1974 Texas Rangers season

Last updated

1974  Texas Rangers
League American League
Division West
Ballpark Arlington Stadium
City Arlington, Texas
Record84–76 (.525)
Divisional place2nd
Owners Bob Short, Bradford G. Corbett, Amon Carter, Jr., Ray Nasher
General managers Dan O'Brien Sr.
Managers Billy Martin
Television WBAP-TV
(Dick Risenhoover, Jimmy Piersall, Burt Hawkins)
Radio WBAP
(Dick Risenhoover, Bill Mercer)
  1973 Seasons 1975  

The 1974 Texas Rangers season was the 14th of the Texas Rangers franchise overall, their 3rd in Arlington as the Rangers, and the 3rd season at Arlington Stadium. The Rangers finished second in the American League West with a record of 84 wins and 76 losses (two rained-out games were never completed). It would be only the second time in franchise history (to that point) that the club finished over .500 and the first since the club relocated to Arlington, Texas. The club became the first (and, to date, only) team to finish over .500 after two consecutive 100-loss seasons.

Contents

Offseason

Regular season

During the season, Ferguson Jenkins won 25 games for the Rangers, which was Jenkins' personal best for a season and remains the Rangers franchise record for wins by a pitcher in one season. He would also be the third pitcher in the history of the American League to win 25 games in the 20th century and not win the Cy Young Award. [2]

Ten Cent Beer Night

On June 4, in one of the most remarkably ill-conceived promotions in Major League Baseball history, fans at Cleveland Municipal Stadium for a Cleveland Indians vs. Texas Rangers game were served as many beers as they wanted for just 10¢ each. After numerous instances of drunken fans throwing debris or running onto the field—"streaking" in many instances—the situation boiled over in the 9th inning when a fan ran onto the field and snatched Rangers outfielder Jeff Burroughs' cap and glove. Burroughs' teammates charged out to his aid, followed by hundreds of rioting Cleveland fans who poured out onto the field.

Season standings

AL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Oakland Athletics 9072.55649324140
Texas Rangers 8476.525542384238
Minnesota Twins 8280.506848333447
Chicago White Sox 8080.500946343446
Kansas City Royals 7785.4751340413744
California Angels 6894.4202236453249

Record vs. opponents


Sources:
TeamBALBOSCALCWSCLEDETKCMILMINNYYOAKTEX
Baltimore 10–87–55–712–614–48–48–106–611–76–64–8
Boston 8–104–88–49–911–74–810–86–611–78–45–7
California 5–78–410–8–13–95–78–103–98–103–96–129–9
Chicago 7–54–88–10–18–47–511–78–47–11–14–87–119–7–1
Cleveland 6–129–99–34–89–98–410–86–67–115–74–8
Detroit 4–147–117–55–79–97–59–93–911–75–75–7
Kansas City 4–88–410–87–114–85–711–18–104–88–108–10
Milwaukee 10–88–109–34–88–109–91–116–69–95–77–5
Minnesota 6–66–610–811–7–16–69–310–86–64–85–139–9
New York 7–117–119–38–411–77–118–49–98–47–58–4
Oakland 6–64–812–611–77–57–510–87–513–55–78–10
Texas 8–47–59–97–9–18–47–510–85–79–94–810–8

Notable transactions

Roster

1974 Texas Rangers
Roster
PitchersCatchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches

Player stats

Batting

= Indicates team leader

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.PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C Jim Sundberg 13236891.247336
1B Mike Hargrove 131415134.323466
2B Dave Nelson 121474112.236342
3B Lenny Randle 151520157.302149
SS Toby Harrah 161573149.2602174
LF Alex Johnson 114453132.291441
CF Joe Lovitto 11328363.223226
RF Jeff Burroughs 152554167.30125118
DH Jim Spencer 11835298.278774

Other batters

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

PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
César Tovar 138562164.292458
Tom Grieve 8425966.255932
Jim Fregosi 7823060.2611234
Duke Sims 3910622.20836
Leo Cárdenas 349225.27207
Larry Brown 547615.19705
Roy Howell 134411.25013
Dick Billings 16317.22600
Bill Fahey 6164.25000
Mike Cubbage 9150.00000
Tom Robson 6133.23102
Pete Mackanin 261.16700
Bobby Jones 250.00000
Dave Moates 100----00

Pitching

Starting pitchers

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

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Ferguson Jenkins 41328.125122.82225
Jim Bibby 41264.019194.74149
Jackie Brown 35216.213123.57134
Steve Hargan 37186.21293.9598
David Clyde 28117.0394.3852
Bill Hands 214.0201.934

Other pitchers

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

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Pete Broberg 1229.0048.0715

Relief pitchers

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

PlayerGWLSVERASO
Steve Foucault 6989122.24106
Jim Merritt 260004.1318
Don Stanhouse 181104.8826
Lloyd Allen 140106.5518
Stan Thomas 120006.598
Jim Shellenback 110005.8414
Jeff Terpko 30001.293
Steve Dunning 100019.291

Awards and honors

All-Stars

1974 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Farm system

LevelTeamLeagueManager
AAA Spokane Indians Pacific Coast League Del Wilber
AA Pittsfield Rangers Eastern League Joe Klein
A Gastonia Rangers Western Carolinas League Rich Donnelly
Rookie GCL Rangers Gulf Coast League Bill Haywood

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Spokane, Gastonia

Notes

  1. Bill Madlock page at Baseball Reference
  2. Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p. 236, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ISBN   978-0-451-22363-0
  3. Mike Kekich page at Baseball-Reference
  4. Tommy Boggs page at Baseball Reference
  5. Gary Gray page at Baseball Reference

References