Bob Friend vs Bob Rush: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Friend (1951–1966) and Bob Rush (1948–1960) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Friend compiled 197 wins and 1,734 strikeouts; Bob Rush put up 127 wins and 1,244 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Bob Friend
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 | Bob Rush |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 197 | 127 |
| Losses | 230 | 152 |
| Games | 602 | 417 |
| Games Started | 497 | 321 |
| Complete Games | 163 | 118 |
| Shutouts | 36 | 16 |
| Saves | 11 | 8 |
| Strikeouts | 1,734 | 1,244 |
| Walks | 894 | 789 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,772 | 2,327 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 286 | 177 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,611 | 2,410 |
| ERA | 3.58 | 3.65 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 4.32 | 4.64 |
| BB/9 | 2.23 | 2.95 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Friend leads Bob Rush 45,735 to 35,739 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,690 vs 2,553 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)
Bob Rush — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Friend leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Rush owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Friend. PIV agrees: Bob Friend grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.