Willie Foster vs Lefty Gomez: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Foster (?–1938) and Lefty Gomez (1930–1943) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Willie Foster compiled 125 wins and 1,062 strikeouts; Lefty Gomez put up 189 wins and 1,468 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Willie Foster
Lefty Gomez
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Willie Foster | Lefty Gomez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 125 | 189 |
| Losses | 60 | 102 |
| Games | 262 | 368 |
| Games Started | 185 | 320 |
| Complete Games | 142 | 173 |
| Shutouts | 34 | 28 |
| Saves | 14 | 9 |
| Strikeouts | 1,062 | 1,468 |
| Walks | 522 | 1,095 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,397 | 2,290 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 41 | 138 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,665 | 2,503 |
| ERA | 2.66 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | 5.74 | 5.28 |
| BB/9 | 2.82 | 3.94 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Foster outpaces Lefty Gomez 41,672 to 15,583 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,193 vs 1,113 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).
Willie Foster — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lefty Gomez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Foster leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Lefty Gomez owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Foster. PIV agrees: Willie Foster grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.