Robb Nen vs Gregg Olson: Career Stats Comparison
Robb Nen has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Robb Nen played 1993–2002 as a pitcher; Gregg Olson played 1988–2001 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
Robb Nen (1993–2002) and Gregg Olson (1988–2001) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Robb Nen finished with 45 wins and 793 strikeouts; Gregg Olson finished with 40 wins and 588 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Robb Nen, with 2.98 to Gregg Olson's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Robb Nen, with 45 to Gregg Olson's 40.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Robb Nen, with 793 to Gregg Olson's 588.
- Who had the better WHIP? Robb Nen, with 1.21 to Gregg Olson's 1.38.
- Who pitched more innings? Robb Nen, with 715.0 to Gregg Olson's 672.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Robb Nen, with 28,255 career Pitcher PIV to Gregg Olson's 10,029.
Gregg Olson
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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Robb Nen | Gregg Olson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 45 | 40 |
| Losses not scored | 42 | 39 |
| Games | Leads: 643 | 622 |
| Games Started | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 314 | 217 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 793 | 588 |
| Walks not scored | 260 | 330 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 607 | 598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 51 | 46 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 715.0 | 672.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.98 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.21 | 1.38 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.98 | 7.88 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.27 | 4.42 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robb Nen outpaces Gregg Olson 28,255 to 10,029 — driven by per-season impact — 2,569 PIV per season to 590 — rather than by longevity, since Robb Nen played 11 seasons to Gregg Olson's 17. 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).
Robb Nen
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Gregg Olson
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Robb Nen leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Gregg Olson owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Robb Nen. PIV agrees: Robb Nen grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Robb Nen and Gregg Olson careers compare
The careers of Robb Nen (1993–2002) and Gregg Olson (1988–2001) overlapped from 1993 to 2001, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 643 games against 622 across 11 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Robb Nen. The per-nine rows read 9.98 strikeouts and 3.27 walks for Robb Nen, 7.88 and 4.42 for Gregg Olson. Both had the same role: Robb Nen worked mostly in relief (4 starts in 643 games, 314 saves); Gregg Olson worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 622 games, 217 saves). In WHIP, Robb Nen's 1.21 beats Gregg Olson's 1.38.
Robb Nen vs Gregg Olson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robb Nen or Gregg Olson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Robb Nen leads Gregg Olson in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Robb Nen, with 2.98 to Gregg Olson's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Robb Nen, with 45 to Gregg Olson's 40.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Robb Nen, with 793 to Gregg Olson's 588.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Robb Nen, with 1.21 to Gregg Olson's 1.38.