Jay Howell vs Dan Plesac: Career Stats Comparison
Dan Plesac has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jay Howell played 1980–1994 as a pitcher; Dan Plesac played 1986–2003 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
Jay Howell (1980–1994) and Dan Plesac (1986–2003) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jay Howell finished with 58 wins and 666 strikeouts; Dan Plesac finished with 65 wins and 1,041 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jay Howell, with 3.34 to Dan Plesac's 3.64.
- Who won more games? Dan Plesac, with 65 to Jay Howell's 58.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dan Plesac, with 1,041 to Jay Howell's 666.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jay Howell, with 1.27 to Dan Plesac's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Dan Plesac, with 1,072.0 to Jay Howell's 844.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dan Plesac, with 20,030 career Pitcher PIV to Jay Howell's 15,213.
Dan Plesac
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 | Jay Howell | Dan Plesac |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 58 | Leads: 65 |
| Losses not scored | 53 | 71 |
| Games | 568 | Leads: 1,064 |
| Games Started | Leads: 21 | 14 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 155 | Leads: 158 |
| Strikeouts | 666 | Leads: 1,041 |
| Walks not scored | 291 | 402 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 782 | 977 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 105 |
| Innings Pitched | 844.2 | Leads: 1,072.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.34 | 3.64 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.27 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 7.10 | Leads: 8.74 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.10 | 3.38 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dan Plesac leads Jay Howell 20,030 to 15,213 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dan Plesac played 20 seasons to Jay Howell's 15, while Jay Howell carries the higher per-season figure (1,014 to 1,002). 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).
Jay Howell
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Dan Plesac
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dan Plesac leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Jay Howell owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dan Plesac. PIV agrees: Dan Plesac grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jay Howell and Dan Plesac careers compare
From 1986 through 1994, Jay Howell and Dan Plesac were in the majors together. The table compares 568 games of Jay Howell with 1,064 of Dan Plesac across 15 and 20 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The per-nine rows read 7.10 strikeouts and 3.10 walks for Jay Howell, 8.74 and 3.38 for Dan Plesac. Jay Howell worked mostly in relief (21 starts in 568 games, 155 saves), and Dan Plesac worked mostly in relief (14 starts in 1,064 games, 158 saves). In WHIP, Jay Howell's 1.27 beats Dan Plesac's 1.29.
Jay Howell vs Dan Plesac: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jay Howell or Dan Plesac?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dan Plesac leads Jay Howell in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jay Howell, with 3.34 to Dan Plesac's 3.64.
- Who won more games?
- Dan Plesac, with 65 to Jay Howell's 58.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dan Plesac, with 1,041 to Jay Howell's 666.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jay Howell, with 1.27 to Dan Plesac's 1.29.