Vida Blue vs Rollie Fingers: Career Stats Comparison
Vida Blue and Rollie Fingers are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Vida Blue played 1969–1986 as a pitcher; Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985 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 Rollie Fingers (1968–1985) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Vida Blue finished with 209 wins and 2,175 strikeouts; Rollie Fingers finished with 114 wins and 1,299 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rollie Fingers, with 2.90 to Vida Blue's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Vida Blue, with 209 to Rollie Fingers's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Vida Blue, with 2,175 to Rollie Fingers's 1,299.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rollie Fingers, with 1.16 to Vida Blue's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Vida Blue, with 3,343.1 to Rollie Fingers's 1,701.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Vida Blue, with 37 to Rollie Fingers's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rollie Fingers, with 33,082 career Pitcher PIV to Vida Blue's 26,790.
Vida Blue
Rollie Fingers
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 | Vida Blue | Rollie Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 209 | 114 |
| Losses not scored | 161 | 118 |
| Games | 502 | Leads: 944 |
| Games Started | Leads: 473 | 37 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 143 | 4 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 37 | 2 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 341 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,175 | 1,299 |
| Walks not scored | 1,185 | 492 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 1,474 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 263 | 123 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,343.1 | 1,701.1 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 2.90 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.16 |
| K/9 | 5.85 | Leads: 6.87 |
| BB/9 | 3.19 | Leads: 2.60 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rollie Fingers leads Vida Blue 33,082 to 26,790 — driven by per-season impact — 1,946 PIV per season to 1,576 — rather than by longevity, since Rollie Fingers played 17 seasons to Vida Blue's 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)
Rollie Fingers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rollie Fingers leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Vida Blue owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rollie Fingers. PIV agrees: Rollie Fingers 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 Rollie Fingers careers compare
From 1969 through 1985, Vida Blue and Rollie Fingers were in the majors together. The table compares 502 games of Vida Blue with 944 of Rollie Fingers across 17 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, Vida Blue struck out 5.85 and walked 3.19 per nine innings; Rollie Fingers struck out 6.87 and walked 2.60. Their roles differ: Vida Blue was mainly a starter (473 starts in 502 games); Rollie Fingers worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 944 games, 341 saves). Complete games (143 to 4) show how differently the two eras used starters. Rollie Fingers allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.16 WHIP to Vida Blue's 1.23.
Vida Blue vs Rollie Fingers: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rollie Fingers, with 2.90 to Vida Blue's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Vida Blue, with 209 to Rollie Fingers's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Vida Blue, with 2,175 to Rollie Fingers's 1,299.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rollie Fingers, with 1.16 to Vida Blue's 1.23.