Joe McGinnity vs Amos Rusie: Career Stats Comparison
Joe McGinnity has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Amos Rusie played 1889–1901 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 Amos Rusie (1889–1901) — breaking in during the 1890s and the 1880s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Joe McGinnity finished with 246 wins and 1,068 strikeouts; Amos Rusie finished with 246 wins and 1,950 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Joe McGinnity, with 2.66 to Amos Rusie's 3.07.
- Who won more games? Neither — both are at 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Amos Rusie, with 1,950 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP? Joe McGinnity, with 1.19 to Amos Rusie's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Amos Rusie, with 3,778.2 to Joe McGinnity's 3,441.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Joe McGinnity, with 32 to Amos Rusie's 30.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Amos Rusie, with 43,707 career Pitcher PIV to Joe McGinnity's 3,283.
Joe McGinnity
Amos Rusie
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 1880s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe McGinnity | Amos Rusie |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 246 | 246 |
| Losses not scored | 142 | 174 |
| Games | Leads: 465 | 463 |
| Games Started | 381 | Leads: 427 |
| Complete Games | 314 | Leads: 393 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 32 | 30 |
| Saves | Leads: 24 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,068 | Leads: 1,950 |
| Walks not scored | 812 | 1,707 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,276 | 3,389 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 52 | 75 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,441.1 | Leads: 3,778.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.66 | 3.07 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | 2.79 | Leads: 4.64 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.12 | 4.07 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Amos Rusie outpaces Joe McGinnity 43,707 to 3,283 — driven by per-season impact — 4,371 PIV per season to 298 — rather than by longevity, since Amos Rusie played 10 seasons to Joe McGinnity's 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)
Amos Rusie — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Amos Rusie leads in strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Joe McGinnity owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Amos Rusie. PIV agrees: Amos Rusie 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 Amos Rusie careers compare
Joe McGinnity and Amos Rusie were active at the same time between 1899 and 1901. With 465 games against 463 across 11 and 10 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Joe McGinnity struck out 2.79 and walked 2.12 per nine innings; Amos Rusie struck out 4.64 and walked 4.07. Joe McGinnity was mainly a starter (381 starts in 465 games), and Amos Rusie was mainly a starter (427 starts in 463 games). In WHIP, Joe McGinnity's 1.19 beats Amos Rusie's 1.35. Best seasons: 1904 for Joe McGinnity (1.61 ERA, 35-8, 144 K in 408 IP) and 1897 for Amos Rusie (2.54 ERA, 28-10, 135 K in 322 IP).
Joe McGinnity vs Amos Rusie: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe McGinnity or Amos Rusie?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe McGinnity leads Amos Rusie in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe McGinnity, with 2.66 to Amos Rusie's 3.07.
- Who won more games?
- Neither — both are at 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Amos Rusie, with 1,950 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Joe McGinnity, with 1.19 to Amos Rusie's 1.35.