Paul Derringer vs Claude Passeau: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Derringer has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Paul Derringer played 1931–1945 as a pitcher; Claude Passeau played 1935–1947 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 Claude Passeau (1935–1947) — both came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Paul Derringer compiled 223 wins and 1,507 strikeouts; Claude Passeau put up 162 wins and 1,104 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Claude Passeau, with 3.32 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Paul Derringer, with 223 to Claude Passeau's 162.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Paul Derringer, with 1,507 to Claude Passeau's 1,104.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Derringer, with 1.28 to Claude Passeau's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Paul Derringer, with 3,645 to Claude Passeau's 2,719.
- Who threw more shutouts? Paul Derringer, with 32 to Claude Passeau's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Paul Derringer, with 67,059 career Pitcher PIV to Claude Passeau's 39,598.
Paul Derringer
Claude Passeau
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Paul Derringer | Claude Passeau |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 162 |
| Losses | 212 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 579 | 444 |
| Games Started | Leads: 445 | 331 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 251 | 188 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 32 | 26 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,507 | 1,104 |
| Walks | 761 | 728 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,912 | 2,856 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 158 | 105 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,645 | 2,719 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 3.32 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.28 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | Leads: 3.72 | 3.65 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.88 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Derringer outpaces Claude Passeau 67,059 to 39,598 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,191 vs 2,828 per year). 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)
Claude Passeau — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Derringer leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Claude Passeau owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
Paul Derringer vs Claude Passeau: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Derringer or Claude Passeau?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Derringer leads Claude Passeau in 11 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Claude Passeau, with 3.32 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Paul Derringer, with 223 to Claude Passeau's 162.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Paul Derringer, with 1,507 to Claude Passeau's 1,104.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Derringer, with 1.28 to Claude Passeau's 1.32.