Don Drysdale vs Bob Friend: Career Stats Comparison
Don Drysdale (1956–1969) and Bob Friend (1951–1966) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Don Drysdale compiled 209 wins and 2,486 strikeouts; Bob Friend put up 197 wins and 1,734 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Don Drysdale
Bob Friend
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Don Drysdale | Bob Friend |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | 197 |
| Losses | 166 | 230 |
| Games | 518 | 602 |
| Games Started | 465 | 497 |
| Complete Games | 167 | 163 |
| Shutouts | 49 | 36 |
| Saves | 6 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,486 | 1,734 |
| Walks | 855 | 894 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,084 | 3,772 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 280 | 286 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,432 | 3,611 |
| ERA | 2.95 | 3.58 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 6.52 | 4.32 |
| BB/9 | 2.24 | 2.23 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Drysdale leads Bob Friend 57,464 to 45,735 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,105 vs 2,690 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).
Don Drysdale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Friend — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Drysdale leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Friend owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Drysdale. PIV agrees: Don Drysdale grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.