1976 Cleveland Indians season

1976 Cleveland Indians
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
Eastern Division (since 1969)
Location
Cleveland Municipal Stadium (since 1932)
Cleveland, Ohio (since 1901)
Other information
Owner(s)	Nick Mileti
General manager(s)	Phil Seghi
Manager(s)	Frank Robinson
Local television	WJW-TV
Local radio	WWWE
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Offseason

• November 22, 1975: Oscar Gamble was traded by the Indians to the New York Yankees for Pat Dobson.^[1]
• December 9, 1975: John Ellis was traded by the Indians to the Texas Rangers for Stan Thomas and Ron Pruitt.^[2]
• December 9, 1975: Ray Fosse was purchased by the Indians from the Oakland Athletics.^[3]
• December 12, 1975: Jack Brohamer was traded by the Indians to the Chicago White Sox for Larvell Blanks.^[4]

Regular season

Season standings

AL East	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
New York Yankees	97	62	0.610	—	45–35	52–27
Baltimore Orioles	88	74	0.543	10½	42–39	46–35
Boston Red Sox	83	79	0.512	15½	46–35	37–44
Cleveland Indians	81	78	0.509	16	44–35	37–43
Detroit Tigers	74	87	0.460	24	36–44	38–43
Milwaukee Brewers	66	95	0.410	32	36–45	30–50

Record vs. opponents

1976 American League Records Sources:
Team	BAL	BOS	CAL	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	MIL	MIN	NYY	OAK	TEX
Baltimore	—	7–11	8–4	8–4	7–11	12–6	6–6	11–7	4–8	13–5	4–8	8–4
Boston	11–7	—	7–5	6–6	9–9	14–4	3–9	12–6	7–5	7–11	4–8	3–9
California	4–8	5–7	—	11–7	7–5	6–6	8–10	4–8	8–10	5–7	6–12	12–6
Chicago	4–8	6–6	7–11	—	3–9	6–6	8–10	7–5	7–11	1–11	8–9	7–11
Cleveland	11–7	9–9	5–7	9–3	—	6–12	6–6	11–6	9–3	4–12	4–8	7–5
Detroit	6–12	4–14	6–6	6–6	12–6	—	4–8	12–6	4–8	9–8	6–6	5–7
Kansas City	6–6	9–3	10–8	10–8	6–6	8–4	—	8–4	10–8	7–5	9–9	7–11
Milwaukee	7–11	6–12	8–4	5–7	6–11	6–12	4–8	—	4–8	5–13	5–7	10–2
Minnesota	8–4	5–7	10–8	11–7	3–9	8–4	8–10	8–4	—	2–10	11–7	11–7
New York	5–13	11–7	7–5	11–1	12–4	8–9	5–7	13–5	10–2	—	6–6	9–3
Oakland	8–4	8–4	12–6	9–8	8–4	6–6	9–9	7–5	7–11	6–6	—	7–11
Texas	4–8	9–3	6–12	11–7	5–7	7–5	11–7	2–10	7–11	3–9	11–7	—

Notable transactions

• May 28, 1976: Fritz Peterson was traded by the Indians to the Texas Rangers for Stan Perzanowski and cash.^[5]
• June 8, 1976: 1976 Major League Baseball draft
  • Joe Beckwith was drafted by the Indians in the 12th round, but did not sign.^[6]
  • Ron Hassey was drafted by the Indians in the 18th round.^[7]
• October 1, 1976: Ramón Romero was signed as an amateur free agent by the Indians.^[8]

Roster

1976 Cleveland Indians
Roster
Pitchers 22 Jim Bibby 31 Jackie Brown 35 Tom Buskey 41 Pat Dobson 37 Dennis Eckersley 32 Don Hood 34 Jim Kern 17 Dave LaRoche 40 Harry Parker 16 Fritz Peterson 33 Eric Raich 23 Stan Thomas 36 Rick Waits		Catchers  8 Alan Ashby  4 Rick Cerone 10 Ray Fosse Infielders 25 Buddy Bell 14 Larvell Blanks  9 Rico Carty 12 Ed Crosby 15 Frank Duffy 12 Orlando González 16 Alfredo Griffin 28 Doug Howard 18 Duane Kuiper 30 Joe Lis 26 Boog Powell 20 Frank Robinson		Outfielders 21 George Hendrick 29 John Lowenstein 28 Rick Manning 13 Ron Pruitt 11 Tommy Smith 24 Charlie Spikes		Manager 20 Frank Robinson Coaches  7 Rocky Colavito (Hitting)  1 Dave Garcia (Third Base)  2 Harvey Haddix (Pitching)  6 Jeff Torborg (Bullpen)

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	Fosse, RayRay Fosse	90	276	83	.301	2	30

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
Blanks, LarvellLarvell Blanks	104	328	92	.280	5	41
Smith, TommyTommy Smith	55	164	42	.256	2	12
Pruitt, RonRon Pruitt	47	86	23	.267	0	5
Robinson, FrankFrank Robinson	36	67	15	.224	3	10
Lis, JoeJoe Lis	20	51	16	.314	2	7

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
Dobson, PatPat Dobson	35	217.1	16	12	3.48	117
Brown, JackieJackie Brown	32	180	9	11	4.25	104
Peterson, FritzFritz Peterson	9	47	0	3	5.55	19

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
Bibby, JimJim Bibby	34	163.1	13	7	3.20	84
Thomas, StanStan Thomas	37	105.2	4	4	2.30	54

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
Buskey, TomTom Buskey	39	5	4	1	3.63	32

Awards and honors

All-Star Game

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Toledo Mud Hens	International League	Joe Sparks
AA	Williamsport Tomahawks	Eastern League	Red Davis
A	San Jose Bees	California League	Gomer Hodge
Rookie	GCL Indians	Gulf Coast League	Jack Cassini

^[9]

Notes

1. Oscar Gamble page at Baseball Reference
2. Stan Thomas page at Baseball Reference
3. Ray Fosse page at Baseball Reference
4. Larvell Blanks page at Baseball-Reference
5. Fritz Peterson page at Baseball Reference
6. Joe Beckwith page at Baseball Reference
7. Ron Hassey page at Baseball Reference
8. Ramón Romero page at Baseball Reference
9. Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007

References

• 1976 Cleveland Indians team page at Baseball Reference
• 1976 Cleveland Indians team page at www.baseball-almanac.com