Tim Lincecum vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer 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). Tim Lincecum played 2007–2016 as a pitcher; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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 Lincecum (2007–2016) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Tim Lincecum's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tim Lincecum, with 28,769 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Tim Lincecum
Jim Palmer
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, and the 2000s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tim Lincecum | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 110 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 152 |
| Games | 278 | Leads: 558 |
| Games Started | 270 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 7 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 4 |
| Strikeouts | 1,736 | Leads: 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 669 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,506 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 147 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,682.0 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.29 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | 3.58 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Lincecum outpaces Jim Palmer 28,769 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 2,877 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Tim Lincecum played 10 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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).
Tim Lincecum — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tim Lincecum owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades Tim Lincecum ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Lincecum and Jim Palmer careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Jim Palmer's ended in 1984, and Tim Lincecum debuted in 2007. The table compares 278 games of Tim Lincecum with 558 of Jim Palmer across 10 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Tim Lincecum comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (9.29 to 5.04). By rate, Tim Lincecum struck out 9.29 and walked 3.58 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Both had the same role: Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games); Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games).
Tim Lincecum vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Lincecum or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Tim Lincecum in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.