Sparky Lyle vs Mike Marshall: Career Stats Comparison
Sparky Lyle (1967–1982) and Mike Marshall (1967–1981) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Sparky Lyle compiled 99 wins and 873 strikeouts; Mike Marshall put up 97 wins and 880 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Sparky Lyle
Mike Marshall
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 | Sparky Lyle | Mike Marshall |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 99 | 97 |
| Losses | 76 | 112 |
| Games | 899 | 724 |
| Games Started | 0 | 24 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 3 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 1 |
| Saves | 238 | 188 |
| Strikeouts | 873 | 880 |
| Walks | 481 | 514 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,292 | 1,281 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 84 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,390 | 1,386 |
| ERA | 2.88 | 3.14 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 5.65 | 5.71 |
| BB/9 | 3.11 | 3.34 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sparky Lyle edges Mike Marshall 16,426 to 15,195 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (913 vs 894 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).
Sparky Lyle — top 1 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Mike Marshall — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sparky Lyle leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Mike Marshall owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sparky Lyle. PIV agrees: Sparky Lyle grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.