Vida Blue vs Jerry Koosman: Career Stats Comparison
Vida Blue (1969–1986) and Jerry Koosman (1967–1985) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Vida Blue compiled 209 wins and 2,175 strikeouts; Jerry Koosman put up 222 wins and 2,556 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Vida Blue
Jerry Koosman
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 | Jerry Koosman |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | 222 |
| Losses | 161 | 209 |
| Games | 502 | 612 |
| Games Started | 473 | 527 |
| Complete Games | 143 | 140 |
| Shutouts | 37 | 33 |
| Saves | 2 | 17 |
| Strikeouts | 2,175 | 2,556 |
| Walks | 1,185 | 1,198 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,939 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 263 | 290 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,343 | 3,839 |
| ERA | 3.27 | 3.36 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 5.85 | 5.99 |
| BB/9 | 3.19 | 2.81 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jerry Koosman outpaces Vida Blue 42,939 to 26,790 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,147 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)
Jerry Koosman — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jerry Koosman leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Vida Blue owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jerry Koosman. PIV agrees: Jerry Koosman grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.