Dizzy Dean vs Paul Derringer: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Derringer has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dizzy Dean played 1930–1947 as a pitcher; Paul Derringer played 1931–1945 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
Dizzy Dean (1930–1947) and Paul Derringer (1931–1945) — both debuted in the 1930s. Dizzy Dean finished with 150 wins and 1,163 strikeouts; Paul Derringer finished with 223 wins and 1,507 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Paul Derringer, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Dizzy Dean, with 3.02 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Paul Derringer, with 223 to Dizzy Dean's 150.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Paul Derringer, with 1,507 to Dizzy Dean's 1,163.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dizzy Dean, with 1.21 to Paul Derringer's 1.28.
- How many innings did each pitch? Dizzy Dean 1,967.1, Paul Derringer 3,645.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Paul Derringer, with 32 to Dizzy Dean's 26.
Dizzy Dean
Paul Derringer
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Dizzy Dean | Paul Derringer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 150 | Leads: 223 |
| Losses not scored | 83 | 212 |
| Games not scored | 317 | 579 |
| Games Started not scored | 230 | 445 |
| Complete Games | 154 | Leads: 251 |
| Shutouts | 26 | Leads: 32 |
| Saves not scored | 30 | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 1,163 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Walks not scored | 453 | 761 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,919 | 3,912 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 95 | 158 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,967.1 | 3,645.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.02 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.21 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.32 | 3.72 |
| BB/9 | 2.07 | Leads: 1.88 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Derringer outpaces Dizzy Dean 67,059 to 47,994 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,471 PIV per season to 4,000, across 15 seasons to 12. 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).
Dizzy Dean — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Paul Derringer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Paul Derringer leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Dizzy Dean leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Derringer. PIV agrees: Paul Derringer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dizzy Dean and Paul Derringer careers compare
From 1931 through 1945, Dizzy Dean and Paul Derringer were in the majors together. The table compares 317 games of Dizzy Dean with 579 of Paul Derringer across 12 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Dizzy Dean's edges on the table are ERA (3.02 to 3.46), WHIP (1.21 to 1.28), and strikeouts per nine (5.32 to 3.72). The per-nine rows read 5.32 strikeouts and 2.07 walks for Dizzy Dean, 3.72 and 1.88 for Paul Derringer. Both had the same role: Dizzy Dean was mainly a starter (230 starts in 317 games); Paul Derringer was mainly a starter (445 starts in 579 games).
Dizzy Dean vs Paul Derringer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dizzy Dean or Paul Derringer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Derringer leads Dizzy Dean in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Dizzy Dean, with 3.02 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Paul Derringer, with 223 to Dizzy Dean's 150.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Paul Derringer, with 1,507 to Dizzy Dean's 1,163.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dizzy Dean, with 1.21 to Paul Derringer's 1.28.