Terry Forster vs Gary Lavelle: Career Stats Comparison
Gary Lavelle has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Terry Forster played 1971–1986 as a pitcher; Gary Lavelle played 1974–1987 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
Terry Forster (1971–1986) and Gary Lavelle (1974–1987) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Terry Forster finished with 54 wins and 791 strikeouts; Gary Lavelle finished with 80 wins and 769 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Gary Lavelle, with 2.93 to Terry Forster's 3.23.
- Who won more games? Gary Lavelle, with 80 to Terry Forster's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Terry Forster, with 791 to Gary Lavelle's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gary Lavelle, with 1.33 to Terry Forster's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Terry Forster, with 1,105.2 to Gary Lavelle's 1,085.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gary Lavelle, with 18,454 career Pitcher PIV to Terry Forster's 17,266.
Terry Forster
Gary Lavelle
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 | Terry Forster | Gary Lavelle |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | Leads: 80 |
| Losses not scored | 65 | 77 |
| Games | 614 | Leads: 745 |
| Games Started | Leads: 39 | 3 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 5 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 127 | Leads: 136 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 791 | 769 |
| Walks not scored | 457 | 440 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,034 | 1,004 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 51 | 51 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,105.2 | 1,085.0 |
| ERA | 3.23 | Leads: 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.35 | Leads: 1.33 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.44 | 6.38 |
| BB/9 | 3.72 | Leads: 3.65 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gary Lavelle edges Terry Forster 18,454 to 17,266 — driven by per-season impact — 1,318 PIV per season to 1,079 — rather than by longevity, since Gary Lavelle played 14 seasons to Terry Forster's 16. 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).
Terry Forster — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Gary Lavelle
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gary Lavelle leads in wins, ERA, and WHIP, while Terry Forster owns strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gary Lavelle. PIV agrees: Gary Lavelle grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Terry Forster and Gary Lavelle careers compare
The careers of Terry Forster (1971–1986) and Gary Lavelle (1974–1987) overlapped from 1974 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 614 games for Terry Forster and 745 for Gary Lavelle across 16 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Terry Forster struck out 6.44 and walked 3.72 per nine innings; Gary Lavelle struck out 6.38 and walked 3.65. Both had the same role: Terry Forster worked mostly in relief (39 starts in 614 games, 127 saves); Gary Lavelle worked mostly in relief (3 starts in 745 games, 136 saves).
Terry Forster vs Gary Lavelle: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Terry Forster or Gary Lavelle?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gary Lavelle leads Terry Forster in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gary Lavelle, with 2.93 to Terry Forster's 3.23.
- Who won more games?
- Gary Lavelle, with 80 to Terry Forster's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Terry Forster, with 791 to Gary Lavelle's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gary Lavelle, with 1.33 to Terry Forster's 1.35.