Red Faber vs Joe Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Red Faber has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Red Faber played 1914–1933 as a pitcher; Joe Williams played ?–1932 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
Red Faber (1914–1933) and Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Red Faber finished with 254 wins and 1,471 strikeouts; Joe Williams finished with 109 wins and 1,033 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Joe Williams, with 2.57 to Red Faber's 3.15.
- Who won more games? Red Faber, with 254 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Red Faber, with 1,471 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP? Joe Williams, with 1.18 to Red Faber's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? Red Faber, with 4,086.2 to Joe Williams's 1,517.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Red Faber, with 29 to Joe Williams's 14.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Joe Williams, with 44,974 career Pitcher PIV to Red Faber's 24,538.
Red Faber
Joe Williams
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Red Faber | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 254 | 109 |
| Losses not scored | 213 | 59 |
| Games | Leads: 669 | 207 |
| Games Started | Leads: 483 | 172 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 273 | 140 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 29 | 14 |
| Saves | Leads: 28 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,471 | 1,033 |
| Walks not scored | 1,213 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,106 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 111 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,086.2 | 1,517.0 |
| ERA | 3.15 | Leads: 2.57 |
| WHIP | 1.30 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 3.24 | Leads: 6.13 |
| BB/9 | 2.67 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Williams outpaces Red Faber 44,974 to 24,538 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,142 PIV per season to 1,227, across 21 seasons to 20. 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).
Red Faber — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Joe Williams — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Williams leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Red Faber owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Williams. PIV agrees: Joe Williams grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Red Faber and Joe Williams careers compare
The careers of Red Faber (1914–1933) and Joe Williams (?–1932) overlapped from 1932 to 1932, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 669 games of Red Faber with 207 of Joe Williams across 20 and 21 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Joe Williams's edges on the table are ERA (2.57 to 3.15), WHIP (1.18 to 1.30), and strikeouts per nine (6.13 to 3.24). By rate, Red Faber struck out 3.24 and walked 2.67 per nine innings; Joe Williams struck out 6.13 and walked 2.01.
Red Faber vs Joe Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Red Faber or Joe Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Red Faber leads Joe Williams in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe Williams, with 2.57 to Red Faber's 3.15.
- Who won more games?
- Red Faber, with 254 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Red Faber, with 1,471 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Joe Williams, with 1.18 to Red Faber's 1.30.