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1971 Boston Red Sox season

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1971 Boston Red Sox
DivisionEastern Division
BallparkFenway Park
CityBoston, Massachusetts
OwnersTom Yawkey
ManagersEddie Kasko
TelevisionWHDH-TV, Ch. 5
RadioWHDH-AM 850
(Ken Coleman, Ned Martin, Johnny Pesky)
← 1970 Seasons 1972 →

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

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
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Baltimore Orioles 101 57 .639 53‍–‍24 48‍–‍33
Detroit Tigers 91 71 .562 12 54‍–‍27 37‍–‍44
Boston Red Sox 85 77 .525 18 47‍–‍33 38‍–‍44
New York Yankees 82 80 .506 21 44‍–‍37 38‍–‍43
Washington Senators 63 96 .396 38½ 35‍–‍46 28‍–‍50
Cleveland Indians 60 102 .370 43 29‍–‍52 31‍–‍50

Record vs. opponents


Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
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

Roster

1971 Boston Red Sox
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders Manager

Coaches

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 Duane 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
Phil 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
Bobby 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

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