Ron Guidry vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ron Guidry played 1975–1988 as a pitcher; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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
Ron Guidry (1975–1988) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Ron Guidry finished with 170 wins and 1,778 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Ron Guidry's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Ron Guidry's 170.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Ron Guidry's 1,778.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Ron Guidry's 2,392.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Ron Guidry's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ron Guidry, with 37,878 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Ron Guidry
Jim Palmer
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, and the 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ron Guidry | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 170 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 152 |
| Games | 368 | Leads: 558 |
| Games Started | 323 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 95 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 26 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | 4 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | 1,778 | Leads: 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 633 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,198 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 226 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,392.0 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.29 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.69 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.38 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ron Guidry outpaces Jim Palmer 37,878 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 2,706 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Ron Guidry played 14 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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).
Ron Guidry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Ron Guidry owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades Ron Guidry ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ron Guidry and Jim Palmer careers compare
Ron Guidry and Jim Palmer were active at the same time between 1975 and 1984. Jim Palmer has the far longer record, 558 games against 368 across 14 and 19 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Ron Guidry are strikeouts per nine (6.69 to 5.04) and walks per nine (2.38 to 2.99). By rate, Ron Guidry struck out 6.69 and walked 2.38 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Ron Guidry was mainly a starter (323 starts in 368 games), and Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Ron Guidry's 1.18.
Ron Guidry vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ron Guidry or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Ron Guidry in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Ron Guidry's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Ron Guidry's 170.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Ron Guidry's 1,778.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.18.