Paul Derringer vs Satchel Paige: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Derringer has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Satchel Paige played 1948–1965 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 Satchel Paige (1948–1965) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Paul Derringer finished with 223 wins and 1,507 strikeouts; Satchel Paige finished with 143 wins and 1,695 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Paul Derringer, with 223 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to Paul Derringer's 1,507.
- Who had the better WHIP? Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Paul Derringer's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Paul Derringer, with 3,645.0 to Satchel Paige's 1,962.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Paul Derringer, with 32 to Satchel Paige's 28.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Satchel Paige, with 77,694 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Derringer's 67,059.
Paul Derringer
Satchel Paige
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, and the 1930s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Paul Derringer | Satchel Paige |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 143 |
| Losses not scored | 212 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 579 | 438 |
| Games Started | Leads: 445 | 226 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 251 | 116 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 32 | 28 |
| Saves | 29 | Leads: 47 |
| Strikeouts | 1,507 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks not scored | 761 | 533 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,912 | 1,647 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 158 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,645.0 | 1,962.2 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 2.77 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 3.72 | Leads: 7.77 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.88 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Satchel Paige leads Paul Derringer 77,694 to 67,059 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Satchel Paige played 28 seasons to Paul Derringer's 16, while Paul Derringer carries the higher per-season figure (4,191 to 2,775). 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)
Satchel Paige — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Satchel Paige leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Paul Derringer owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Satchel Paige. PIV agrees: Satchel Paige 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 Satchel Paige careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Paul Derringer's ended in 1945, and Satchel Paige debuted in 1948. The two careers are close in length, 579 games for Paul Derringer and 438 for Satchel Paige across 16 and 28 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 3.72 strikeouts and 1.88 walks for Paul Derringer, 7.77 and 2.44 for Satchel Paige. Paul Derringer was mainly a starter (445 starts in 579 games), while Satchel Paige split time between starting and relief (226 starts in 438 games). Satchel Paige allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.11 WHIP to Paul Derringer's 1.28.
Paul Derringer vs Satchel Paige: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Derringer or Satchel Paige?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Derringer leads Satchel Paige in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Paul Derringer, with 223 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to Paul Derringer's 1,507.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Paul Derringer's 1.28.