Bob Lemon vs Robin Roberts: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Lemon (1941–1958) and Robin Roberts (1948–1966) — both came up during the 1940s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Lemon compiled 207 wins and 1,277 strikeouts; Robin Roberts put up 286 wins and 2,357 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Bob Lemon | Robin Roberts |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 207 | 286 |
| Losses | 128 | 245 |
| Games | 460 | 676 |
| Games Started | 350 | 609 |
| Complete Games | 188 | 305 |
| Shutouts | 31 | 45 |
| Saves | 22 | 25 |
| Strikeouts | 1,277 | 2,357 |
| Walks | 1,251 | 902 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,559 | 4,582 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 181 | 505 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,850 | 4,688 |
| ERA | 3.23 | 3.41 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | 4.03 | 4.52 |
| BB/9 | 3.95 | 1.73 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robin Roberts outpaces Bob Lemon 49,794 to 14,410 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,371 vs 1,108 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).
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.