Ray Brown vs Dizzy Dean: Career Stats Comparison
Dizzy Dean has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ray Brown played ?–1945 as a pitcher; Dizzy Dean played 1930–1947 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
Ray Brown (?–1945) and Dizzy Dean (1930–1947) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Ray Brown finished with 123 wins and 726 strikeouts; Dizzy Dean finished with 150 wins and 1,163 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Dizzy Dean, with 3.02 to Ray Brown's 3.21.
- Who won more games? Dizzy Dean, with 150 to Ray Brown's 123.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dizzy Dean, with 1,163 to Ray Brown's 726.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dizzy Dean, with 1.21 to Ray Brown's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Dizzy Dean, with 1,967.1 to Ray Brown's 1,511.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dizzy Dean, with 26 to Ray Brown's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dizzy Dean, with 47,994 career Pitcher PIV to Ray Brown's 30,490.
Dizzy Dean
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 | Ray Brown | Dizzy Dean |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 123 | Leads: 150 |
| Losses not scored | 47 | 83 |
| Games | 224 | Leads: 317 |
| Games Started | 163 | Leads: 230 |
| Complete Games | 142 | Leads: 154 |
| Shutouts | 17 | Leads: 26 |
| Saves | 15 | Leads: 30 |
| Strikeouts | 726 | Leads: 1,163 |
| Walks not scored | 430 | 453 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,437 | 1,919 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 40 | 95 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,511.2 | Leads: 1,967.1 |
| ERA | 3.21 | Leads: 3.02 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.21 |
| K/9 | 4.32 | Leads: 5.32 |
| BB/9 | 2.56 | Leads: 2.07 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dizzy Dean outpaces Ray Brown 47,994 to 30,490 — driven by per-season impact — 4,000 PIV per season to 1,794 — rather than by longevity, since Dizzy Dean played 12 seasons to Ray Brown'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).
Ray Brown — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dizzy Dean — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dizzy Dean leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Ray Brown owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dizzy Dean. PIV agrees: Dizzy Dean grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ray Brown and Dizzy Dean careers compare
From 1945 through 1945, Ray Brown and Dizzy Dean were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 224 games for Ray Brown and 317 for Dizzy Dean across 17 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Dizzy Dean. By rate, Ray Brown struck out 4.32 and walked 2.56 per nine innings; Dizzy Dean struck out 5.32 and walked 2.07. Both had the same role: Ray Brown was mainly a starter (163 starts in 224 games); Dizzy Dean was mainly a starter (230 starts in 317 games). Dizzy Dean allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.21 WHIP to Ray Brown's 1.24.
Ray Brown vs Dizzy Dean: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ray Brown or Dizzy Dean?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dizzy Dean leads Ray Brown in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Dizzy Dean, with 3.02 to Ray Brown's 3.21.
- Who won more games?
- Dizzy Dean, with 150 to Ray Brown's 123.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dizzy Dean, with 1,163 to Ray Brown's 726.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dizzy Dean, with 1.21 to Ray Brown's 1.24.