Steve Howe vs Robb Nen: Career Stats Comparison
Robb Nen has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Howe played 1980–1996 as a pitcher; Robb Nen played 1993–2002 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
Steve Howe (1980–1996) and Robb Nen (1993–2002) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Howe finished with 47 wins and 328 strikeouts; Robb Nen finished with 45 wins and 793 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Robb Nen, with 2.98 to Steve Howe's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Steve Howe, with 47 to Robb Nen's 45.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Robb Nen, with 793 to Steve Howe's 328.
- Who had the better WHIP? Steve Howe, with 1.20 to Robb Nen's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Robb Nen, with 715.0 to Steve Howe's 606.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Robb Nen, with 28,255 career Pitcher PIV to Steve Howe's 12,134.
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 1980s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Howe | Robb Nen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 47 | 45 |
| Losses not scored | 41 | 42 |
| Games | 497 | Leads: 643 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 4 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 91 | Leads: 314 |
| Strikeouts | 328 | Leads: 793 |
| Walks not scored | 139 | 260 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 586 | 607 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 32 | 51 |
| Innings Pitched | 606.0 | Leads: 715.0 |
| ERA | 3.03 | Leads: 2.98 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | 4.87 | Leads: 9.98 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.06 | 3.27 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robb Nen outpaces Steve Howe 28,255 to 12,134 — driven by per-season impact — 2,569 PIV per season to 933 — rather than by longevity, since Robb Nen played 11 seasons to Steve Howe's 13. 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).
Steve Howe
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Robb Nen
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Robb Nen leads in strikeouts, ERA, K/9, and innings pitched, while Steve Howe owns wins and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Robb Nen. PIV agrees: Robb Nen grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Howe and Robb Nen careers compare
Steve Howe and Robb Nen were active at the same time between 1993 and 1996. The two careers are close in length, 497 games for Steve Howe and 643 for Robb Nen across 13 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Steve Howe's edges on the table are wins (47 to 45), WHIP (1.20 to 1.21), and walks per nine (2.06 to 3.27). By rate, Steve Howe struck out 4.87 and walked 2.06 per nine innings; Robb Nen struck out 9.98 and walked 3.27.
Steve Howe vs Robb Nen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Howe or Robb Nen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Robb Nen leads Steve Howe in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Robb Nen, with 2.98 to Steve Howe's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Howe, with 47 to Robb Nen's 45.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Robb Nen, with 793 to Steve Howe's 328.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Steve Howe, with 1.20 to Robb Nen's 1.21.