Joe McGinnity vs Eddie Plank: Career Stats Comparison
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 compiled 246 wins and 1,068 strikeouts; Eddie Plank put up 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Joe McGinnity | Eddie Plank |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 246 | 326 |
| Losses | 142 | 194 |
| Games | 465 | 623 |
| Games Started | 381 | 529 |
| Complete Games | 314 | 410 |
| Shutouts | 32 | 69 |
| Saves | 24 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | 1,068 | 2,246 |
| Walks | 812 | 1,072 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,276 | 3,958 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 52 | 42 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,441 | 4,495 |
| ERA | 2.66 | 2.35 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 2.79 | 4.50 |
| BB/9 | 2.12 | 2.15 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Plank outpaces Joe McGinnity 51,914 to 3,283 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,054 vs 298 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).
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.