Jim Palmer vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer 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). Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 as a pitcher; CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 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
Jim Palmer (1965–1984) and CC Sabathia (2001–2019) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts; CC Sabathia finished with 251 wins and 3,093 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 CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to CC Sabathia's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to CC Sabathia's 3,577.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to CC Sabathia's 12.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? CC Sabathia, with 43,212 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Jim Palmer
CC Sabathia
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 1960s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Palmer | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 268 | 251 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 161 |
| Games | 558 | Leads: 561 |
| Games Started | 521 | Leads: 560 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 211 | 38 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 12 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,212 | Leads: 3,093 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,948.0 | 3,577.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 5.04 | Leads: 7.78 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | Leads: 2.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), CC Sabathia outpaces Jim Palmer 43,212 to 19,502 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,161 PIV per season to 1,026, across 20 seasons to 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).
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while CC Sabathia owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades CC Sabathia ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Palmer and CC Sabathia careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Jim Palmer's ended in 1984, and CC Sabathia debuted in 2001. With 558 games against 561 across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99 per nine innings; CC Sabathia struck out 7.78 and walked 2.76. Both had the same role: Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games); CC Sabathia was mainly a starter (560 starts in 561 games). Complete games (211 to 38) show how differently the two eras used starters. In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats CC Sabathia's 1.26.
Jim Palmer vs CC Sabathia: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Palmer or CC Sabathia?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads CC Sabathia in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to CC Sabathia's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.