Lefty Gomez vs Joe Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Gomez has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lefty Gomez played 1930–1943 as a pitcher; Joe Williams played ?–1932 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
Lefty Gomez (1930–1943) and Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Lefty Gomez finished with 189 wins and 1,468 strikeouts; Joe Williams finished with 109 wins and 1,033 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Joe Williams, with 2.57 to Lefty Gomez's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Lefty Gomez, with 189 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Gomez, with 1,468 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP? Joe Williams, with 1.18 to Lefty Gomez's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Gomez, with 2,503.0 to Joe Williams's 1,517.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Gomez, with 28 to Joe Williams's 14.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Joe Williams, with 44,974 career Pitcher PIV to Lefty Gomez's 15,583.
Lefty Gomez
Joe Williams
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lefty Gomez | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 189 | 109 |
| Losses not scored | 102 | 59 |
| Games | Leads: 368 | 207 |
| Games Started | Leads: 320 | 172 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 173 | 140 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 28 | 14 |
| Saves | Leads: 9 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,468 | 1,033 |
| Walks not scored | 1,095 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,290 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 138 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,503.0 | 1,517.0 |
| ERA | 3.34 | Leads: 2.57 |
| WHIP | 1.35 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.28 | Leads: 6.13 |
| BB/9 | 3.94 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Williams outpaces Lefty Gomez 44,974 to 15,583 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,142 PIV per season to 1,113, across 21 seasons to 14. 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).
Lefty Gomez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Joe Williams — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Williams leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Lefty Gomez owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Williams. PIV agrees: Joe Williams grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lefty Gomez and Joe Williams careers compare
Lefty Gomez and Joe Williams were active at the same time between 1932 and 1932. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Lefty Gomez appeared in 368 games to Joe Williams's 207. The green cells for Joe Williams are ERA (2.57 to 3.34), WHIP (1.18 to 1.35), and strikeouts per nine (6.13 to 5.28). By rate, Lefty Gomez struck out 5.28 and walked 3.94 per nine innings; Joe Williams struck out 6.13 and walked 2.01. Lefty Gomez was mainly a starter (320 starts in 368 games), and Joe Williams was mainly a starter (172 starts in 207 games). In WHIP, Joe Williams's 1.18 beats Lefty Gomez's 1.35.
Lefty Gomez vs Joe Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Gomez or Joe Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Gomez leads Joe Williams in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe Williams, with 2.57 to Lefty Gomez's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Gomez, with 189 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Gomez, with 1,468 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Joe Williams, with 1.18 to Lefty Gomez's 1.35.