Paul Derringer vs Bob Feller: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Paul Derringer played 1931–1945 as a pitcher; Bob Feller played 1936–1956 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
Paul Derringer (1931–1945) and Bob Feller (1936–1956) — both came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Paul Derringer finished with 223 wins and 1,507 strikeouts; Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Paul Derringer's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Paul Derringer's 1,507.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Derringer, with 1.28 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827.0 to Paul Derringer's 3,645.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Paul Derringer's 32.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Paul Derringer, with 67,059 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Feller's 48,739.
Paul Derringer
Bob Feller
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 | Paul Derringer | Bob Feller |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | Leads: 266 |
| Losses not scored | 212 | 162 |
| Games | Leads: 579 | 570 |
| Games Started | 445 | Leads: 484 |
| Complete Games | 251 | Leads: 279 |
| Shutouts | 32 | Leads: 44 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | 1,507 | Leads: 2,581 |
| Walks not scored | 761 | 1,764 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,912 | 3,271 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 158 | 224 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,645.0 | Leads: 3,827.0 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 3.25 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.28 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 3.72 | Leads: 6.07 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.88 | 4.15 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Derringer outpaces Bob Feller 67,059 to 48,739 — driven by per-season impact — 4,191 PIV per season to 2,708 — rather than by longevity, since Paul Derringer played 16 seasons to Bob Feller's 18. 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).
Paul Derringer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Feller — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Feller leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Paul Derringer owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Feller. Note that PIV actually grades Paul Derringer ahead, which means Bob Feller's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Paul Derringer and Bob Feller careers compare
The careers of Paul Derringer (1931–1945) and Bob Feller (1936–1956) overlapped from 1936 to 1945, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 579 games against 570 across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Paul Derringer comes out ahead, it is in games (579 to 570), saves (29 to 21), and WHIP (1.28 to 1.32). The per-nine rows read 3.72 strikeouts and 1.88 walks for Paul Derringer, 6.07 and 4.15 for Bob Feller. Both had the same role: Paul Derringer was mainly a starter (445 starts in 579 games); Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games).
Paul Derringer vs Bob Feller: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Derringer or Bob Feller?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Paul Derringer in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Paul Derringer's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Paul Derringer's 1,507.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Derringer, with 1.28 to Bob Feller's 1.32.