Jim Palmer vs Mike Scott: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer 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). Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 as a pitcher; Mike Scott played 1979–1991 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 Mike Scott (1979–1991) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts; Mike Scott finished with 124 wins and 1,469 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 Mike Scott's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Mike Scott's 124.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Mike Scott's 1,469.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Mike Scott's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Mike Scott's 2,068.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Mike Scott's 22.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mike Scott, with 28,073 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Jim Palmer
Mike Scott
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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Palmer | Mike Scott |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 268 | 124 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 108 |
| Games | Leads: 558 | 347 |
| Games Started | Leads: 521 | 319 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 211 | 45 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 22 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,212 | 1,469 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 627 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 1,858 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 173 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,948.0 | 2,068.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 5.04 | Leads: 6.39 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | Leads: 2.73 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Scott outpaces Jim Palmer 28,073 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 2,159 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Scott played 13 seasons to Jim Palmer'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).
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Mike Scott — 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 Mike Scott owns 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 Mike Scott 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 Mike Scott careers compare
From 1979 through 1984, Jim Palmer and Mike Scott were in the majors together. The table compares 558 games of Jim Palmer with 347 of Mike Scott across 19 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Mike Scott comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (6.39 to 5.04) and walks per nine (2.73 to 2.99). By rate, Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99 per nine innings; Mike Scott struck out 6.39 and walked 2.73. Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games), and Mike Scott was mainly a starter (319 starts in 347 games).
Jim Palmer vs Mike Scott: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Palmer or Mike Scott?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Mike Scott in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Mike Scott's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Mike Scott's 124.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Mike Scott's 1,469.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Mike Scott's 1.20.