Robb Nen vs Bobby Shantz: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby Shantz 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). Robb Nen played 1993–2002 as a pitcher; Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964 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 Bobby Shantz (1949–1964) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Robb Nen finished with 45 wins and 793 strikeouts; Bobby Shantz finished with 119 wins and 1,072 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 Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games? Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Robb Nen's 45.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bobby Shantz, with 1,072 to Robb Nen's 793.
- Who had the better WHIP? Robb Nen, with 1.21 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Bobby Shantz, with 1,935.2 to Robb Nen's 715.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bobby Shantz, with 15 to Robb Nen's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Robb Nen, with 28,255 career Pitcher PIV to Bobby Shantz's 24,845.
Bobby Shantz
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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Robb Nen | Bobby Shantz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 45 | Leads: 119 |
| Losses not scored | 42 | 99 |
| Games | Leads: 643 | 537 |
| Games Started | 4 | Leads: 171 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 78 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 314 | 48 |
| Strikeouts | 793 | Leads: 1,072 |
| Walks not scored | 260 | 643 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 607 | 1,795 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 51 | 151 |
| Innings Pitched | 715.0 | Leads: 1,935.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.98 | 3.38 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.21 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.98 | 4.98 |
| BB/9 | 3.27 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robb Nen leads Bobby Shantz 28,255 to 24,845 — driven by per-season impact — 2,569 PIV per season to 1,308 — rather than by longevity, since Robb Nen played 11 seasons to Bobby Shantz's 19. 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.
Bobby Shantz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Robb Nen leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bobby Shantz owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. 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 Bobby Shantz careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bobby Shantz's ended in 1964, and Robb Nen debuted in 1993. The two careers are close in length, 643 games for Robb Nen and 537 for Bobby Shantz across 11 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Robb Nen struck out 9.98 and walked 3.27 per nine innings; Bobby Shantz struck out 4.98 and walked 2.99. Their roles differ: Robb Nen worked mostly in relief (4 starts in 643 games, 314 saves); Bobby Shantz split time between starting and relief (171 starts in 537 games). Complete games (0 to 78) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Robb Nen vs Bobby Shantz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robb Nen or Bobby Shantz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bobby Shantz leads Robb Nen in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Robb Nen, with 2.98 to Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games?
- Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Robb Nen's 45.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bobby Shantz, with 1,072 to Robb Nen's 793.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Robb Nen, with 1.21 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.