1971 Boston Red Sox season

The 1971 Boston Red Sox season was the 71st season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished third in the American League East with a record of 85 wins and 77 losses, 18 games behind the Baltimore Orioles, who went on to win the AL championship.

1971 Boston Red Sox
Major League affiliations
Location
Results
Record85–77 (.525)
Divisional place3rd (18 GB)
Other information
Owner(s)Tom Yawkey
General manager(s)Dick O'Connell
Manager(s)Eddie Kasko
Local televisionWHDH-TV, Ch. 5
Local radioWHDH-AM 850
(Ken Coleman, Ned Martin, Johnny Pesky)
StatsESPN.com
BB-reference
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Offseason

Regular season
Record by month[5]
MonthRecordCumulativeAL EastRef.
WonLostWonLostPositionGB
April1271271st+​1⁄2[6]
May171129181st+​1 1⁄2[7]
June141343312nd​3 1⁄2[8]
July161459452nd​6 1⁄2[9]
August111970643rd​13 1⁄2[10]
September151385773rd18[11]

Highlights

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 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.

Season standings
AL East W L Pct. GB Home Road
Baltimore Orioles 10157 0.639 — 53–24 48–33
Detroit Tigers 9171 0.562 12 54–27 37–44
Boston Red Sox 8577 0.525 18 47–33 38–44
New York Yankees 8280 0.506 21 44–37 38–43
Washington Senators 6396 0.396 38½ 35–46 28–50
Cleveland Indians 60102 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 —9–97–58–413–58–106–59–310–211–77–413–3
Boston 9–9—6–610–211–712–61–116–68–47–113–912–6
California 5–76–6—8–108–46–68–106–1212–66–67–114–8
Chicago 4–82–1010–8—3–97–59–911–77–115–711–710–2
Cleveland 5–137–114–89–3—6–122–104–84–88–104–87–11
Detroit 10–86–126–65–712–6—8–410–26–610–84–814–4
Kansas City 5–611–110–89–910–24–8—8–109–95–75–139–3
Milwaukee 3–96–612–67–118–42–1010–8—10–72–103–156–6
Minnesota 2–104–86–1211–78–46–69–97–10—8–48–105–6
New York 7–1111–76–67–510–88–107–510–24–8—5–77–11
Oakland 4–79–311–77–118–48–413–515–310–87–5—9–3
Washington 3–136–128–42–1011–74–143–96–66–511–73–9—

Notable transactions

Opening Day lineup
11Luis AparicioSS
  7Reggie SmithCF
  8Carl Yastrzemski    LF
  6Rico Petrocelli3B
  5George Scott1B
24Duane JosephsonC
40Billy ConigliaroCF
  2Doug Griffin2B
21Ray CulpP

Source:[14]

Roster
1971 Boston Red Sox
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Statistical leaders
Sonny Siebert
CategoryPlayerStatistic
Youngest playerJuan Beníquez
Cecil Cooper
Mike Garman
Roger Moret		21
Oldest playerLuis Aparicio37
Wins Above ReplacementSonny Siebert6.6

Source:[15]

Batting
Abbr.CategoryPlayerStatistic
GGames playedReggie Smith159
PAPlate appearancesReggie Smith692
ABAt batsReggie Smith618
RRuns scoredReggie Smith85
HHitsReggie Smith175
2BDoublesReggie Smith33
3BTriplesJohn Kennedy5
HRHome runsReggie Smith30
RBIRuns batted inReggie Smith96
SBStolen basesDoug Griffin11
Reggie Smith
CSCaught stealingCarl Yastrzemski7
BBBase on ballsCarl Yastrzemski106
SOStrikeoutsRico Petrocelli108
BABatting averageReggie Smith.283
OBPOn-base percentageCarl Yastrzemski.381
SLGSlugging percentageReggie Smith.489
OPSOn-base plus sluggingReggie Smith.840
OPS+Adjusted OPSReggie Smith129
TBTotal basesReggie Smith302
GIDPGrounded into double playGeorge Scott23
HBPHit by pitchGeorge Scott5
Reggie Smith
SHSacrifice hitsRay Culp17
SFSacrifice fliesRico Petrocelli9
IBBIntentional base on ballsCarl Yastrzemski12

Source:[15]

Pitching
Abbr.CategoryPlayerStatistic
WWinsSonny Siebert16
LLossesRay Culp16
W-L %Winning percentageBill Lee.818 (9–2)
ERAEarned run averageBill Lee2.74
GGames pitchedBob Bolin52
GSGames startedRay Culp35
GFGames finishedSparky Lyle36
CGComplete gamesRay Culp12
Sonny Siebert
SHOShutoutsSonny Siebert4
SVSavesSparky Lyle16
IPInnings pitchedRay Culp​242 1⁄3
SOStrikeoutsRay Culp151
WHIPWalks plus hits per inning pitchedSonny Siebert1.190

Source:[15]

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 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

Source:[16]

References
  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. "The 1971 Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  6. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1971/04301971.htm
  7. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1971/05311971.htm
  8. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1971/06301971.htm
  9. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1971/07311971.htm
  10. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1971/08311971.htm
  11. https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1971/09301971.htm
  12. Tom Satriano page at Baseball-Reference
  13. Luis Tiant page at Baseball Reference
  14. "Boston Red Sox 3, New York Yankees 1". Retrosheet. April 6, 1971. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  15. "1971 Boston Red Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  16. 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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