Tom Glavine vs Frank Tanana: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Tanana has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Frank Tanana played 1973–1993 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
Tom Glavine (1987–2008) and Frank Tanana (1973–1993) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Frank Tanana finished with 240 wins and 2,773 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Glavine, with 3.54 to Frank Tanana's 3.66.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Frank Tanana's 240.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Frank Tanana, with 2,773 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Frank Tanana, with 1.27 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Frank Tanana's 4,188.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Frank Tanana, with 34 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Glavine, with 40,421 career Pitcher PIV to Frank Tanana's 5,624.
Tom Glavine
Frank Tanana
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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Frank Tanana |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 240 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 236 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 638 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 616 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 143 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 34 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | Leads: 2,773 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,255 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 4,063 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 448 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 4,188.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.54 | 3.66 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 5.96 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.70 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Glavine outpaces Frank Tanana 40,421 to 5,624 — driven by per-season impact — 1,837 PIV per season to 245 — rather than by longevity, since Tom Glavine played 22 seasons to Frank Tanana's 23. 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).
Tom Glavine — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Frank Tanana — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Glavine leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Frank Tanana owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Glavine. PIV agrees: Tom Glavine grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Glavine and Frank Tanana careers compare
The careers of Tom Glavine (1987–2008) and Frank Tanana (1973–1993) overlapped from 1987 to 1993, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 682 games for Tom Glavine and 638 for Frank Tanana across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; Frank Tanana struck out 5.96 and walked 2.70. Both had the same role: Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games); Frank Tanana was mainly a starter (616 starts in 638 games).
Tom Glavine vs Frank Tanana: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Frank Tanana?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Tanana leads Tom Glavine in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Glavine, with 3.54 to Frank Tanana's 3.66.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Frank Tanana's 240.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Frank Tanana, with 2,773 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Frank Tanana, with 1.27 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.