Jim Kaat vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Kaat (1959–1983) and Bob Veale (1962–1974) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Kaat compiled 283 wins and 2,461 strikeouts; Bob Veale put up 120 wins and 1,703 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Jim Kaat | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 283 | 120 |
| Losses | 237 | 95 |
| Games | 898 | 397 |
| Games Started | 625 | 255 |
| Complete Games | 180 | 78 |
| Shutouts | 31 | 20 |
| Saves | 18 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | 2,461 | 1,703 |
| Walks | 1,083 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,620 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 395 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,530 | 1,926 |
| ERA | 3.45 | 3.07 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 4.89 | 7.96 |
| BB/9 | 2.15 | 4.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Veale outpaces Jim Kaat 36,615 to 26,792 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,615 vs 957 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Jim Kaat — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Veale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Kaat leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Bob Veale owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Kaat. Note that PIV actually grades Bob Veale ahead, which means Jim Kaat's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.