Rich Gossage vs Doug Jones: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 6 scored categories on this page (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rich Gossage played 1972–1994 as a pitcher; Doug Jones played 1982–2000 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
Rich Gossage (1972–1994) and Doug Jones (1982–2000) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1980s respectively and share 13 seasons. Rich Gossage finished with 124 wins and 1,502 strikeouts; Doug Jones finished with 69 wins and 909 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Rich Gossage, in 5 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves? Rich Gossage, with 310 to Doug Jones's 303.
- Who had the better ERA? Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Doug Jones's 3.30.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Doug Jones's 909.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rich Gossage, with 1.23 to Doug Jones's 1.24.
- Who struck out more batters per nine innings? Rich Gossage, with 7.47 to Doug Jones's 7.25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Doug Jones, with 31,960 career Pitcher PIV to Rich Gossage's 28,157.
Rich Gossage
Doug Jones
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. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Rich Gossage | Doug Jones |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 124 | 69 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 79 |
| Games not scored | 1,002 | 846 |
| Games Started not scored | 37 | 4 |
| Complete Games not scored | 16 | 0 |
| Shutouts not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 310 | 303 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,502 | 909 |
| Walks not scored | 732 | 247 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,497 | 1,155 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 119 | 86 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,809.1 | 1,128.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.30 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.47 | 7.25 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 1.97 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Doug Jones leads Rich Gossage 31,960 to 28,157 — driven by per-season impact — 1,997 PIV per season to 1,280 — rather than by longevity, since Doug Jones played 16 seasons to Rich Gossage's 22. 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 (40+ innings).
Rich Gossage — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Doug Jones — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Rich Gossage leads 5 of the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card: saves, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Doug Jones leads 1: walks per nine. Both are scored as relievers. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rich Gossage. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Doug Jones higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rich Gossage and Doug Jones careers compare
Rich Gossage and Doug Jones were active at the same time between 1982 and 1994. With 1,002 games against 846 across 22 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Doug Jones comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (1.97 to 3.64). By rate, Rich Gossage struck out 7.47 and walked 3.64 per nine innings; Doug Jones struck out 7.25 and walked 1.97. Both had the same role: Rich Gossage worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 1,002 games, 310 saves); Doug Jones worked mostly in relief (4 starts in 846 games, 303 saves). Rich Gossage allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.23 WHIP to Doug Jones's 1.24.
Rich Gossage vs Doug Jones: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Doug Jones?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rich Gossage leads Doug Jones in 5 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves?
- Rich Gossage, with 310 to Doug Jones's 303.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Doug Jones's 3.30.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Doug Jones's 909.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rich Gossage, with 1.23 to Doug Jones's 1.24.