Pete Alexander vs Joe McGinnity: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Joe McGinnity played 1899–1908 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 Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Joe McGinnity finished with 246 wins and 1,068 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 Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Joe McGinnity's 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Joe McGinnity's 3,441.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Joe McGinnity's 32.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Joe McGinnity's 3,283.
Pete Alexander
Joe McGinnity
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 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Joe McGinnity |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 246 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 142 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 465 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 381 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 314 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 32 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 24 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,068 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 812 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 3,276 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 52 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 3,441.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 2.66 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 3.81 | 2.79 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.12 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Joe McGinnity 75,743 to 3,283 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,607 PIV per season to 298, across 21 seasons to 11. 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)
Joe McGinnity — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Joe McGinnity owns no headline categories. 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
How the Pete Alexander and Joe McGinnity careers compare
Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) was finished before Pete Alexander (1911–1930) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 696 games against 465 across 21 and 11 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Pete Alexander. The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 2.79 and 2.12 for Joe McGinnity. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Joe McGinnity was mainly a starter (381 starts in 465 games). Pete Alexander allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.
Pete Alexander vs Joe McGinnity: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Joe McGinnity?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Joe McGinnity in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Joe McGinnity's 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.