Vida Blue vs Bert Blyleven: Career Stats Comparison
Bert Blyleven has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Vida Blue played 1969–1986 as a pitcher; Bert Blyleven played 1970–1992 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
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 finished with 209 wins and 2,175 strikeouts; Bert Blyleven finished with 287 wins and 3,701 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Vida Blue, with 3.27 to Bert Blyleven's 3.31.
- Who won more games? Bert Blyleven, with 287 to Vida Blue's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Vida Blue's 2,175.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bert Blyleven, with 1.20 to Vida Blue's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Bert Blyleven, with 4,970.0 to Vida Blue's 3,343.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bert Blyleven, with 60 to Vida Blue's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bert Blyleven, with 74,910 career Pitcher PIV to Vida Blue's 26,790.
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. 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Vida Blue | Bert Blyleven |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | Leads: 287 |
| Losses not scored | 161 | 250 |
| Games | 502 | Leads: 692 |
| Games Started | 473 | Leads: 685 |
| Complete Games | 143 | Leads: 242 |
| Shutouts | 37 | Leads: 60 |
| Saves | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,175 | Leads: 3,701 |
| Walks not scored | 1,185 | 1,322 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 4,632 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 263 | 430 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,343.1 | Leads: 4,970.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.27 | 3.31 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.20 |
| K/9 | 5.85 | Leads: 6.70 |
| BB/9 | 3.19 | Leads: 2.39 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bert Blyleven outpaces Vida Blue 74,910 to 26,790 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,121 PIV per season to 1,576, across 24 seasons to 17. 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).
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.
Related Matchups
How the Vida Blue and Bert Blyleven careers compare
From 1970 through 1986, Vida Blue and Bert Blyleven were in the majors together. With 502 games against 692 across 17 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Vida Blue are saves (2 to 0) and ERA (3.27 to 3.31). By rate, Vida Blue struck out 5.85 and walked 3.19 per nine innings; Bert Blyleven struck out 6.70 and walked 2.39. Vida Blue was mainly a starter (473 starts in 502 games), and Bert Blyleven was mainly a starter (685 starts in 692 games). In WHIP, Bert Blyleven's 1.20 beats Vida Blue's 1.23.
Vida Blue vs Bert Blyleven: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Vida Blue or Bert Blyleven?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bert Blyleven leads Vida Blue in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Vida Blue, with 3.27 to Bert Blyleven's 3.31.
- Who won more games?
- Bert Blyleven, with 287 to Vida Blue's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Vida Blue's 2,175.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bert Blyleven, with 1.20 to Vida Blue's 1.23.