1972 Cleveland Indians season
The 1972 Cleveland Indians season was the 72nd in franchise history. The team finished fifth in the American League East with a record of 72–86, 14 games behind the Detroit Tigers.
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Owner(s) | Vernon Stouffer |
General manager(s) | Gabe Paul |
Manager(s) | Ken Aspromonte |
Local television | WJW-TV |
Local radio | WERE (1300) |
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Offseason
George Steinbrenner offer
On December 6, 1971, George Steinbrenner led a group of investors (including Ted Bonda, Ed Jeffrey, Howard Metzenbaum, Steve O'Neill, Gabe Paul and Al Rosen) that negotiated with Jim Stouffer, the son of Indians owner Vernon Stouffer about the potential purchase of the franchise. The group offered $8.6 million and agreed to absorb $300,000 in debt (Stouffer borrowed against the Indians television contract for 1972).[1] Although Steinbrenner and Jim Stouffer agreed to a sale, Vernon Stouffer disapproved of the deal. He felt that he was able of getting $10 million for the franchise.[2]
Notable transactions
- November 29, 1971: Sam McDowell was traded by the Indians to the San Francisco Giants for Gaylord Perry and Frank Duffy.[3]
- December 2, 1971: Roy Foster, Ken Suarez, Mike Paul, and Rich Hand were traded by the Indians to the Texas Rangers for Del Unser, Gary Jones, Terry Ley, and Denny Riddleberger.[4]
- December 6, 1971: Adolfo Phillips was purchased by the Indians from the Montreal Expos.[5]
Regular season
Season standings
AL East | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
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Detroit Tigers | 86 | 70 | 0.551 | — | 44–34 | 42–36 |
Boston Red Sox | 85 | 70 | 0.548 | ½ | 52–26 | 33–44 |
Baltimore Orioles | 80 | 74 | 0.519 | 5 | 38–39 | 42–35 |
New York Yankees | 79 | 76 | 0.510 | 6½ | 46–31 | 33–45 |
Cleveland Indians | 72 | 84 | 0.462 | 14 | 43–34 | 29–50 |
Milwaukee Brewers | 65 | 91 | 0.417 | 21 | 37–42 | 28–49 |
Record vs. opponents
1972 American League Records Sources: | |||||||||||||
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Team | BAL | BOS | CAL | CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIL | MIN | NYY | OAK | TEX | |
Baltimore | — | 7–11 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 8–10 | 10–8 | 6–6 | 10–5 | 6–6 | 7–6 | 6–6 | 6–6 | |
Boston | 11–7 | — | 8–4 | 6–6 | 8–7 | 5–9 | 6–6 | 11–7 | 4–8 | 9–9 | 9–3 | 8–4 | |
California | 6–6 | 4–8 | — | 7–11 | 8–4 | 5–7 | 9–6 | 7–5 | 7–8 | 4–8 | 8–10 | 10–7 | |
Chicago | 4–8 | 6–6 | 11–7 | — | 8–4 | 5–7 | 8–9 | 9–3 | 8–6 | 7–5 | 7–8 | 14–4 | |
Cleveland | 10–8 | 7–8 | 4–8 | 4–8 | — | 10–8 | 6–6 | 5–10 | 8–4 | 7–11 | 2–10 | 9–3 | |
Detroit | 8–10 | 9–5 | 7–5 | 7–5 | 8–10 | — | 7–5 | 10–8 | 9–3 | 7–9 | 4–8 | 10–2 | |
Kansas City | 6–6 | 6–6 | 6–9 | 9–8 | 6–6 | 5–7 | — | 7–5 | 9–9 | 7–5 | 7–11 | 8–6 | |
Milwaukee | 5–10 | 7–11 | 5–7 | 3–9 | 10–5 | 8–10 | 5–7 | — | 4–8 | 9–9 | 4–8 | 5–7 | |
Minnesota | 6–6 | 8–4 | 8–7 | 6–8 | 4–8 | 3–9 | 9–9 | 8–4 | — | 6–6 | 8–9 | 11–7 | |
New York | 6–7 | 9–9 | 8–4 | 5–7 | 11–7 | 9–7 | 5–7 | 9–9 | 6–6 | — | 3–9 | 8–4 | |
Oakland | 6–6 | 3–9 | 10–8 | 8–7 | 10–2 | 8–4 | 11–7 | 8–4 | 9–8 | 9–3 | — | 11–4 | |
Texas | 6–6 | 4–8 | 7–10 | 4–14 | 3–9 | 2–10 | 6–8 | 7–5 | 7–11 | 4–8 | 4–11 | — |
Notable transactions
- June 6, 1972: 1972 Major League Baseball Draft
- Rick Manning was drafted by the Indians in the 1st round (2nd pick).[6]
- Dennis Eckersley was drafted by the Indians in the 3rd round. Player signed June 12, 1972.[7]
- Rick Langford was drafted by the Indians in the 36th round, but did not sign.[8]
- September 18, 1972: Lowell Palmer was selected off waivers by the Indians from the St. Louis Cardinals.[9]
Roster
1972 Cleveland Indians | |||||||||
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Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
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Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
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Player stats
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 |
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SS | Frank Duffy | 130 | 385 | 92 | .239 | 3 | 27 |
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 |
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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 |
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Gaylord Perry | 41 | 342.2 | 24 | 16 | 1.92 | 234 |
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 |
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Bill Butler | 6 | 11.2 | 0 | 0 | 1.54 | 6 |
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 |
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Farm system
Level | Team | League | Manager |
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AAA | Portland Beavers | Pacific Coast League | Ray Hathaway, Clay Bryant and Dan Carnevale |
AA | Elmira Pioneers | Eastern League | Len Johnston |
A | Reno Silver Sox | California League | Lou Klimchock |
Rookie | GCL Indians | Gulf Coast League | Pinky May |
Notes
- Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball, p. 6, Bill Madden, Harper Collins Publishing, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-06-169031-0
- Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball, pp. 6–7
- Sam McDowell page at Baseball Reference
- Del Unser page at Baseball Reference
- Adolfo Phillips page at Baseball Reference
- Rick Manning page at Baseball Reference
- Dennis Eckersley page at Baseball Reference
- Rick Langford page at Baseball Reference
- Lowell Palmer page at Baseball-Reference
- Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007