Doug Jones vs Dan Plesac: Career Stats Comparison
Doug Jones 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). Doug Jones played 1982–2000 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
Doug Jones (1982–2000) and Dan Plesac (1986–2003) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Doug Jones finished with 69 wins and 909 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? Doug Jones, with 3.30 to Dan Plesac's 3.64.
- Who won more games? Doug Jones, with 69 to Dan Plesac's 65.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dan Plesac, with 1,041 to Doug Jones's 909.
- Who had the better WHIP? Doug Jones, with 1.24 to Dan Plesac's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Doug Jones, with 1,128.1 to Dan Plesac's 1,072.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Doug Jones, with 31,960 career Pitcher PIV to Dan Plesac's 20,030.
Doug Jones
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 | Doug Jones | Dan Plesac |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 69 | 65 |
| Losses not scored | 79 | 71 |
| Games | 846 | Leads: 1,064 |
| Games Started | 4 | Leads: 14 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 303 | 158 |
| Strikeouts | 909 | Leads: 1,041 |
| Walks not scored | 247 | 402 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,155 | 977 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 86 | 105 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,128.1 | 1,072.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.30 | 3.64 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.24 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 7.25 | Leads: 8.74 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.97 | 3.38 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Doug Jones outpaces Dan Plesac 31,960 to 20,030 — driven by per-season impact — 1,776 PIV per season to 1,002 — rather than by longevity, since Doug Jones played 18 seasons to Dan Plesac's 20. 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).
Doug Jones
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, Doug Jones leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Dan Plesac owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Doug Jones. PIV agrees: Doug Jones grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Doug Jones and Dan Plesac careers compare
Doug Jones and Dan Plesac were active at the same time between 1986 and 2000. With 846 games against 1,064 across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Dan Plesac are games (1,064 to 846), starts (14 to 4), and strikeouts (1,041 to 909). The per-nine rows read 7.25 strikeouts and 1.97 walks for Doug Jones, 8.74 and 3.38 for Dan Plesac. Doug Jones worked mostly in relief (4 starts in 846 games, 303 saves), and Dan Plesac worked mostly in relief (14 starts in 1,064 games, 158 saves). In WHIP, Doug Jones's 1.24 beats Dan Plesac's 1.29.
Doug Jones vs Dan Plesac: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Doug Jones or Dan Plesac?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Doug Jones leads Dan Plesac in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Doug Jones, with 3.30 to Dan Plesac's 3.64.
- Who won more games?
- Doug Jones, with 69 to Dan Plesac's 65.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dan Plesac, with 1,041 to Doug Jones's 909.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Doug Jones, with 1.24 to Dan Plesac's 1.29.