Vida Blue vs Bert Blyleven: Career Stats Comparison
Vida Blue (1969–1986) and Bert Blyleven (1970–1992) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Vida Blue compiled 209 wins and 2,175 strikeouts; Bert Blyleven put up 287 wins and 3,701 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Vida Blue
Bert Blyleven
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Vida Blue | Bert Blyleven |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | 287 |
| Losses | 161 | 250 |
| Games | 502 | 692 |
| Games Started | 473 | 685 |
| Complete Games | 143 | 242 |
| Shutouts | 37 | 60 |
| Saves | 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,175 | 3,701 |
| Walks | 1,185 | 1,322 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,939 | 4,632 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 263 | 430 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,343 | 4,970 |
| ERA | 3.27 | 3.31 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 5.85 | 6.70 |
| BB/9 | 3.19 | 2.39 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bert Blyleven outpaces Vida Blue 74,910 to 26,790 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,121 vs 1,576 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).
Vida Blue — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bert Blyleven — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bert Blyleven leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Vida Blue owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bert Blyleven. PIV agrees: Bert Blyleven grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.