Tim Keefe vs Jim Whitney: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Keefe has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tim Keefe played 1880–1893 as a pitcher; Jim Whitney played 1881–1890 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 Jim Whitney (1881–1890) — both debuted in the 1880s. Tim Keefe finished with 342 wins and 2,564 strikeouts; Jim Whitney finished with 191 wins and 1,571 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Tim Keefe, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Tim Keefe, with 2.63 to Jim Whitney's 2.97.
- Who won more games? Tim Keefe, with 342 to Jim Whitney's 191.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Jim Whitney's 1,571.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tim Keefe, with 1.12 to Jim Whitney's 1.15.
- How many innings did each pitch? Tim Keefe 5,049.2, Jim Whitney 3,496.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Keefe, with 39 to Jim Whitney's 26.
Tim Keefe
Jim Whitney
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Tim Keefe | Jim Whitney |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 342 | 191 |
| Losses not scored | 225 | 204 |
| Games not scored | 600 | 413 |
| Games Started not scored | 594 | 396 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 554 | 377 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 39 | 26 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,564 | 1,571 |
| Walks not scored | 1,233 | 411 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,438 | 3,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 75 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,049.2 | 3,496.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.63 | 2.97 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.15 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.57 | 4.04 |
| BB/9 | 2.20 | Leads: 1.06 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Keefe outpaces Jim Whitney 58,200 to 42,671 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tim Keefe played 14 seasons to Jim Whitney's 10, while Jim Whitney carries the higher per-season figure (4,267 to 4,157). 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).
Tim Keefe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Whitney — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Tim Keefe leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Jim Whitney leads 1: walks per nine. 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 Jim Whitney careers compare
From 1881 through 1890, Tim Keefe and Jim Whitney were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 600 games for Tim Keefe and 413 for Jim Whitney across 14 and 10 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jim Whitney comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (1.06 to 2.20). By rate, Tim Keefe struck out 4.57 and walked 2.20 per nine innings; Jim Whitney struck out 4.04 and walked 1.06. Tim Keefe was mainly a starter (594 starts in 600 games), and Jim Whitney was mainly a starter (396 starts in 413 games). In WHIP, Tim Keefe's 1.12 beats Jim Whitney's 1.15.
Tim Keefe vs Jim Whitney: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Keefe or Jim Whitney?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Keefe leads Jim Whitney in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tim Keefe, with 2.63 to Jim Whitney's 2.97.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Keefe, with 342 to Jim Whitney's 191.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Keefe, with 2,564 to Jim Whitney's 1,571.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tim Keefe, with 1.12 to Jim Whitney's 1.15.