Tim Keefe vs Joe McGinnity: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Keefe has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tim Keefe played 1880–1893 as a pitcher; Joe McGinnity played 1899–1908 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
Tim Keefe (1880–1893) and Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) — breaking in during the 1880s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tim Keefe finished with 342 wins and 2,564 strikeouts; Joe McGinnity finished with 246 wins and 1,068 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tim Keefe, with 2.63 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games? Tim Keefe, with 342 to Joe McGinnity's 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tim Keefe, with 1.12 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Tim Keefe, with 5,049.2 to Joe McGinnity's 3,441.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Keefe, with 39 to Joe McGinnity's 32.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tim Keefe, with 58,200 career Pitcher PIV to Joe McGinnity's 3,283.
Tim Keefe
Joe McGinnity
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 1880s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tim Keefe | Joe McGinnity |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 342 | 246 |
| Losses not scored | 225 | 142 |
| Games | Leads: 600 | 465 |
| Games Started | Leads: 594 | 381 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 554 | 314 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 39 | 32 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 24 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,564 | 1,068 |
| Walks not scored | 1,233 | 812 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,438 | 3,276 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 75 | 52 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,049.2 | 3,441.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.63 | 2.66 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.57 | 2.79 |
| BB/9 | 2.20 | Leads: 2.12 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Keefe outpaces Joe McGinnity 58,200 to 3,283 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,880 PIV per season to 298, across 15 seasons to 11. 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).
Tim Keefe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Joe McGinnity — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Keefe leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Joe McGinnity owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Keefe. PIV agrees: Tim Keefe grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Keefe and Joe McGinnity careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Tim Keefe's ended in 1893, and Joe McGinnity debuted in 1899. With 600 games against 465 across 15 and 11 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Joe McGinnity comes out ahead, it is in saves (24 to 2) and walks per nine (2.12 to 2.20). By rate, Tim Keefe struck out 4.57 and walked 2.20 per nine innings; Joe McGinnity struck out 2.79 and walked 2.12. Tim Keefe was mainly a starter (594 starts in 600 games), and Joe McGinnity was mainly a starter (381 starts in 465 games). In WHIP, Tim Keefe's 1.12 beats Joe McGinnity's 1.19.
Tim Keefe vs Joe McGinnity: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Keefe or Joe McGinnity?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Keefe leads Joe McGinnity in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tim Keefe, with 2.63 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Keefe, with 342 to Joe McGinnity's 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tim Keefe, with 1.12 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.