Willie Foster vs Jesse Haines: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Foster and Jesse Haines are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Willie Foster played ?–1937 as a pitcher; Jesse Haines played 1918–1937 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
Willie Foster (?–1937) and Jesse Haines (1918–1937) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Willie Foster finished with 125 wins and 1,062 strikeouts; Jesse Haines finished with 210 wins and 981 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Willie Foster, with 2.66 to Jesse Haines's 3.64.
- Who won more games? Jesse Haines, with 210 to Willie Foster's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Willie Foster, with 1,062 to Jesse Haines's 981.
- Who had the better WHIP? Willie Foster, with 1.15 to Jesse Haines's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Jesse Haines, with 3,208.2 to Willie Foster's 1,665.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Willie Foster, with 34 to Jesse Haines's 24.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Willie Foster, with 41,672 career Pitcher PIV to Jesse Haines's 5,624.
Willie Foster
Jesse Haines
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 | Willie Foster | Jesse Haines |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 125 | Leads: 210 |
| Losses not scored | 60 | 158 |
| Games | 262 | Leads: 555 |
| Games Started | 185 | Leads: 388 |
| Complete Games | 142 | Leads: 208 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 34 | 24 |
| Saves | Leads: 14 | 10 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,062 | 981 |
| Walks not scored | 522 | 871 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,397 | 3,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 41 | 165 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,665.0 | Leads: 3,208.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.66 | 3.64 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.15 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.74 | 2.75 |
| BB/9 | 2.82 | Leads: 2.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Foster outpaces Jesse Haines 41,672 to 5,624 — driven by per-season impact — 2,193 PIV per season to 296 — rather than by longevity, since Willie Foster played 19 seasons to Jesse Haines'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).
Willie Foster — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jesse Haines — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Foster leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Jesse Haines owns wins 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.
Related Matchups
How the Willie Foster and Jesse Haines careers compare
From 1937 through 1937, Willie Foster and Jesse Haines were in the majors together. The table compares 262 games of Willie Foster with 555 of Jesse Haines across 19 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, Willie Foster struck out 5.74 and walked 2.82 per nine innings; Jesse Haines struck out 2.75 and walked 2.44. Willie Foster was mainly a starter (185 starts in 262 games), while Jesse Haines split time between starting and relief (388 starts in 555 games). Willie Foster allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.15 WHIP to Jesse Haines's 1.35.
Willie Foster vs Jesse Haines: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Willie Foster, with 2.66 to Jesse Haines's 3.64.
- Who won more games?
- Jesse Haines, with 210 to Willie Foster's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Willie Foster, with 1,062 to Jesse Haines's 981.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Willie Foster, with 1.15 to Jesse Haines's 1.35.