Bob Friend vs Juan Marichal: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Friend (1951–1966) and Juan Marichal (1960–1975) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Friend compiled 197 wins and 1,734 strikeouts; Juan Marichal put up 243 wins and 2,303 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Bob Friend
Juan Marichal
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 | Bob Friend | Juan Marichal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 197 | 243 |
| Losses | 230 | 142 |
| Games | 602 | 471 |
| Games Started | 497 | 457 |
| Complete Games | 163 | 244 |
| Shutouts | 36 | 52 |
| Saves | 11 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 1,734 | 2,303 |
| Walks | 894 | 709 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,772 | 3,153 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 286 | 320 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,611 | 3,507 |
| ERA | 3.58 | 2.89 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | 4.32 | 5.91 |
| BB/9 | 2.23 | 1.82 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Juan Marichal edges Bob Friend 48,870 to 45,735 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,054 vs 2,690 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).
Bob Friend — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Juan Marichal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Juan Marichal leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Friend owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Juan Marichal. PIV agrees: Juan Marichal grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.