Babe Adams vs Pete Alexander: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Babe Adams played 1906–1926 as a pitcher; Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Babe Adams (1906–1926) and Pete Alexander (1911–1930) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1910s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Babe Adams compiled 194 wins and 1,036 strikeouts; Pete Alexander put up 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Babe Adams's 2.76.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Babe Adams's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Babe Adams's 1,036.
- Who had the better WHIP? Babe Adams, with 1.09 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190 to Babe Adams's 2,995.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Babe Adams's 44.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Babe Adams's 41,399.
Babe Adams
Pete Alexander
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Babe Adams | Pete Alexander |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 373 |
| Losses | 140 | 208 |
| Games | 482 | Leads: 696 |
| Games Started | 355 | Leads: 599 |
| Complete Games | 206 | Leads: 437 |
| Shutouts | 44 | Leads: 90 |
| Saves | 15 | Leads: 32 |
| Strikeouts | 1,036 | Leads: 2,198 |
| Walks | 430 | 951 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,841 | 4,868 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 68 | 164 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,995 | Leads: 5,190 |
| ERA | 2.76 | Leads: 2.56 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 3.11 | Leads: 3.81 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.29 | 1.65 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Babe Adams 75,743 to 41,399 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,607 vs 2,179 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Babe Adams — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Babe Adams owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. PIV agrees: Pete Alexander grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Babe Adams vs Pete Alexander: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Babe Adams or Pete Alexander?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Babe Adams in 10 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Babe Adams's 2.76.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Babe Adams's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Babe Adams's 1,036.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Babe Adams, with 1.09 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.