Andy Cooper vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove 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). Andy Cooper played ?–1939 as a pitcher; Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 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
Andy Cooper (?–1939) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Andy Cooper finished with 114 wins and 659 strikeouts; Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Andy Cooper's 3.64.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Andy Cooper's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Andy Cooper's 659.
- Who had the better WHIP? Andy Cooper, with 1.19 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to Andy Cooper's 1,548.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Andy Cooper's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Andy Cooper's 25,440.
Andy Cooper
Lefty Grove
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 | Andy Cooper | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 114 | Leads: 300 |
| Losses not scored | 64 | 141 |
| Games | 286 | Leads: 616 |
| Games Started | 167 | Leads: 457 |
| Complete Games | 105 | Leads: 298 |
| Shutouts | 15 | Leads: 35 |
| Saves | 32 | Leads: 55 |
| Strikeouts | 659 | Leads: 2,266 |
| Walks not scored | 313 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,533 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 66 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,548.0 | Leads: 3,940.2 |
| ERA | 3.64 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 3.83 | Leads: 5.18 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.82 | 2.71 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Andy Cooper 81,321 to 25,440 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 1,339 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Andy Cooper'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).
Andy Cooper — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Andy Cooper owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Andy Cooper and Lefty Grove careers compare
Andy Cooper and Lefty Grove were active at the same time between 1939 and 1939. The table compares 286 games of Andy Cooper with 616 of Lefty Grove across 19 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Andy Cooper comes out ahead, it is in WHIP (1.19 to 1.28) and walks per nine (1.82 to 2.71). The per-nine rows read 3.83 strikeouts and 1.82 walks for Andy Cooper, 5.18 and 2.71 for Lefty Grove. Andy Cooper split time between starting and relief (167 starts in 286 games), while Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games).
Andy Cooper vs Lefty Grove: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andy Cooper or Lefty Grove?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Andy Cooper in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Andy Cooper's 3.64.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Andy Cooper's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Andy Cooper's 659.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Andy Cooper, with 1.19 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.