Steve Carlton vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 as a pitcher; Bob Veale played 1962–1974 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
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Bob Veale (1962–1974) — both debuted in the 1960s. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Bob Veale finished with 120 wins and 1,703 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Steve Carlton, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Veale, with 3.07 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Bob Veale's 120.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Bob Veale's 1,703.
- Who had the better WHIP? Steve Carlton, with 1.25 to Bob Veale's 1.32.
- How many innings did each pitch? Steve Carlton 5,217.1, Bob Veale 1,926.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Bob Veale's 20.
Steve Carlton
Bob Veale
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Steve Carlton | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 120 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 95 |
| Games not scored | 741 | 397 |
| Games Started not scored | 709 | 255 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 78 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 20 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 1,703 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,217.1 | 1,926.0 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 3.07 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.25 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 7.96 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.16 | 4.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Bob Veale 76,502 to 36,615 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,188 PIV per season to 2,817, across 24 seasons to 13. 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).
Steve Carlton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Veale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Steve Carlton leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Bob Veale leads 2: ERA and strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. PIV agrees: Steve Carlton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Bob Veale careers compare
From 1965 through 1974, Steve Carlton and Bob Veale were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Steve Carlton appeared in 741 games to Bob Veale's 397. The green cells for Bob Veale are ERA (3.07 to 3.22) and strikeouts per nine (7.96 to 7.13). The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 7.96 and 4.01 for Bob Veale. Their roles differ: Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games); Bob Veale split time between starting and relief (255 starts in 397 games). The complete-game row, 254 against 78, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Steve Carlton vs Bob Veale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Bob Veale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Bob Veale in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Veale, with 3.07 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Bob Veale's 120.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Bob Veale's 1,703.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Steve Carlton, with 1.25 to Bob Veale's 1.32.