Terry Forster vs Mike Marshall: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Marshall has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Mike Marshall played 1967–1981 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 Mike Marshall (1967–1981) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Terry Forster finished with 54 wins and 791 strikeouts; Mike Marshall finished with 97 wins and 880 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mike Marshall, with 3.14 to Terry Forster's 3.23.
- Who won more games? Mike Marshall, with 97 to Terry Forster's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mike Marshall, with 880 to Terry Forster's 791.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mike Marshall, with 1.29 to Terry Forster's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Mike Marshall, with 1,386.2 to Terry Forster's 1,105.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mike Marshall, with 1 to Terry Forster's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Terry Forster, with 17,266 career Pitcher PIV to Mike Marshall's 15,195.
Terry Forster
Mike Marshall
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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Terry Forster | Mike Marshall |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | Leads: 97 |
| Losses not scored | 65 | 112 |
| Games | 614 | Leads: 724 |
| Games Started | Leads: 39 | 24 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 5 | 3 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Saves | 127 | Leads: 188 |
| Strikeouts | 791 | Leads: 880 |
| Walks not scored | 457 | 514 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,034 | 1,281 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 51 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,105.2 | Leads: 1,386.2 |
| ERA | 3.23 | Leads: 3.14 |
| WHIP | 1.35 | Leads: 1.29 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.44 | 5.71 |
| BB/9 | 3.72 | Leads: 3.34 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Terry Forster leads Mike Marshall 17,266 to 15,195 — driven by per-season impact — 1,079 PIV per season to 894 — rather than by longevity, since Terry Forster played 16 seasons to Mike Marshall's 17. 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)
Mike Marshall — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Marshall leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Terry Forster owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Marshall. Note that PIV actually grades Terry Forster ahead, which means Mike Marshall's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Terry Forster and Mike Marshall careers compare
From 1971 through 1981, Terry Forster and Mike Marshall were in the majors together. With 614 games against 724 across 16 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Terry Forster's edges on the table are starts (39 to 24), complete games (5 to 3), and strikeouts per nine (6.44 to 5.71). The per-nine rows read 6.44 strikeouts and 3.72 walks for Terry Forster, 5.71 and 3.34 for Mike Marshall. Terry Forster worked mostly in relief (39 starts in 614 games, 127 saves), and Mike Marshall worked mostly in relief (24 starts in 724 games, 188 saves). In WHIP, Mike Marshall's 1.29 beats Terry Forster's 1.35.
Terry Forster vs Mike Marshall: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Terry Forster or Mike Marshall?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mike Marshall leads Terry Forster in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mike Marshall, with 3.14 to Terry Forster's 3.23.
- Who won more games?
- Mike Marshall, with 97 to Terry Forster's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mike Marshall, with 880 to Terry Forster's 791.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mike Marshall, with 1.29 to Terry Forster's 1.35.