Bob Feller vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Feller played 1936–1956 as a pitcher; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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
Bob Feller (1936–1956) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Bob Feller's 3,827.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Bob Feller's 44.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Bob Feller
Jim Palmer
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, and the 1930s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 266 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 152 |
| Games | Leads: 570 | 558 |
| Games Started | 484 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 211 |
| Shutouts | 44 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 21 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,827.0 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller outpaces Jim Palmer 48,739 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 2,708 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Feller played 18 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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).
Bob Feller — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Bob Feller owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades Bob Feller ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Feller and Jim Palmer careers compare
Bob Feller (1936–1956) was finished before Jim Palmer (1965–1984) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 570 games for Bob Feller and 558 for Jim Palmer across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Both had the same role: Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games); Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). Jim Palmer allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Bob Feller's 1.32.
Bob Feller vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Bob Feller in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Bob Feller's 1.32.