Lindy McDaniel vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Career Stats Comparison
Hoyt Wilhelm has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 6 scored categories on this page (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lindy McDaniel played 1955–1975 as a pitcher; Hoyt Wilhelm played 1952–1972 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 Hoyt Wilhelm (1952–1972) — both debuted in the 1950s. Lindy McDaniel finished with 141 wins and 1,361 strikeouts; Hoyt Wilhelm finished with 143 wins and 1,610 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Hoyt Wilhelm, in 5 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 227 to Lindy McDaniel's 172.
- Who had the better ERA? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Lindy McDaniel's 3.45.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Lindy McDaniel's 1,361.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1.12 to Lindy McDaniel's 1.27.
- Who struck out more batters per nine innings? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 6.43 to Lindy McDaniel's 5.73.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 40,894 career Pitcher PIV to Lindy McDaniel's 27,834.
Lindy McDaniel
Hoyt Wilhelm
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. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lindy McDaniel | Hoyt Wilhelm |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 141 | 143 |
| Losses not scored | 119 | 122 |
| Games not scored | 987 | 1,070 |
| Games Started not scored | 74 | 52 |
| Complete Games not scored | 18 | 20 |
| Shutouts not scored | 2 | 5 |
| Saves | 172 | Leads: 227 |
| Strikeouts | 1,361 | Leads: 1,610 |
| Walks not scored | 623 | 778 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,099 | 1,757 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 172 | 150 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,139.1 | 2,254.1 |
| ERA | 3.45 | Leads: 2.52 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 5.73 | Leads: 6.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.62 | 3.11 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hoyt Wilhelm outpaces Lindy McDaniel 40,894 to 27,834 — driven by per-season impact — 1,947 PIV per season to 1,325 — rather than by longevity, since Hoyt Wilhelm played 21 seasons to Lindy McDaniel's 21. 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 (40+ innings).
Lindy McDaniel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hoyt Wilhelm — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Hoyt Wilhelm leads 5 of the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card: saves, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Lindy McDaniel leads 1: walks per nine. Both are scored as relievers. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hoyt Wilhelm. PIV agrees: Hoyt Wilhelm grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lindy McDaniel and Hoyt Wilhelm careers compare
From 1955 through 1972, Lindy McDaniel and Hoyt Wilhelm were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 987 games for Lindy McDaniel and 1,070 for Hoyt Wilhelm across 21 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Lindy McDaniel are walks per nine (2.62 to 3.11). The per-nine rows read 5.73 strikeouts and 2.62 walks for Lindy McDaniel, 6.43 and 3.11 for Hoyt Wilhelm. Lindy McDaniel worked mostly in relief (74 starts in 987 games, 172 saves), and Hoyt Wilhelm worked mostly in relief (52 starts in 1,070 games, 227 saves). Hoyt Wilhelm allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Lindy McDaniel's 1.27.
Lindy McDaniel vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lindy McDaniel or Hoyt Wilhelm?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hoyt Wilhelm leads Lindy McDaniel in 5 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 227 to Lindy McDaniel's 172.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Lindy McDaniel's 3.45.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Lindy McDaniel's 1,361.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1.12 to Lindy McDaniel's 1.27.