Dean Chance vs Sam McDowell: Career Stats Comparison
Dean Chance (1961–1971) and Sam McDowell (1961–1975) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Dean Chance compiled 128 wins and 1,534 strikeouts; Sam McDowell put up 141 wins and 2,453 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Dean Chance
Sam McDowell
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 | Sam McDowell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 128 | 141 |
| Losses | 115 | 134 |
| Games | 406 | 425 |
| Games Started | 294 | 346 |
| Complete Games | 83 | 103 |
| Shutouts | 33 | 23 |
| Saves | 23 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | 1,534 | 2,453 |
| Walks | 739 | 1,312 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,864 | 1,948 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 122 | 164 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,147 | 2,492 |
| ERA | 2.92 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 6.43 | 8.86 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | 4.74 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dean Chance edges Sam McDowell 30,038 to 29,989 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,503 vs 1,874 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)
Sam McDowell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sam McDowell leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Dean Chance owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sam McDowell. Note that PIV actually grades Dean Chance ahead, which means Sam McDowell's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.