33 Harvey Haddix 31 Don Lenhardt 32 Eddie Popowski

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
C	Josephson, DuaneDuane 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
Gagliano, PhilPhil 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

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

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
Bolin, BobbyBobby Bolin	52	5	3	6	4.26	51

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
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

1. Phil Gagliano page at Baseball Reference
2. Chuck Hartenstein page at Baseball-Reference
3. John Tamargo page at Baseball Reference
4. Tony Muser page at Baseball Reference
5. Tom Satriano page at Baseball-Reference
6. Luis Tiant page at Baseball Reference

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