Dean Chance vs Jim Kaat: Career Stats Comparison
Dean Chance (1961–1971) and Jim Kaat (1959–1983) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dean Chance compiled 128 wins and 1,534 strikeouts; Jim Kaat put up 283 wins and 2,461 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Dean Chance
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Dean Chance | Jim Kaat |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 128 | 283 |
| Losses | 115 | 237 |
| Games | 406 | 898 |
| Games Started | 294 | 625 |
| Complete Games | 83 | 180 |
| Shutouts | 33 | 31 |
| Saves | 23 | 18 |
| Strikeouts | 1,534 | 2,461 |
| Walks | 739 | 1,083 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,864 | 4,620 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 122 | 395 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,147 | 4,530 |
| ERA | 2.92 | 3.45 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 6.43 | 4.89 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | 2.15 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dean Chance leads Jim Kaat 30,038 to 26,792 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,503 vs 957 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).
Dean Chance — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Kaat — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dean Chance leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Jim Kaat owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dean Chance. PIV agrees: Dean Chance grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.