Rollie Fingers vs Bobby Shantz: Career Stats Comparison
Rollie Fingers 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). Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985 as a pitcher; Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964 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 Bobby Shantz (1949–1964) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rollie Fingers finished with 114 wins and 1,299 strikeouts; Bobby Shantz finished with 119 wins and 1,072 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 Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games? Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Rollie Fingers's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rollie Fingers, with 1,299 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rollie Fingers, with 1.16 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Bobby Shantz, with 1,935.2 to Rollie Fingers's 1,701.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bobby Shantz, with 15 to Rollie Fingers's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rollie Fingers, with 33,082 career Pitcher PIV to Bobby Shantz's 24,845.
Rollie Fingers
Bobby Shantz
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 1960s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rollie Fingers | Bobby Shantz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 114 | Leads: 119 |
| Losses not scored | 118 | 99 |
| Games | Leads: 944 | 537 |
| Games Started | 37 | Leads: 171 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 78 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 341 | 48 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,299 | 1,072 |
| Walks not scored | 492 | 643 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,474 | 1,795 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 123 | 151 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,701.1 | Leads: 1,935.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.90 | 3.38 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.16 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.87 | 4.98 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.60 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rollie Fingers leads Bobby Shantz 33,082 to 24,845 — driven by per-season impact — 1,946 PIV per season to 1,308 — rather than by longevity, since Rollie Fingers played 17 seasons to Bobby Shantz'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).
Rollie Fingers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bobby Shantz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rollie Fingers leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bobby Shantz owns wins and innings pitched. 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 Bobby Shantz careers compare
Bobby Shantz (1949–1964) was finished before Rollie Fingers (1968–1985) arrived, so they never shared a league. Rollie Fingers has the far longer record, 944 games against 537 across 17 and 19 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. By rate, Rollie Fingers struck out 6.87 and walked 2.60 per nine innings; Bobby Shantz struck out 4.98 and walked 2.99. Their roles differ: Rollie Fingers worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 944 games, 341 saves); Bobby Shantz split time between starting and relief (171 starts in 537 games). The complete-game row, 4 against 78, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. In WHIP, Rollie Fingers's 1.16 beats Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
Rollie Fingers vs Bobby Shantz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rollie Fingers or Bobby Shantz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rollie Fingers leads Bobby Shantz in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rollie Fingers, with 2.90 to Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games?
- Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Rollie Fingers's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rollie Fingers, with 1,299 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rollie Fingers, with 1.16 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.