Joe McGinnity vs Rube Waddell: Career Stats Comparison
Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) and Rube Waddell (1897–1910) — both came up during the 1890s, so the matchup is a direct one. Joe McGinnity compiled 246 wins and 1,068 strikeouts; Rube Waddell put up 193 wins and 2,316 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Joe McGinnity
Rube Waddell
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 | Rube Waddell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 246 | 193 |
| Losses | 142 | 143 |
| Games | 465 | 407 |
| Games Started | 381 | 340 |
| Complete Games | 314 | 261 |
| Shutouts | 32 | 50 |
| Saves | 24 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,068 | 2,316 |
| Walks | 812 | 803 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,276 | 2,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 52 | 37 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,441 | 2,961 |
| ERA | 2.66 | 2.16 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | 2.79 | 7.04 |
| BB/9 | 2.12 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rube Waddell outpaces Joe McGinnity 69,450 to 3,283 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,961 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)
Rube Waddell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rube Waddell leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Joe McGinnity owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rube Waddell. PIV agrees: Rube Waddell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.