Rollie Fingers vs Gene Garber: Career Stats Comparison
Rollie Fingers has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985 as a pitcher; Gene Garber played 1969–1988 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
Rollie Fingers (1968–1985) and Gene Garber (1969–1988) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rollie Fingers finished with 114 wins and 1,299 strikeouts; Gene Garber finished with 96 wins and 940 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 Gene Garber's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Rollie Fingers, with 114 to Gene Garber's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rollie Fingers, with 1,299 to Gene Garber's 940.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rollie Fingers, with 1.16 to Gene Garber's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Rollie Fingers, with 1,701.1 to Gene Garber's 1,510.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rollie Fingers, with 2 to Gene Garber's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rollie Fingers, with 33,082 career Pitcher PIV to Gene Garber's 15,978.
Rollie Fingers
Gene Garber
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 | Rollie Fingers | Gene Garber |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 114 | 96 |
| Losses not scored | 118 | 113 |
| Games | Leads: 944 | 931 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 9 |
| Complete Games | 4 | 4 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 341 | 218 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,299 | 940 |
| Walks not scored | 492 | 445 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,474 | 1,464 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 123 | 123 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,701.1 | 1,510.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.90 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.16 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.87 | 5.60 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.60 | 2.65 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rollie Fingers outpaces Gene Garber 33,082 to 15,978 — driven by per-season impact — 1,946 PIV per season to 726 — rather than by longevity, since Rollie Fingers played 17 seasons to Gene Garber's 22. 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).
Rollie Fingers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Gene Garber — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rollie Fingers leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Gene Garber owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rollie Fingers. PIV agrees: Rollie Fingers grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rollie Fingers and Gene Garber careers compare
From 1969 through 1985, Rollie Fingers and Gene Garber were in the majors together. With 944 games against 931 across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Rollie Fingers. The per-nine rows read 6.87 strikeouts and 2.60 walks for Rollie Fingers, 5.60 and 2.65 for Gene Garber. Rollie Fingers worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 944 games, 341 saves), and Gene Garber worked mostly in relief (9 starts in 931 games, 218 saves). In WHIP, Rollie Fingers's 1.16 beats Gene Garber's 1.26.
Rollie Fingers vs Gene Garber: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rollie Fingers or Gene Garber?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rollie Fingers leads Gene Garber in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rollie Fingers, with 2.90 to Gene Garber's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Rollie Fingers, with 114 to Gene Garber's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rollie Fingers, with 1,299 to Gene Garber's 940.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rollie Fingers, with 1.16 to Gene Garber's 1.26.