Tom Gordon vs Robb Nen: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon (1988–2009) and Robb Nen (1993–2002) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Gordon compiled 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts; Robb Nen put up 45 wins and 793 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Tom Gordon
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 | Tom Gordon | Robb Nen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 138 | 45 |
| Losses | 126 | 42 |
| Games | 890 | 643 |
| Games Started | 203 | 4 |
| Complete Games | 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 158 | 314 |
| Strikeouts | 1,928 | 793 |
| Walks | 977 | 260 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,889 | 607 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 176 | 51 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,108 | 715 |
| ERA | 3.96 | 2.98 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | 8.23 | 9.98 |
| BB/9 | 4.17 | 3.27 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Gordon edges Robb Nen 29,014 to 28,255 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,319 vs 2,569 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).
Tom Gordon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Robb Nen — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Gordon leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Robb Nen owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Gordon. PIV agrees: Tom Gordon grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.