Paul Derringer vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Paul Derringer played 1931–1945 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
Paul Derringer (1931–1945) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — they debuted in the 1930s and the 1920s respectively and share 11 seasons. Paul Derringer finished with 223 wins and 1,507 strikeouts; Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Lefty Grove, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Paul Derringer's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Paul Derringer's 1,507.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.28.
- How many innings did each pitch? Paul Derringer 3,645.0, Lefty Grove 3,940.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Paul Derringer's 32.
Paul Derringer
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. 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 | Paul Derringer | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | Leads: 300 |
| Losses not scored | 212 | 141 |
| Games not scored | 579 | 616 |
| Games Started not scored | 445 | 457 |
| Complete Games | 251 | Leads: 298 |
| Shutouts | 32 | Leads: 35 |
| Saves not scored | 29 | 55 |
| Strikeouts | 1,507 | Leads: 2,266 |
| Walks not scored | 761 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,912 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 158 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,645.0 | 3,940.2 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.28 |
| K/9 | 3.72 | Leads: 5.18 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.88 | 2.71 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove leads Paul Derringer 81,321 to 67,059 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,784 PIV per season to 4,471, across 17 seasons to 15. 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).
Paul Derringer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Lefty Grove leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Paul Derringer leads 1: walks per nine. 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 Paul Derringer and Lefty Grove careers compare
The careers of Paul Derringer (1931–1945) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) overlapped from 1931 to 1941, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 579 games against 616 across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Paul Derringer comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (1.88 to 2.71). The per-nine rows read 3.72 strikeouts and 1.88 walks for Paul Derringer, 5.18 and 2.71 for Lefty Grove. Both had the same role: Paul Derringer was mainly a starter (445 starts in 579 games); Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games).
Paul Derringer vs Lefty Grove: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Derringer or Lefty Grove?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Paul Derringer in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Paul Derringer's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Paul Derringer's 1,507.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.28.