John Montefusco vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). John Montefusco played 1974–1986 as a pitcher; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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
John Montefusco (1974–1986) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. John Montefusco finished with 90 wins and 1,081 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to John Montefusco's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to John Montefusco's 90.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to John Montefusco's 1,081.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to John Montefusco's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to John Montefusco's 1,652.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to John Montefusco's 11.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Palmer, with 19,502 career Pitcher PIV to John Montefusco's 16,548.
John Montefusco
Jim Palmer
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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | John Montefusco | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 90 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 83 | 152 |
| Games | 298 | Leads: 558 |
| Games Started | 244 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 32 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 11 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 5 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | 1,081 | Leads: 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 513 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,604 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 135 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,652.1 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.89 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.79 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Palmer leads John Montefusco 19,502 to 16,548 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Palmer played 19 seasons to John Montefusco's 14, while John Montefusco carries the higher per-season figure (1,182 to 1,026). 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).
John Montefusco — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while John Montefusco owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. PIV agrees: Jim Palmer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the John Montefusco and Jim Palmer careers compare
John Montefusco and Jim Palmer were active at the same time between 1974 and 1984. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: John Montefusco appeared in 298 games to Jim Palmer's 558. The green cells for John Montefusco are saves (5 to 4), strikeouts per nine (5.89 to 5.04), and walks per nine (2.79 to 2.99). By rate, John Montefusco struck out 5.89 and walked 2.79 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. John Montefusco was mainly a starter (244 starts in 298 games), and Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games).
John Montefusco vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, John Montefusco or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads John Montefusco in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to John Montefusco's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to John Montefusco's 90.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to John Montefusco's 1,081.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to John Montefusco's 1.28.