Rich Gossage vs Ron Reed: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage (1972–1994) and Ron Reed (1966–1984) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rich Gossage compiled 124 wins and 1,502 strikeouts; Ron Reed put up 146 wins and 1,481 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Rich Gossage
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 | Rich Gossage | Ron Reed |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 124 | 146 |
| Losses | 107 | 140 |
| Games | 1,002 | 751 |
| Games Started | 37 | 236 |
| Complete Games | 16 | 55 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 8 |
| Saves | 310 | 103 |
| Strikeouts | 1,502 | 1,481 |
| Walks | 732 | 633 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,497 | 2,374 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 119 | 182 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,809 | 2,477 |
| ERA | 3.01 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | 7.47 | 5.38 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | 2.30 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ron Reed edges Rich Gossage 29,032 to 28,157 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,452 vs 1,224 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).
Rich Gossage — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Ron Reed — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ron Reed leads in wins, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Rich Gossage owns strikeouts, ERA, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ron Reed. PIV agrees: Ron Reed grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.