Mordecai Brown vs Eppa Rixey: Career Stats Comparison
Mordecai Brown has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Mordecai Brown played 1903–1916 as a pitcher; Eppa Rixey played 1912–1933 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
Mordecai Brown (1903–1916) and Eppa Rixey (1912–1933) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1910s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mordecai Brown compiled 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts; Eppa Rixey put up 266 wins and 1,350 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Eppa Rixey's 3.15.
- Who won more games? Eppa Rixey, with 266 to Mordecai Brown's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mordecai Brown, with 1,375 to Eppa Rixey's 1,350.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Eppa Rixey's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Eppa Rixey, with 4,494 to Mordecai Brown's 3,172.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mordecai Brown, with 55 to Eppa Rixey's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eppa Rixey, with 45,675 career Pitcher PIV to Mordecai Brown's 31,501.
Mordecai Brown
Eppa Rixey
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 | Mordecai Brown | Eppa Rixey |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 239 | Leads: 266 |
| Losses | 130 | 251 |
| Games | 481 | Leads: 692 |
| Games Started | 332 | Leads: 552 |
| Complete Games | 271 | Leads: 290 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 37 |
| Saves | Leads: 49 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,375 | 1,350 |
| Walks | 673 | 1,082 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,708 | 4,633 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 43 | 92 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,172 | Leads: 4,494 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.06 | 3.15 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.07 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 3.90 | 2.70 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.91 | 2.17 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eppa Rixey outpaces Mordecai Brown 45,675 to 31,501 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,175 vs 2,100 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).
Mordecai Brown — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Eppa Rixey — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mordecai Brown leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Eppa Rixey owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mordecai Brown. Note that PIV actually grades Eppa Rixey ahead, which means Mordecai Brown's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Mordecai Brown vs Eppa Rixey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mordecai Brown or Eppa Rixey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mordecai Brown leads Eppa Rixey in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Eppa Rixey's 3.15.
- Who won more games?
- Eppa Rixey, with 266 to Mordecai Brown's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mordecai Brown, with 1,375 to Eppa Rixey's 1,350.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mordecai Brown, with 1.07 to Eppa Rixey's 1.27.