Chris Carpenter vs Tim Lincecum: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Carpenter has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Chris Carpenter played 1997–2012 as a pitcher; Tim Lincecum played 2007–2016 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
Chris Carpenter (1997–2012) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Chris Carpenter finished with 144 wins and 1,697 strikeouts; Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tim Lincecum, with 3.74 to Chris Carpenter's 3.76.
- Who won more games? Chris Carpenter, with 144 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Lincecum, with 1,736 to Chris Carpenter's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Carpenter, with 1.28 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Chris Carpenter, with 2,219.1 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Chris Carpenter, with 15 to Tim Lincecum's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Carpenter, with 32,497 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Lincecum's 28,769.
Chris Carpenter
Tim Lincecum
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, and the 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Chris Carpenter | Tim Lincecum |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 144 | 110 |
| Losses not scored | 94 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 350 | 278 |
| Games Started | Leads: 332 | 270 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 33 | 10 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 15 | 7 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,697 | Leads: 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 627 | 669 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,205 | 1,506 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 220 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,219.1 | 1,682.0 |
| ERA | 3.76 | Leads: 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.28 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 6.88 | Leads: 9.29 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.54 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Carpenter leads Tim Lincecum 32,497 to 28,769 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Chris Carpenter played 15 seasons to Tim Lincecum's 10, while Tim Lincecum carries the higher per-season figure (2,877 to 2,166). 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).
Chris Carpenter — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tim Lincecum — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chris Carpenter leads in wins, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Tim Lincecum owns strikeouts, ERA, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chris Carpenter. PIV agrees: Chris Carpenter grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Chris Carpenter and Tim Lincecum careers compare
The careers of Chris Carpenter (1997–2012) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) overlapped from 2007 to 2012, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 350 games for Chris Carpenter and 278 for Tim Lincecum across 15 and 10 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Tim Lincecum comes out ahead, it is in saves (1 to 0), strikeouts (1,736 to 1,697), and ERA (3.74 to 3.76). The per-nine rows read 6.88 strikeouts and 2.54 walks for Chris Carpenter, 9.29 and 3.58 for Tim Lincecum.
Chris Carpenter vs Tim Lincecum: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chris Carpenter or Tim Lincecum?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Carpenter leads Tim Lincecum in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tim Lincecum, with 3.74 to Chris Carpenter's 3.76.
- Who won more games?
- Chris Carpenter, with 144 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Lincecum, with 1,736 to Chris Carpenter's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Carpenter, with 1.28 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.