Heath Bell vs J. J. Putz: Career Stats Comparison
J. J. Putz has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Heath Bell played 2004–2014 as a pitcher; J. J. Putz played 2003–2014 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
Heath Bell (2004–2014) and J. J. Putz (2003–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Heath Bell finished with 38 wins and 637 strikeouts; J. J. Putz finished with 37 wins and 599 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? J. J. Putz, with 3.08 to Heath Bell's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Heath Bell, with 38 to J. J. Putz's 37.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Heath Bell, with 637 to J. J. Putz's 599.
- Who had the better WHIP? J. J. Putz, with 1.15 to Heath Bell's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Heath Bell, with 628.2 to J. J. Putz's 566.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Heath Bell, with 16,481 career Pitcher PIV to J. J. Putz's 14,932.
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Heath Bell | J. J. Putz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 38 | 37 |
| Losses not scored | 32 | 33 |
| Games | Leads: 590 | 572 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 168 | Leads: 189 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 637 | 599 |
| Walks not scored | 214 | 184 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 584 | 469 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 48 | 50 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 628.2 | 566.2 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.08 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.15 |
| K/9 | 9.12 | Leads: 9.51 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.92 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Heath Bell leads J. J. Putz 16,481 to 14,932 — driven by per-season impact — 1,498 PIV per season to 1,244 — rather than by longevity, since Heath Bell played 11 seasons to J. J. Putz's 12. 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).
Heath Bell
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
J. J. Putz
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Heath Bell leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while J. J. Putz owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Heath Bell. PIV agrees: Heath Bell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Heath Bell and J. J. Putz careers compare
The careers of Heath Bell (2004–2014) and J. J. Putz (2003–2014) overlapped from 2004 to 2014, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 590 games against 572 across 11 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Heath Bell's edges on the table are wins (38 to 37), games (590 to 572), and strikeouts (637 to 599). The per-nine rows read 9.12 strikeouts and 3.06 walks for Heath Bell, 9.51 and 2.92 for J. J. Putz.
Heath Bell vs J. J. Putz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Heath Bell or J. J. Putz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, J. J. Putz leads Heath Bell in 5 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- J. J. Putz, with 3.08 to Heath Bell's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Heath Bell, with 38 to J. J. Putz's 37.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Heath Bell, with 637 to J. J. Putz's 599.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- J. J. Putz, with 1.15 to Heath Bell's 1.27.