Gene Garber vs Jay Howell: Career Stats Comparison
Gene Garber (1969–1988) and Jay Howell (1980–1994) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gene Garber compiled 96 wins and 940 strikeouts; Jay Howell put up 58 wins and 666 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Gene Garber
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 | Gene Garber | Jay Howell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 96 | 58 |
| Losses | 113 | 53 |
| Games | 931 | 568 |
| Games Started | 9 | 21 |
| Complete Games | 4 | 2 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 218 | 155 |
| Strikeouts | 940 | 666 |
| Walks | 445 | 291 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,464 | 782 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 123 | 57 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,510 | 844 |
| ERA | 3.34 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.60 | 7.10 |
| BB/9 | 2.65 | 3.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gene Garber edges Jay Howell 15,978 to 15,213 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (726 vs 1,014 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).
Gene Garber — top 1 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jay Howell — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gene Garber leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Jay Howell owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gene Garber. PIV agrees: Gene Garber grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.