Jim Kern vs Dan Quisenberry: Career Stats Comparison
Dan Quisenberry has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Kern played 1974–1986 as a pitcher; Dan Quisenberry played 1979–1990 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
Jim Kern (1974–1986) and Dan Quisenberry (1979–1990) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jim Kern finished with 53 wins and 651 strikeouts; Dan Quisenberry finished with 56 wins and 379 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Dan Quisenberry, with 2.76 to Jim Kern's 3.32.
- Who won more games? Dan Quisenberry, with 56 to Jim Kern's 53.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Kern, with 651 to Dan Quisenberry's 379.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dan Quisenberry, with 1.18 to Jim Kern's 1.40.
- Who pitched more innings? Dan Quisenberry, with 1,043.1 to Jim Kern's 793.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dan Quisenberry, with 16,859 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Kern's 8,160.
Dan Quisenberry
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 | Jim Kern | Dan Quisenberry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 53 | Leads: 56 |
| Losses not scored | 57 | 46 |
| Games | 416 | Leads: 674 |
| Games Started | Leads: 14 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 88 | Leads: 244 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 651 | 379 |
| Walks not scored | 444 | 162 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 670 | 1,064 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 35 | 59 |
| Innings Pitched | 793.1 | Leads: 1,043.1 |
| ERA | 3.32 | Leads: 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.40 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.39 | 3.27 |
| BB/9 | 5.04 | Leads: 1.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dan Quisenberry outpaces Jim Kern 16,859 to 8,160 — driven by per-season impact — 1,297 PIV per season to 544 — rather than by longevity, since Dan Quisenberry played 13 seasons to Jim Kern's 15. 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).
Jim Kern — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Dan Quisenberry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dan Quisenberry leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Jim Kern owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dan Quisenberry. PIV agrees: Dan Quisenberry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Kern and Dan Quisenberry careers compare
The careers of Jim Kern (1974–1986) and Dan Quisenberry (1979–1990) overlapped from 1979 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 416 games of Jim Kern with 674 of Dan Quisenberry across 15 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Jim Kern are starts (14 to 0), complete games (1 to 0), and strikeouts (651 to 379). By rate, Jim Kern struck out 7.39 and walked 5.04 per nine innings; Dan Quisenberry struck out 3.27 and walked 1.40.
Jim Kern vs Dan Quisenberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Kern or Dan Quisenberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dan Quisenberry leads Jim Kern in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Dan Quisenberry, with 2.76 to Jim Kern's 3.32.
- Who won more games?
- Dan Quisenberry, with 56 to Jim Kern's 53.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Kern, with 651 to Dan Quisenberry's 379.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dan Quisenberry, with 1.18 to Jim Kern's 1.40.