Lindy McDaniel vs Bobby Shantz: Career Stats Comparison
Lindy McDaniel has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Lindy McDaniel played 1955–1975 as a pitcher; Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964 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
Lindy McDaniel (1955–1975) and Bobby Shantz (1949–1964) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lindy McDaniel compiled 141 wins and 1,361 strikeouts; Bobby Shantz put up 119 wins and 1,072 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bobby Shantz, with 3.38 to Lindy McDaniel's 3.45.
- Who won more games? Lindy McDaniel, with 141 to Bobby Shantz's 119.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lindy McDaniel, with 1,361 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bobby Shantz, with 1.26 to Lindy McDaniel's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Lindy McDaniel, with 2,139 to Bobby Shantz's 1,935.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bobby Shantz, with 15 to Lindy McDaniel's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lindy McDaniel, with 27,834 career Pitcher PIV to Bobby Shantz's 24,845.
Lindy McDaniel
Bobby Shantz
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Lindy McDaniel | Bobby Shantz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 141 | 119 |
| Losses | 119 | 99 |
| Games | Leads: 987 | 537 |
| Games Started | 74 | Leads: 171 |
| Complete Games | 18 | Leads: 78 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 172 | 48 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,361 | 1,072 |
| Walks | 623 | 643 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,099 | 1,795 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 172 | 151 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,139 | 1,935 |
| ERA | 3.45 | Leads: 3.38 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.73 | 4.98 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.62 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lindy McDaniel leads Bobby Shantz 27,834 to 24,845 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,265 vs 1,308 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).
Lindy McDaniel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bobby Shantz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lindy McDaniel leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Bobby Shantz owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lindy McDaniel. PIV agrees: Lindy McDaniel grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Lindy McDaniel vs Bobby Shantz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lindy McDaniel or Bobby Shantz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lindy McDaniel leads Bobby Shantz in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bobby Shantz, with 3.38 to Lindy McDaniel's 3.45.
- Who won more games?
- Lindy McDaniel, with 141 to Bobby Shantz's 119.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lindy McDaniel, with 1,361 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bobby Shantz, with 1.26 to Lindy McDaniel's 1.27.