1972 Baltimore Orioles
LeagueAmerican League
DivisionEast
BallparkMemorial Stadium
CityBaltimore, Maryland
Record80–74 (.519)
Divisional place3rd
OwnersJerold Hoffberger
General managersFrank Cashen
ManagersEarl Weaver
TelevisionWJZ-TV
RadioWBAL (AM)
(Chuck Thompson, John Gordon, Bill O'Donnell)
← 1971 Seasons 1973 →

The 1972 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing third in the American League East with a record of 80 wins and 74 losses.

Offseason

Regular season

Frank Robinson's number 20 was retired by the Baltimore Orioles in 1972.

Season standings

AL East 		W L Pct. GB Home Road
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 record

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 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 —


Opening Day lineup

Notable transactions

Draft picks

Roster

1972 Baltimore Orioles
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 Johnny Oates 85 253 66 .261 4 21
1B Boog Powell 140 465 .117 252 21 81
2B Davey Johnson 118 376 83 .221 5 32
3B Brooks Robinson 153 556 139 .250 8 64
SS Mark Belanger 113 285 53 .186 2 16
LF Don Buford 125 408 84 .206 5 22
CF Paul Blair 142 477 111 .233 8 49
RF Merv Rettenmund 102 301 70 .233 6 21

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
Bobby Grich 133 460 128 .278 12 50
Don Baylor 102 320 81 .253 11 38
Terry Crowley 97 247 57 .231 11 29
Andy Etchebarren 71 188 38 .202 2 21
Elrod Hendricks 33 84 13 .155 0 4
Tommy Davis 26 82 21 .256 0 6
Tom Shopay 49 40 9 .225 0 2
Rich Coggins 16 39 13 .333 0 1
Chico Salmon 17 16 1 .063 0 0
Al Bumbry 9 11 4 .364 0 0
Tom Matchick 3 9 2 .222 0 0
Enos Cabell 3 5 0 .000 0 1
Sergio Robles 2 5 1 .200 0 0

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
Jim Palmer 36 274.1 21 10 2.07 184
Pat Dobson 38 268.1 16 18 2.65 161
Mike Cuellar 35 248.1 18 12 2.57 132
Dave McNally 36 241.0 13 17 2.95 120

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
Doyle Alexander 35 106.1 6 8 2.45 49

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
Grant Jackson 32 1 1 8 2.63 34
Roric Harrison 39 3 4 4 2.30 62
Eddie Watt 38 2 3 7 2.17 23
Mickey Scott 15 0 1 0 2.74 11
Dave Leonhard 14 0 0 0 4.50 7
Bob Reynolds 3 0 0 0 1.86 5

Awards and honors

Farm system

Level Team League Manager
AAA Rochester Red Wings International League Joe Altobelli
AA Asheville Orioles Southern League Cal Ripken Sr.
A Lodi Orioles California League Jimmie Schaffer
A Miami Orioles Florida State League Woody Smith
A-Short Season Lewiston Broncs Northwest League Bobby Malkmus
Rookie Bluefield Orioles Appalachian League George Farson

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Miami, Lewiston

Notes

  1. ^ Tom Matchick page at Baseball Reference
  2. ^ Tom Walker page at Baseball Reference
  3. ^ Frank Robinson page at Baseball Reference
  4. ^ Curt Motton page at Baseball Reference
  5. ^ Lew Beasley page at Baseball Reference
  6. ^ Dave Boswell page at Baseball Reference
  7. ^ Elrod Hendricks page at Baseball Reference
  8. ^ Chico Salmon page at Baseball Reference
  9. ^ Bobby Brown page at Baseball Reference

References

Categories