1976 Boston Red Sox
LeagueAmerican League
DivisionEast
BallparkFenway Park
CityBoston, Massachusetts
Record83–79 (.512)
Divisional place3rd (15+1⁄2 GB)
OwnersTom Yawkey, Jean Yawkey[lower-alpha 1]
PresidentTom Yawkey, Jean Yawkey
General managerDick O'Connell
Managers
TelevisionWSBK-TV, Ch. 38
(Dick Stockton, Ken Harrelson)
RadioWMEX-AM 1510
(Ned Martin, Jim Woods)
StatsESPN.com
BB-reference
Seasons

The 1976 Boston Red Sox season was the 76th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished third in the American League East with a record of 83 wins and 79 losses, 15+1⁄2 games behind the New York Yankees, who went on to win the AL championship.

Offseason

Regular season

Record by month[4]
MonthRecordCumulativeAL EastRef.
WonLostWonLostPositionGB
April67675th4[5]
May131519224th7[6]
June151334353rd (tie)9[7]
July121946545th15+1⁄2[8]
August161462684th18[9]
September181180794th16[10]
October3083793rd15+1⁄2[11]

Highlights

The Red Sox did not come close to repeating the previous year's success. An off-season contract dispute with Fred Lynn was a distraction. In early May, a brawl with the New York Yankees led to a shoulder injury for Bill Lee, one of their best pitchers and a 17-game winner in 1975; Lee would be out until mid-1977, and his loss was keenly felt.

On June 15, Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley attempted to sell left fielder Joe Rudi and relief pitcher Rollie Fingers to the Red Sox for $1 million each, and starting pitcher Vida Blue to the New York Yankees for $1.5 million. Three days later, Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn voided the transactions, citing "the best interests of baseball."[12]

The Red Sox' beloved owner, Tom Yawkey, died of leukemia in July.[13] Manager Darrell Johnson was fired shortly thereafter, and replaced by coach Don Zimmer. Overall, it was a disappointing season for a talented but underachieving team.

Season standings

AL East W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Yankees 9762 0.610 — 45–35 52–27
Baltimore Orioles 8874 0.543 10½ 42–39 46–35
Boston Red Sox 8379 0.512 15½ 46–35 37–44
Cleveland Indians 8178 0.509 16 44–35 37–43
Detroit Tigers 7487 0.460 24 36–44 38–43
Milwaukee Brewers 6695 0.410 32 36–45 30–50

Record vs. opponents

1976 American League record

Sources:
Team BAL BOS CAL CWS CLE DET KC MIL MIN NYY OAK TEX
Baltimore —7–118–48–47–1112–66–611–74–813–54–88–4
Boston 11–7—7–56–69–914–43–912–67–57–114–83–9
California 4–85–7—11–77–56–68–104–88–105–76–1212–6
Chicago 4–86–67–11—3–96–68–107–57–111–118–97–11
Cleveland 11–79–95–79–3—6–126–611–69–34–124–87–5
Detroit 6–124–146–66–612–6—4–812–64–89–86–65–7
Kansas City 6–69–310–810–86–68–4—8–410–87–59–97–11
Milwaukee 7–116–128–45–76–116–124–8—4–85–135–710–2
Minnesota 8–45–710–811–73–98–48–108–4—2–1011–711–7
New York 5–1311–77–511–112–48–95–713–510–2—6–69–3
Oakland 8–48–412–69–88–46–69–97–57–116–6—7–11
Texas 4–89–36–1211–75–77–511–72–107–113–911–7—

Notable transactions

Opening Day lineup

17Cecil CooperDH
  5Denny Doyle2B
19Fred LynnCF
14Jim RiceLF
  8Carl Yastrzemski    1B
27Carlton FiskC
24Dwight EvansRF
  6Rico Petrocelli3B
  7Rick BurlesonSS
31Ferguson JenkinsP

Source:[17]

Roster

1976 Boston Red Sox
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders Managers

Coaches

Player stats

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases; BB = Walks; AVG = Batting average; SLG = Slugging average

Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB AVG SLG
Jim Rice153581751642582585828.282.482
Carl Yastrzemski1555467114623221102580.267.432
Rick Burleson152540751572717421460.291.383
Fred Lynn1325077615932810651448.314.467
Dwight Evans146501611213451762657.242.431
Carlton Fisk1344877612417517581256.255.415
Cecil Cooper123451661272261578716.282.457
Denny Doyle11743251108155026822.250.308
Rick Miller10526940761530271134.283.361
Butch Hobson76269346375834015.234.387
Rico Petrocelli85240175171324034.213.288
Steve Dillard571672246140115617.275.377
Doug Griffin491271424200429.189.205
Bobby Darwin431069195231312.179.349
Bob Montgomery319310233131305.247.398
Bob Heise3256515200501.268.304
Bernie Carbo1755513402618.236.418
Deron Johnson153835110005.132.211
Jack Baker122313001201.130.261
Ernie Whitt81844201302.222.500
Andy Merchant2200000000.000.000
Pitcher Totals162310000000.000.000
Team Totals162551171614482575313466495500.263.402

Source:

Pitching

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts

Player W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER BB SO
Luis Tiant21123.0638380279.02741079564131
Rick Wise14113.5334340224.1218100884893
Fergie Jenkins12113.2730290209.0201857643142
Reggie Cleveland1093.0741142170.015973586176
Dick Pole654.3331150120.213162584849
Rick Jones533.3624140104.113348392645
Jim Willoughby3122.825401099.09438313137
Bill Lee575.632414396.012468602829
Tom Murphy453.44370881.09143312532
Tom House134.33360443.23922211927
Rick Kreuger214.0684031.03114141612
Team Totals83793.52162162271458.01495660571409673

Source:

Statistical leaders

Luis Tiant
CategoryPlayerStatistic
Youngest playerRick Jones21
Oldest playerDeron Johnson37
Wins Above ReplacementLuis Tiant6.2

Source:[18]

Batting

Abbr.CategoryPlayerStatistic
GGames playedCarl Yastrzemski155
PAPlate appearancesCarl Yastrzemski636
ABAt batsJim Rice581
RRuns scoredCarlton Fisk76
Fred Lynn
HHitsJim Rice164
2BDoublesDwight Evans34
3BTriplesFred Lynn8
Jim Rice
HRHome runsJim Rice25
RBIRuns batted inCarl Yastrzemski102
SBStolen basesRick Burleson14
Fred Lynn
CSCaught stealingRick Miller10
BBBase on ballsCarl Yastrzemski80
SOStrikeoutsJim Rice123
BABatting averageFred Lynn.314
OBPOn-base percentageFred Lynn.367
SLGSlugging percentageJim Rice.482
OPSOn-base plus sluggingFred Lynn.835
OPS+Adjusted OPSFred Lynn132
TBTotal basesJim Rice280
GIDPGrounded into double playJim Rice18
HBPHit by pitchDwight Evans6
Carlton Fisk
SHSacrifice hitsCecil Cooper9
SFSacrifice fliesFred Lynn10
IBBIntentional base on ballsCecil Cooper6
Carl Yastrzemski

Source:[18]

Pitching

Abbr.CategoryPlayerStatistic
WWinsLuis Tiant21
LLossesLuis Tiant12
Jim Willoughby
W-L %Winning percentageLuis Tiant.636 (21–12)
ERAEarned run averageLuis Tiant3.06
GGames pitchedJim Willoughby54
GSGames startedLuis Tiant38
GFGames finishedJim Willoughby40
CGComplete gamesLuis Tiant19
SHOShutoutsRick Wise4
SVSavesJim Willoughby10
IPInnings pitchedLuis Tiant279
SOStrikeoutsFerguson Jenkins142
WHIPWalks plus hits per inning pitchedFerguson Jenkins1.167

Source:[18]

Awards and honors

All-Star Game

Farm system

Level Team League Manager
AAA Pawtucket Red Sox† International League Joe Morgan
AA Bristol Red Sox Eastern League John Kennedy
A Winston-Salem Red Sox Carolina League Tony Torchia
A Winter Haven Red Sox Florida State League Rac Slider
A-Short Season Elmira Red Sox New York–Penn League Dick Berardino

† The Pawtucket Red Sox were known as the Rhode Island Red Sox during the 1976 season.[19]
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Winston-Salem, Elmira
Source:[20][21]

Notes

  1. ↑ Tom Yawkey died in July; ownership and oversight of the club passed to his wife, Jean.

References

  1. ↑ The Montreal Gazette – Google News Archive Search
  2. 1 2 Gene Michael page at Baseball Reference
  3. ↑ Dick Drago page at Baseball Reference
  4. ↑ "The 1976 Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Events of Friday, April 30, 1976".
  6. ↑ "Events of Monday, May 31, 1976".
  7. ↑ "Events of Wednesday, June 30, 1976".
  8. ↑ "Events of Saturday, July 31, 1976".
  9. ↑ "Events of Tuesday, August 31, 1976".
  10. ↑ "Events of Thursday, September 30, 1976".
  11. ↑ "Events of Sunday, October 3, 1976".
  12. ↑ "Kuhn void sale of A's stars to Sox, Yankees". The Boston Globe. June 19, 1976. p. 1. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Driscoll, Edgar (July 10, 1976). "Tom Yawkey, Red Sox owner, dies at 73". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  14. ↑ Diego Seguí page at Baseball Reference
  15. ↑ Bobby Darwin page at Baseball Reference
  16. ↑ Wade Boggs page at Baseball Reference
  17. ↑ "Baltimore Orioles 1, Boston Red Sox 0". Retrosheet. April 9, 1976. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  18. 1 2 3 "1976 Boston Red Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Name change is made at Pawtucket". The Berkshire Eagle. Pittsfield, Massachusetts. UPI. January 16, 1976. p. 10. Retrieved September 29, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
  21. ↑ Boston Red Sox Official Yearbook. 1976. p. 36. Retrieved March 14, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
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