Dean Chance vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dean Chance played 1961–1971 as a pitcher; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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
Dean Chance (1961–1971) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Dean Chance finished with 128 wins and 1,534 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Dean Chance's 2.92.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Dean Chance's 128.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Dean Chance's 1,534.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Dean Chance's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Dean Chance's 2,147.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Dean Chance's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dean Chance, with 30,038 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Dean Chance
Jim Palmer
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dean Chance | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 128 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 115 | 152 |
| Games | 406 | Leads: 558 |
| Games Started | 294 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 83 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 33 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 23 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | 1,534 | Leads: 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 739 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,864 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 122 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,147.1 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 2.92 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.43 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dean Chance outpaces Jim Palmer 30,038 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 2,503 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Dean Chance played 12 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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).
Dean Chance — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Dean Chance owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades Dean Chance ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dean Chance and Jim Palmer careers compare
Dean Chance and Jim Palmer were active at the same time between 1965 and 1971. With 406 games against 558 across 12 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Dean Chance are saves (23 to 4) and strikeouts per nine (6.43 to 5.04). By rate, Dean Chance struck out 6.43 and walked 3.10 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Dean Chance was mainly a starter (294 starts in 406 games), and Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Dean Chance's 1.21.
Dean Chance vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dean Chance or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Dean Chance in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Dean Chance's 2.92.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Dean Chance's 128.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Dean Chance's 1,534.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Dean Chance's 1.21.