Joe McGinnity vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Plank has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Joe McGinnity played 1899–1908 as a pitcher; Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 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
Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) — breaking in during the 1890s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Joe McGinnity finished with 246 wins and 1,068 strikeouts; Eddie Plank finished with 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games? Eddie Plank, with 326 to Joe McGinnity's 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP? Eddie Plank, with 1.12 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Eddie Plank, with 4,495.2 to Joe McGinnity's 3,441.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eddie Plank, with 69 to Joe McGinnity's 32.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eddie Plank, with 51,914 career Pitcher PIV to Joe McGinnity's 3,283.
Joe McGinnity
Eddie Plank
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 1890s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe McGinnity | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 246 | Leads: 326 |
| Losses not scored | 142 | 194 |
| Games | 465 | Leads: 623 |
| Games Started | 381 | Leads: 529 |
| Complete Games | 314 | Leads: 410 |
| Shutouts | 32 | Leads: 69 |
| Saves | Leads: 24 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | 1,068 | Leads: 2,246 |
| Walks not scored | 812 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,276 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 52 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,441.1 | Leads: 4,495.2 |
| ERA | 2.66 | Leads: 2.35 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 2.79 | Leads: 4.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.12 | 2.15 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Plank outpaces Joe McGinnity 51,914 to 3,283 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,054 PIV per season to 298, across 17 seasons to 11. 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).
Joe McGinnity — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eddie Plank leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Joe McGinnity owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eddie Plank. PIV agrees: Eddie Plank grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe McGinnity and Eddie Plank careers compare
The careers of Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) and Eddie Plank (1901–1917) overlapped from 1901 to 1908, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 465 games against 623 across 11 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Joe McGinnity are saves (24 to 23) and walks per nine (2.12 to 2.15). By rate, Joe McGinnity struck out 2.79 and walked 2.12 per nine innings; Eddie Plank struck out 4.50 and walked 2.15. Joe McGinnity was mainly a starter (381 starts in 465 games), and Eddie Plank was mainly a starter (529 starts in 623 games).
Joe McGinnity vs Eddie Plank: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe McGinnity or Eddie Plank?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eddie Plank leads Joe McGinnity in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eddie Plank, with 2.35 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games?
- Eddie Plank, with 326 to Joe McGinnity's 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eddie Plank, with 2,246 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Eddie Plank, with 1.12 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.