Joe McGinnity vs Rube Waddell: Career Stats Comparison
Joe McGinnity has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Rube Waddell played 1897–1910 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 Rube Waddell (1897–1910) — both came up during the 1890s, so the matchup is a direct one. Joe McGinnity finished with 246 wins and 1,068 strikeouts; Rube Waddell finished with 193 wins and 2,316 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games? Joe McGinnity, with 246 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Joe McGinnity, with 3,441.1 to Rube Waddell's 2,961.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rube Waddell, with 50 to Joe McGinnity's 32.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rube Waddell, with 69,450 career Pitcher PIV to Joe McGinnity's 3,283.
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. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe McGinnity | Rube Waddell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 246 | 193 |
| Losses not scored | 142 | 143 |
| Games | Leads: 465 | 407 |
| Games Started | Leads: 381 | 340 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 314 | 261 |
| Shutouts | 32 | Leads: 50 |
| Saves | Leads: 24 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,068 | Leads: 2,316 |
| Walks not scored | 812 | 803 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,276 | 2,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 52 | 37 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,441.1 | 2,961.1 |
| ERA | 2.66 | Leads: 2.16 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 2.79 | Leads: 7.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.12 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rube Waddell outpaces Joe McGinnity 69,450 to 3,283 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,961 PIV per season to 298, across 14 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)
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.
Related Matchups
How the Joe McGinnity and Rube Waddell careers compare
Joe McGinnity and Rube Waddell were active at the same time between 1899 and 1908. The two careers are close in length, 465 games for Joe McGinnity and 407 for Rube Waddell across 11 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Joe McGinnity struck out 2.79 and walked 2.12 per nine innings; Rube Waddell struck out 7.04 and walked 2.44. Joe McGinnity was mainly a starter (381 starts in 465 games), and Rube Waddell was mainly a starter (340 starts in 407 games). Rube Waddell allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.10 WHIP to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.
Joe McGinnity vs Rube Waddell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe McGinnity or Rube Waddell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe McGinnity leads Rube Waddell in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games?
- Joe McGinnity, with 246 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.