Don Drysdale vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
Don Drysdale 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). Don Drysdale played 1956–1969 as a pitcher; Bob Veale played 1962–1974 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
Don Drysdale (1956–1969) and Bob Veale (1962–1974) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 8 seasons. Don Drysdale finished with 209 wins and 2,486 strikeouts; Bob Veale finished with 120 wins and 1,703 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Don Drysdale, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Bob Veale's 3.07.
- Who won more games? Don Drysdale, with 209 to Bob Veale's 120.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to Bob Veale's 1,703.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Drysdale, with 1.15 to Bob Veale's 1.32.
- How many innings did each pitch? Don Drysdale 3,432.0, Bob Veale 1,926.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Drysdale, with 49 to Bob Veale's 20.
Don Drysdale
Bob Veale
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 | Don Drysdale | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 209 | 120 |
| Losses not scored | 166 | 95 |
| Games not scored | 518 | 397 |
| Games Started not scored | 465 | 255 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 167 | 78 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 49 | 20 |
| Saves not scored | 6 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,486 | 1,703 |
| Walks not scored | 855 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,084 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 280 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,432.0 | 1,926.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.95 | 3.07 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.15 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 6.52 | Leads: 7.96 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.24 | 4.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Drysdale outpaces Bob Veale 57,464 to 36,615 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,105 PIV per season to 2,817, across 14 seasons to 13. 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 Veale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Don Drysdale leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Bob Veale leads 1: strikeouts per nine. 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.
Related Matchups
How the Don Drysdale and Bob Veale careers compare
Don Drysdale and Bob Veale were active at the same time between 1962 and 1969. The two careers are close in length, 518 games for Don Drysdale and 397 for Bob Veale across 14 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Bob Veale's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (7.96 to 6.52). By rate, Don Drysdale struck out 6.52 and walked 2.24 per nine innings; Bob Veale struck out 7.96 and walked 4.01. Their roles differ: Don Drysdale was mainly a starter (465 starts in 518 games); Bob Veale split time between starting and relief (255 starts in 397 games).
Don Drysdale vs Bob Veale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Drysdale or Bob Veale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Drysdale leads Bob Veale in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Bob Veale's 3.07.
- Who won more games?
- Don Drysdale, with 209 to Bob Veale's 120.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to Bob Veale's 1,703.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Drysdale, with 1.15 to Bob Veale's 1.32.