The 1971 Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing 3rd in the American League East with a record of 85 wins and 77 losses.

[edit] Offseason

• December 3, 1970: Carmen Fanzone was traded by the Red Sox to the Chicago Cubs for Phil Gagliano.^[1]
• December 31, 1970: Chuck Hartenstein was purchased by the Chicago White Sox from the Boston Red Sox. ^[2]
• January 13, 1971: John Tamargo was drafted by the Red Sox in the 3rd round of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft (Secondary Phase), but did not sign.^[3]
• March 31, 1971: Tony Muser and Vicente Romo were traded by the Red Sox to the Chicago White Sox for Duane Josephson and Danny Murphy.^[4]

[edit] Regular season

[edit] Season summary

The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (May 2009)

The second year of Eddie Kasko's management, the Red Sox finished 16 games behind the evenetual American League champions Baltimore Orioles. The Sox did not have a .300 hitter in 1971. Reggie Smith's .283 being their best. 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.

[edit] Here comes Carlton Fisk

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".

[edit] Sonny Siebert

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.

[edit] Opening Day lineup

[edit] Season standings

[edit] Notable transactions

• April 7, 1971: Tom Satriano was released by the Boston Red Sox. ^[5]
• May 17, 1971: Luis Tiant was signed as a free agent by the Red Sox.^[6]

[edit] Roster

[edit] Player stats

[edit] Batting

[edit] Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

[edit] Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

[edit] Pitching

[edit] Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

[edit] Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

[edit] Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

[edit] Farm system

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, N.C.: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0963718983. 
• 1971 Boston Red Sox team page at Baseball Reference
• 1971 Boston Red Sox season at baseball-almanac.com