Jim Bunning vs Bob Friend: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 as a pitcher; Bob Friend played 1951–1966 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
Jim Bunning (1955–1971) and Bob Friend (1951–1966) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jim Bunning compiled 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Bob Friend put up 197 wins and 1,734 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Bunning, with 3.27 to Bob Friend's 3.58.
- Who won more games? Jim Bunning, with 224 to Bob Friend's 197.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Bob Friend's 1,734.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Bob Friend's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Bunning, with 3,760 to Bob Friend's 3,611.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Bunning, with 40 to Bob Friend's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Friend, with 45,735 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Bunning's 44,929.
Jim Bunning
Bob Friend
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 | Jim Bunning | Bob Friend |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 224 | 197 |
| Losses | 184 | 230 |
| Games | 591 | Leads: 602 |
| Games Started | Leads: 519 | 497 |
| Complete Games | 151 | Leads: 163 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 36 |
| Saves | Leads: 16 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 1,734 |
| Walks | 1,000 | 894 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 | 3,772 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 | 286 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,760 | 3,611 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.27 | 3.58 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.83 | 4.32 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | Leads: 2.23 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Friend edges Jim Bunning 45,735 to 44,929 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,690 vs 2,496 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).
Jim Bunning — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Friend — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Bunning leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Friend owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Bunning. Note that PIV actually grades Bob Friend ahead, which means Jim Bunning's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Jim Bunning vs Bob Friend: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bunning or Bob Friend?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Bunning leads Bob Friend in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Bunning, with 3.27 to Bob Friend's 3.58.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Bunning, with 224 to Bob Friend's 197.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Bob Friend's 1,734.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Bob Friend's 1.29.