Kevin Brown vs Dwight Gooden: Career Stats Comparison
Kevin Brown has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Kevin Brown played 1986–2005 as a pitcher; Dwight Gooden played 1984–2000 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
Kevin Brown (1986–2005) and Dwight Gooden (1984–2000) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Kevin Brown compiled 211 wins and 2,397 strikeouts; Dwight Gooden put up 194 wins and 2,293 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Kevin Brown, with 3.28 to Dwight Gooden's 3.51.
- Who won more games? Kevin Brown, with 211 to Dwight Gooden's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Kevin Brown, with 2,397 to Dwight Gooden's 2,293.
- Who had the better WHIP? Kevin Brown, with 1.22 to Dwight Gooden's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Kevin Brown, with 3,256 to Dwight Gooden's 2,800.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dwight Gooden, with 24 to Kevin Brown's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Kevin Brown, with 82,163 career Pitcher PIV to Dwight Gooden's 55,535.
Kevin Brown
Dwight Gooden
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Kevin Brown | Dwight Gooden |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 211 | 194 |
| Losses | 144 | 112 |
| Games | Leads: 486 | 430 |
| Games Started | Leads: 476 | 410 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 72 | 68 |
| Shutouts | 17 | Leads: 24 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,397 | 2,293 |
| Walks | 901 | 954 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,079 | 2,564 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 208 | 210 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,256 | 2,800 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.28 | 3.51 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.22 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 6.62 | Leads: 7.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.49 | 3.07 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kevin Brown outpaces Dwight Gooden 82,163 to 55,535 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,324 vs 3,085 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).
Kevin Brown — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dwight Gooden — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kevin Brown leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Dwight Gooden owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kevin Brown. PIV agrees: Kevin Brown grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Kevin Brown vs Dwight Gooden: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kevin Brown or Dwight Gooden?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Kevin Brown leads Dwight Gooden in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Kevin Brown, with 3.28 to Dwight Gooden's 3.51.
- Who won more games?
- Kevin Brown, with 211 to Dwight Gooden's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Kevin Brown, with 2,397 to Dwight Gooden's 2,293.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Kevin Brown, with 1.22 to Dwight Gooden's 1.26.