Rico Petrocelli
Born: 6/27/1943 in Brooklyn, NY, USA
MLB Debut: 1963-09-21 | Final Game: 1976-09-14
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 175 lbs
Full name: Americo Peter Petrocelli
Biography
Rico Petrocelli, born in 1943, was a prominent infielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Boston Red Sox from 1963 to 1976. Known for his powerful bat and reliable defense, Petrocelli became a key figure in the Red Sox lineup during a transformative era in baseball. He participated in 1,553 games, accumulating 1,352 hits, 210 home runs, and 773 RBIs, while maintaining a batting average of .251. His ability to hit for power was particularly noteworthy, as he was one of the leading home run hitters for the Red Sox during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Petrocelli was selected to the All-Star Game twice during his career, a testament to his skill and impact on the field. He played a significant role in the Red Sox's success during a competitive period in the American League, displaying versatility as both a shortstop and third baseman. His ten stolen bases reflected his speed and base-running acumen, complementing his offensive contributions. Rico Petrocelli remains a memorable figure in the history of the Red Sox, celebrated for his contributions to the team and the game itself during a pivotal time in baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1553 | 5390 | 653 | 1352 | 237 | 22 | 210 | 773 | 10 | 661 | 926 | 0.251 | 0.332 | 0.420 | 0.752 | 10713.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | BOS | AL | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1965 | BOS | AL | 103 | 323 | 38 | 75 | 15 | 2 | 13 | 33 | 0 | 36 | 71 | 0.232 | 306.9 |
| 1966 | BOS | AL | 139 | 522 | 58 | 124 | 20 | 1 | 18 | 59 | 1 | 41 | 99 | 0.238 | -163.6 |
| 1967 | BOS | AL | 142 | 491 | 53 | 127 | 24 | 2 | 17 | 66 | 2 | 49 | 93 | 0.259 | 1200.3 |
| 1968 | BOS | AL | 123 | 406 | 41 | 95 | 17 | 2 | 12 | 46 | 0 | 31 | 73 | 0.234 | 234.4 |
| 1969 | BOS | AL | 154 | 535 | 92 | 159 | 32 | 2 | 40 | 97 | 3 | 98 | 68 | 0.297 | 4765.7 |
| 1970 | BOS | AL | 157 | 583 | 82 | 152 | 31 | 3 | 29 | 103 | 1 | 67 | 82 | 0.261 | 1434.5 |
| 1971 | BOS | AL | 158 | 553 | 82 | 139 | 24 | 4 | 28 | 89 | 2 | 91 | 108 | 0.251 | 2211.2 |
| 1972 | BOS | AL | 147 | 521 | 62 | 125 | 15 | 2 | 15 | 75 | 0 | 78 | 91 | 0.240 | 770.2 |
| 1973 | BOS | AL | 100 | 356 | 44 | 87 | 13 | 1 | 13 | 45 | 0 | 47 | 64 | 0.244 | 283.2 |
| 1974 | BOS | AL | 129 | 454 | 53 | 121 | 23 | 1 | 15 | 76 | 1 | 48 | 74 | 0.267 | 756.1 |
| 1975 | BOS | AL | 115 | 402 | 31 | 96 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 59 | 0 | 41 | 66 | 0.239 | -614.1 |
| 1976 | BOS | AL | 85 | 240 | 17 | 51 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 0 | 34 | 36 | 0.212 | -471.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 58 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 17 | 0.241 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | WS | BOS | 7 | 26 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 0.308 |
| 1975 | ALCS | BOS | 3 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0.167 |
| 1967 | WS | BOS | 7 | 20 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 0.200 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2B | 5 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 4 |
| 3B | 727 | 716 | 581 | 1453 | 63 | 150 |
| SS | 774 | 762 | 1283 | 2283 | 113 | 433 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | BOS | SS | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | BOS | SS | 93 | 93 | 151 | 278 | 19 | 45 |
| 1966 | BOS | 3B | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 3 |
| 1966 | BOS | SS | 127 | 125 | 206 | 381 | 28 | 69 |
| 1967 | BOS | SS | 141 | 137 | 223 | 402 | 19 | 73 |
| 1968 | BOS | 1B | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1968 | BOS | SS | 117 | 115 | 169 | 360 | 12 | 66 |
| 1969 | BOS | 3B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | BOS | SS | 153 | 153 | 269 | 466 | 14 | 103 |
| 1970 | BOS | 3B | 18 | 18 | 14 | 37 | 1 | 3 |
| 1970 | BOS | SS | 141 | 138 | 262 | 393 | 20 | 77 |
| 1971 | BOS | 3B | 156 | 156 | 118 | 334 | 11 | 37 |
| 1972 | BOS | 3B | 146 | 146 | 146 | 278 | 13 | 38 |
| 1973 | BOS | 3B | 99 | 99 | 73 | 224 | 6 | 22 |
| 1974 | BOS | 3B | 116 | 115 | 83 | 219 | 12 | 23 |
| 1975 | BOS | 3B | 113 | 111 | 85 | 229 | 13 | 13 |
| 1976 | BOS | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | BOS | 2B | 5 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 4 |
| 1976 | BOS | 3B | 73 | 65 | 57 | 120 | 6 | 11 |
| 1976 | BOS | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 2 |
| Second Base | 5 |
| Third Base | 727 |
| Shortstop | 774 |
| Designated Hitter | 14 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Player of the Week | Week of 1974-05-17 |
| 1969 | TSN All-Star | SS |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 9.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1969 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 71.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1967 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 7.0 | 280 | 0 |