1972 Pittsburgh Pirates season

1972 Pittsburgh Pirates
1972 NL East Champions
Major League affiliations
National League (since 1887)
Eastern Division (since 1969)
Location
Three Rivers Stadium (since 1970)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1] (since 1907)
Results
Record	96–59 (.619)
Divisional place	1st
Other information
Owner(s)	John W. Galbreath (majority shareholder); Bing Crosby, Thomas Johnson (minority shareholders)
General manager(s)	Joe L. Brown
Manager(s)	Bill Virdon
Local television	KDKA-TV Bob Prince, Nellie King
Local radio	KDKA Bob Prince, Nellie King
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The 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 91st season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 86th in the National League. The defending World Series champion Pirates finished first in the National League East with a record of 96–59. The team was defeated three games to two by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1972 National League Championship Series.

Offseason

• January 12, 1972: Larry Demery was drafted by the Pirates in the 7th round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft (Secondary Phase).^[2]
• March 15, 1972: José Martínez was purchased from the Pirates by the Kansas City Royals.^[3]

Regular season

Season standings

NL East	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Pittsburgh Pirates	96	59	0.619	—	49–29	47–30
Chicago Cubs	85	70	0.548	11	46–31	39–39
New York Mets	83	73	0.532	13½	41–37	42–36
St. Louis Cardinals	75	81	0.481	21½	40–37	35–44
Montreal Expos	70	86	0.449	26½	35–43	35–43
Philadelphia Phillies	59	97	0.378	37½	28–51	31–46

Record vs. opponents

1972 National League Records Sources:
Team	ATL	CHC	CIN	HOU	LAD	MON	NYM	PHI	PIT	SD	SF	STL
Atlanta	—	5–7–1	9–9	7–7	7–8	4–8	7–5	6–6	6–6	6–11	7–11	6–6
Chicago	7–5–1	—	8–4	3–9	8–4	10–5	10–8	10–7	3–12	9–3	7–5	10–8
Cincinnati	9–9	4–8	—	11–6	9–5	8–4	8–4	10–2	8–4	8–10	10–5	10–2
Houston	7–7	9–3	6–11	—	7–11	8–4	6–6	9–3	3–9	12–2	13–5	4–8
Los Angeles	8–7	4–8	5–9	11–7	—	6–6	7–5	7–5	7–5	13–5	9–9	8–4
Montreal	8–4	5–10	4–8	4–8	6–6	—	6–12	10–6	6–12	6–6	6–6	9–8
New York	5–7	8–10	4–8	6–6	5–7	12–6	—	13–5	8–6	7–5	8–4	7–9
Philadelphia	6-6	7–10	2–10	3–9	5–7	6–10	5–13	—	5–13	6–6	6–6	8–7
Pittsburgh	6–6	12–3	4–8	9–3	5–7	12–6	6–8	13–5	—	10–2	9–3	10–8
San Diego	11–6	3–9	10–8	2–12	5–13	6–6	5–7	6–6	2–10	—	4–10	4–8
San Francisco	11–7	5–7	5–10	5–13	9–9	6–6	4–8	6–6	3–9	10–4	—	5–7
St. Louis	6–6	8–10	2–10	8–4	4–8	8–9	9–7	7–8	8–10	8–4	7–5	—

Notable transactions

• June 6, 1972: 1972 Major League Baseball draft
  • John Candelaria was drafted by the Pirates in the 2nd round.^[4]
  • Ken Macha was drafted by the Pirates in the 6th round.^[5]
  • Willie Randolph was drafted by the Pirates in the 7th round.^[6]

Roster

1972 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers 28 Steve Blass 34 Nelson Briles 17 Dock Ellis 12 Gene Garber 31 Dave Giusti 36 Ramón Hernández 27 Bob Johnson 25 Bruce Kison 39 Jim McKee 32 Bob Miller 38 Bob Moose 39 Bob Veale 23 Luke Walker		Catchers 29 Milt May 35 Manny Sanguillén Infielders 14 Gene Alley 30 Dave Cash 12 Chuck Goggin 37 Fernando González  3 Richie Hebner  2 Jackie Hernández  9 Bill Mazeroski 11 José Pagán  7 Bob Robertson  8 Willie Stargell  6 Rennie Stennett 10 Frank Taveras		Outfielders 21 Roberto Clemente 15 Gene Clines 18 Vic Davalillo 16 Al Oliver 22 Richie Zisk Other batters  4 Charlie Sands		Manager 41 Bill Virdon Coaches 43 Don Leppert 45 Joe Morgan 44 Frank Oceak 42 Don Osborn  5 Dave Ricketts

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	Sanguillén, MannyManny Sanguillén	136	520	155	.298	7	71

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
Pagán, JoséJosé Pagán	53	127	32	.252	3	8
González, FernandoFernando González	3	2	0	.000	0	0

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
Blass, SteveSteve Blass	33	249.2	19	8	2.49	117
Briles, NelsonNelson Briles	28	195.2	14	11	3.08	120

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
Miller, BobBob Miller	36	5	2	3	2.65	18

National League Championship Series

Awards and honors

1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Charleston Charlies	International League	Red Davis
AA	Sherbrooke Pirates	Eastern League	Steve Demeter
A	Salem Pirates	Carolina League	Tim Murtaugh
A	Gastonia Pirates	Western Carolinas League	Tom Saffell
A-Short Season	Niagara Falls Pirates	New York–Penn League	Chuck Cottier
Rookie	GCL Pirates	Gulf Coast League	Ed Napoleon

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Salem, Niagara Falls

Notes

1. From 1882–1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Shore in 1907.
2. Larry Demery at Baseball Reference
3. José Martínez at Baseball Reference
4. John Candelaria at Baseball Reference
5. Ken Macha at Baseball Reference
6. Willie Randolph at Baseball Reference

References

• 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Reference
• 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Almanac
• 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.