Max Lanier vs Bob Rush: Career Stats Comparison
Max Lanier (1938–1953) and Bob Rush (1948–1960) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Lanier compiled 108 wins and 821 strikeouts; Bob Rush put up 127 wins and 1,244 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 | Max Lanier | Bob Rush |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 108 | 127 |
| Losses | 82 | 152 |
| Games | 327 | 417 |
| Games Started | 204 | 321 |
| Complete Games | 91 | 118 |
| Shutouts | 21 | 16 |
| Saves | 17 | 8 |
| Strikeouts | 821 | 1,244 |
| Walks | 611 | 789 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,490 | 2,327 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 65 | 177 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,619 | 2,410 |
| ERA | 3.01 | 3.65 |
| WHIP | 1.30 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 4.56 | 4.64 |
| BB/9 | 3.40 | 2.95 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Rush outpaces Max Lanier 35,739 to 23,060 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,553 vs 1,537 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).
Max Lanier — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Rush — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Rush leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Max Lanier owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Rush. PIV agrees: Bob Rush grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.