Dennis Eckersley vs Rollie Fingers: Career Stats Comparison
Dennis Eckersley has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 as a pitcher; Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985 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
Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) and Rollie Fingers (1968–1985) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dennis Eckersley compiled 197 wins and 2,401 strikeouts; Rollie Fingers put up 114 wins and 1,299 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rollie Fingers, with 2.90 to Dennis Eckersley's 3.50.
- Who won more games? Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Rollie Fingers's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Rollie Fingers's 1,299.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.16.
- Who pitched more innings? Dennis Eckersley, with 3,285 to Rollie Fingers's 1,701.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 20 to Rollie Fingers's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Rollie Fingers's 33,082.
Dennis Eckersley
Rollie Fingers
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 | Dennis Eckersley | Rollie Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 197 | 114 |
| Losses | 171 | 118 |
| Games | Leads: 1,071 | 944 |
| Games Started | Leads: 361 | 37 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 100 | 4 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 2 |
| Saves | Leads: 390 | 341 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,401 | 1,299 |
| Walks | 738 | 492 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,076 | 1,474 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 347 | 123 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,285 | 1,701 |
| ERA | 3.50 | Leads: 2.90 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | Leads: 1.16 |
| K/9 | 6.58 | Leads: 6.87 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.60 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dennis Eckersley leads Rollie Fingers 41,139 to 33,082 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,646 vs 1,946 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).
Dennis Eckersley — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Rollie Fingers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dennis Eckersley leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Rollie Fingers owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dennis Eckersley. PIV agrees: Dennis Eckersley grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Dennis Eckersley vs Rollie Fingers: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dennis Eckersley or Rollie Fingers?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dennis Eckersley leads Rollie Fingers in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rollie Fingers, with 2.90 to Dennis Eckersley's 3.50.
- Who won more games?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Rollie Fingers's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Rollie Fingers's 1,299.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.16.