Vida Blue vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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 Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Vida Blue finished with 209 wins and 2,175 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Vida Blue's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Vida Blue's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Vida Blue's 2,175.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Vida Blue's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Vida Blue's 3,343.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Vida Blue's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Vida Blue, with 26,790 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Vida Blue
Jim Palmer
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 | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 161 | 152 |
| Games | 502 | Leads: 558 |
| Games Started | 473 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 143 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 37 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 4 |
| Strikeouts | 2,175 | Leads: 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 1,185 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 263 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,343.1 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.85 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | 3.19 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Vida Blue outpaces Jim Palmer 26,790 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 1,576 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Vida Blue played 17 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Vida Blue owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades Vida Blue ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Vida Blue and Jim Palmer careers compare
Vida Blue and Jim Palmer were active at the same time between 1969 and 1984. With 502 games against 558 across 17 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Vida Blue are strikeouts per nine (5.85 to 5.04). The per-nine rows read 5.85 strikeouts and 3.19 walks for Vida Blue, 5.04 and 2.99 for Jim Palmer. Vida Blue was mainly a starter (473 starts in 502 games), and Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Vida Blue's 1.23.
Vida Blue vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Vida Blue or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Vida Blue in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Vida Blue's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Vida Blue's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Vida Blue's 2,175.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Vida Blue's 1.23.