Eric Gagne vs Dan Plesac: Career Stats Comparison
Eric Gagne has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Eric Gagne played 1999–2008 as a pitcher; Dan Plesac played 1986–2003 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
Eric Gagne (1999–2008) and Dan Plesac (1986–2003) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Eric Gagne finished with 33 wins and 718 strikeouts; Dan Plesac finished with 65 wins and 1,041 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Eric Gagne, with 3.47 to Dan Plesac's 3.64.
- Who won more games? Dan Plesac, with 65 to Eric Gagne's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dan Plesac, with 1,041 to Eric Gagne's 718.
- Who had the better WHIP? Eric Gagne, with 1.16 to Dan Plesac's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Dan Plesac, with 1,072.0 to Eric Gagne's 643.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dan Plesac, with 20,030 career Pitcher PIV to Eric Gagne's 14,441.
Dan Plesac
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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eric Gagne | Dan Plesac |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 33 | Leads: 65 |
| Losses not scored | 26 | 71 |
| Games | 402 | Leads: 1,064 |
| Games Started | Leads: 48 | 14 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 187 | 158 |
| Strikeouts | 718 | Leads: 1,041 |
| Walks not scored | 226 | 402 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 518 | 977 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 76 | 105 |
| Innings Pitched | 643.2 | Leads: 1,072.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.47 | 3.64 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.16 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.04 | 8.74 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.16 | 3.38 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dan Plesac outpaces Eric Gagne 20,030 to 14,441 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dan Plesac played 20 seasons to Eric Gagne's 11, while Eric Gagne carries the higher per-season figure (1,313 to 1,002). 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).
Eric Gagne — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Dan Plesac
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dan Plesac leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Eric Gagne owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dan Plesac. PIV agrees: Dan Plesac grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Eric Gagne and Dan Plesac careers compare
The careers of Eric Gagne (1999–2008) and Dan Plesac (1986–2003) overlapped from 1999 to 2003, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 402 games of Eric Gagne with 1,064 of Dan Plesac across 11 and 20 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Dan Plesac comes out ahead, it is in wins (65 to 33), games (1,064 to 402), and strikeouts (1,041 to 718). The per-nine rows read 10.04 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Eric Gagne, 8.74 and 3.38 for Dan Plesac.
Eric Gagne vs Dan Plesac: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eric Gagne or Dan Plesac?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eric Gagne leads Dan Plesac in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eric Gagne, with 3.47 to Dan Plesac's 3.64.
- Who won more games?
- Dan Plesac, with 65 to Eric Gagne's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dan Plesac, with 1,041 to Eric Gagne's 718.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Eric Gagne, with 1.16 to Dan Plesac's 1.29.