Robb Nen vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Wagner has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 6 scored categories on this page (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Robb Nen played 1993–2002 as a pitcher; Billy Wagner played 1995–2010 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 Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — both debuted in the 1990s. Robb Nen finished with 45 wins and 793 strikeouts; Billy Wagner finished with 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Billy Wagner, in 6 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves? Billy Wagner, with 422 to Robb Nen's 314.
- Who had the better ERA? Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Robb Nen's 2.98.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Robb Nen's 793.
- Who had the better WHIP? Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Robb Nen's 1.21.
- Who struck out more batters per nine innings? Billy Wagner, with 11.92 to Robb Nen's 9.98.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Billy Wagner, with 38,470 career Pitcher PIV to Robb Nen's 28,255.
Billy Wagner
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. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Robb Nen | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 45 | 47 |
| Losses not scored | 42 | 40 |
| Games not scored | 643 | 853 |
| Games Started not scored | 4 | 0 |
| Complete Games not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 314 | Leads: 422 |
| Strikeouts | 793 | Leads: 1,196 |
| Walks not scored | 260 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 607 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 51 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 715.0 | 903.0 |
| ERA | 2.98 | Leads: 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 9.98 | Leads: 11.92 |
| BB/9 | 3.27 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner outpaces Robb Nen 38,470 to 28,255 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Billy Wagner played 16 seasons to Robb Nen's 10, while Robb Nen carries the higher per-season figure (2,825 to 2,404). 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 (40+ innings).
Robb Nen — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Billy Wagner — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Billy Wagner leads 6 of the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card: saves, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Robb Nen leads 0: no scored category. Both are scored as relievers. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Wagner. PIV agrees: Billy Wagner 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 Billy Wagner careers compare
The careers of Robb Nen (1993–2002) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) overlapped from 1995 to 2002, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 643 games for Robb Nen and 853 for Billy Wagner across 10 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Billy Wagner leads every scored row of the table. The per-nine rows read 9.98 strikeouts and 3.27 walks for Robb Nen, 11.92 and 2.99 for Billy Wagner. Robb Nen worked mostly in relief (4 starts in 643 games, 314 saves), and Billy Wagner worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 853 games, 422 saves).
Robb Nen vs Billy Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robb Nen or Billy Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Wagner leads Robb Nen in 6 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves?
- Billy Wagner, with 422 to Robb Nen's 314.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Robb Nen's 2.98.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Robb Nen's 793.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Robb Nen's 1.21.