Mickey Lolich vs J. R. Richard: Career Stats Comparison
Mickey Lolich (1963–1979) and J. R. Richard (1971–1980) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mickey Lolich compiled 217 wins and 2,832 strikeouts; J. R. Richard put up 107 wins and 1,493 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Mickey Lolich
J. R. Richard
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 | Mickey Lolich | J. R. Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 217 | 107 |
| Losses | 191 | 71 |
| Games | 586 | 238 |
| Games Started | 496 | 221 |
| Complete Games | 195 | 76 |
| Shutouts | 41 | 19 |
| Saves | 11 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,832 | 1,493 |
| Walks | 1,099 | 770 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,366 | 1,227 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 347 | 73 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,638 | 1,606 |
| ERA | 3.44 | 3.15 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 7.01 | 8.37 |
| BB/9 | 2.72 | 4.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), J. R. Richard leads Mickey Lolich 38,918 to 32,209 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,892 vs 2,013 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).
Mickey Lolich — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
J. R. Richard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mickey Lolich leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while J. R. Richard owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mickey Lolich. Note that PIV actually grades J. R. Richard ahead, which means Mickey Lolich's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.