Pete Alexander vs Roger Clemens: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Roger Clemens played 1984–2007 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
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Roger Clemens (1984–2007) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Roger Clemens finished with 354 wins and 4,672 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 Roger Clemens's 3.12.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Roger Clemens's 354.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Roger Clemens's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Roger Clemens's 4,916.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Roger Clemens's 46.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roger Clemens, with 146,187 career Pitcher PIV to Pete Alexander's 75,743.
Pete Alexander
Roger Clemens
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. 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, and the 1910s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Roger Clemens |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 354 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 184 |
| Games | 696 | Leads: 709 |
| Games Started | 599 | Leads: 707 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 118 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 46 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 4,672 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,580 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 4,185 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 363 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 4,916.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.12 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 8.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.89 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens outpaces Pete Alexander 146,187 to 75,743 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 6,091 PIV per season to 3,607, across 24 seasons to 21. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Roger Clemens — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Roger Clemens owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. Note that PIV actually grades Roger Clemens ahead, which means Pete Alexander's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Roger Clemens careers compare
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) was finished before Roger Clemens (1984–2007) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 696 games against 709 across 21 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Roger Clemens are games (709 to 696), starts (707 to 599), and strikeouts (4,672 to 2,198). The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 8.55 and 2.89 for Roger Clemens. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Roger Clemens was mainly a starter (707 starts in 709 games). The complete-game row, 437 against 118, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Pete Alexander vs Roger Clemens: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Roger Clemens?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Roger Clemens in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Roger Clemens's 3.12.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Roger Clemens's 354.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Roger Clemens's 1.17.