Burleigh Grimes vs Joe Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Burleigh Grimes 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). Burleigh Grimes played 1916–1934 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
Burleigh Grimes (1916–1934) and Joe Williams (?–1932) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Burleigh Grimes finished with 270 wins and 1,512 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 Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Burleigh Grimes, with 270 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Burleigh Grimes, with 1,512 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP? Joe Williams, with 1.18 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
- Who pitched more innings? Burleigh Grimes, with 4,180.0 to Joe Williams's 1,517.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Burleigh Grimes, with 35 to Joe Williams's 14.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Joe Williams, with 44,974 career Pitcher PIV to Burleigh Grimes's 18,821.
Burleigh Grimes
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 | Burleigh Grimes | Joe Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 270 | 109 |
| Losses not scored | 212 | 59 |
| Games | Leads: 616 | 207 |
| Games Started | Leads: 497 | 172 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 314 | 140 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 14 |
| Saves | Leads: 18 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,512 | 1,033 |
| Walks not scored | 1,295 | 339 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,412 | 1,456 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 148 | 26 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,180.0 | 1,517.0 |
| ERA | 3.53 | Leads: 2.57 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 3.26 | Leads: 6.13 |
| BB/9 | 2.79 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Williams outpaces Burleigh Grimes 44,974 to 18,821 — driven by per-season impact — 2,142 PIV per season to 818 — rather than by longevity, since Joe Williams played 21 seasons to Burleigh Grimes'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).
Burleigh Grimes — 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 Burleigh Grimes 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 Burleigh Grimes and Joe Williams careers compare
From 1932 through 1932, Burleigh Grimes and Joe Williams were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Burleigh Grimes appeared in 616 games to Joe Williams's 207. The green cells for Joe Williams are ERA (2.57 to 3.53), WHIP (1.18 to 1.37), and strikeouts per nine (6.13 to 3.26). By rate, Burleigh Grimes struck out 3.26 and walked 2.79 per nine innings; Joe Williams struck out 6.13 and walked 2.01. Both had the same role: Burleigh Grimes was mainly a starter (497 starts in 616 games); Joe Williams was mainly a starter (172 starts in 207 games).
Burleigh Grimes vs Joe Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Burleigh Grimes or Joe Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Burleigh Grimes leads Joe Williams in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe Williams, with 2.57 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Burleigh Grimes, with 270 to Joe Williams's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Burleigh Grimes, with 1,512 to Joe Williams's 1,033.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Joe Williams, with 1.18 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.