Rollie Fingers vs Rich Gossage: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985 as a pitcher; Rich Gossage played 1972–1994 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 Rich Gossage (1972–1994) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rollie Fingers compiled 114 wins and 1,299 strikeouts; Rich Gossage put up 124 wins and 1,502 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 Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Rollie Fingers's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Rollie Fingers's 1,299.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rollie Fingers, with 1.16 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Rich Gossage, with 1,809 to Rollie Fingers's 1,701.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rollie Fingers, with 2 to Rich Gossage's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rollie Fingers, with 33,082 career Pitcher PIV to Rich Gossage's 28,157.
Rollie Fingers
Rich Gossage
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 | Rollie Fingers | Rich Gossage |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 114 | Leads: 124 |
| Losses | 118 | 107 |
| Games | 944 | Leads: 1,002 |
| Games Started | 37 | 37 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 16 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 341 | 310 |
| Strikeouts | 1,299 | Leads: 1,502 |
| Walks | 492 | 732 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,474 | 1,497 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 123 | 119 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,701 | Leads: 1,809 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.90 | 3.01 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.16 | 1.23 |
| K/9 | 6.87 | Leads: 7.47 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.60 | 3.64 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rollie Fingers leads Rich Gossage 33,082 to 28,157 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,946 vs 1,224 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).
Rollie Fingers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Rich Gossage — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rich Gossage leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Rollie Fingers owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rich Gossage. Note that PIV actually grades Rollie Fingers ahead, which means Rich Gossage's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Rollie Fingers vs Rich Gossage: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rollie Fingers or Rich Gossage?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rich Gossage leads Rollie Fingers in 6 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rollie Fingers, with 2.90 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Rollie Fingers's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Rollie Fingers's 1,299.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rollie Fingers, with 1.16 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.