Bob Lemon vs Robin Roberts: Career Stats Comparison
Robin Roberts has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Lemon played 1941–1958 as a pitcher; Robin Roberts played 1948–1966 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
Bob Lemon (1941–1958) and Robin Roberts (1948–1966) — both came up during the 1940s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Lemon finished with 207 wins and 1,277 strikeouts; Robin Roberts finished with 286 wins and 2,357 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Lemon, with 3.23 to Robin Roberts's 3.41.
- Who won more games? Robin Roberts, with 286 to Bob Lemon's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Robin Roberts, with 2,357 to Bob Lemon's 1,277.
- Who had the better WHIP? Robin Roberts, with 1.17 to Bob Lemon's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Robin Roberts, with 4,688.2 to Bob Lemon's 2,850.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Robin Roberts, with 45 to Bob Lemon's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Robin Roberts, with 49,794 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Lemon's 14,410.
Bob Lemon
Robin Roberts
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 | Bob Lemon | Robin Roberts |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 207 | Leads: 286 |
| Losses not scored | 128 | 245 |
| Games | 460 | Leads: 676 |
| Games Started | 350 | Leads: 609 |
| Complete Games | 188 | Leads: 305 |
| Shutouts | 31 | Leads: 45 |
| Saves | 22 | Leads: 25 |
| Strikeouts | 1,277 | Leads: 2,357 |
| Walks not scored | 1,251 | 902 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,559 | 4,582 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 181 | 505 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,850.0 | Leads: 4,688.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.23 | 3.41 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | 4.03 | Leads: 4.52 |
| BB/9 | 3.95 | Leads: 1.73 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robin Roberts outpaces Bob Lemon 49,794 to 14,410 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,371 PIV per season to 1,108, across 21 seasons to 13. 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).
Bob Lemon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Robin Roberts — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Robin Roberts leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Bob Lemon owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Robin Roberts. PIV agrees: Robin Roberts grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Lemon and Robin Roberts careers compare
The careers of Bob Lemon (1941–1958) and Robin Roberts (1948–1966) overlapped from 1948 to 1958, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 460 games for Bob Lemon and 676 for Robin Roberts across 13 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Bob Lemon comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.23 to 3.41). By rate, Bob Lemon struck out 4.03 and walked 3.95 per nine innings; Robin Roberts struck out 4.52 and walked 1.73.
Bob Lemon vs Robin Roberts: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Lemon or Robin Roberts?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Robin Roberts leads Bob Lemon in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Lemon, with 3.23 to Robin Roberts's 3.41.
- Who won more games?
- Robin Roberts, with 286 to Bob Lemon's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Robin Roberts, with 2,357 to Bob Lemon's 1,277.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Robin Roberts, with 1.17 to Bob Lemon's 1.34.