Jim Palmer vs Mel Stottlemyre: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Mel Stottlemyre played 1964–1974 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 Mel Stottlemyre (1964–1974) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts; Mel Stottlemyre finished with 164 wins and 1,257 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 Mel Stottlemyre's 2.97.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Mel Stottlemyre's 164.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Mel Stottlemyre's 1,257.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Mel Stottlemyre's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Mel Stottlemyre's 2,661.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Mel Stottlemyre's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Palmer, with 19,502 career Pitcher PIV to Mel Stottlemyre's 8,727.
Jim Palmer
Mel Stottlemyre
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Palmer | Mel Stottlemyre |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 268 | 164 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 139 |
| Games | Leads: 558 | 360 |
| Games Started | Leads: 521 | 356 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 211 | 152 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 40 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,212 | 1,257 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 809 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 2,435 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 171 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,948.0 | 2,661.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 2.97 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.04 | 4.25 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | Leads: 2.74 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Palmer outpaces Mel Stottlemyre 19,502 to 8,727 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,026 PIV per season to 793, across 19 seasons to 11. 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)
Mel Stottlemyre — 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 Mel Stottlemyre owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. PIV agrees: Jim Palmer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Palmer and Mel Stottlemyre careers compare
Jim Palmer and Mel Stottlemyre were active at the same time between 1965 and 1974. Jim Palmer has the far longer record, 558 games against 360 across 19 and 11 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Mel Stottlemyre are walks per nine (2.74 to 2.99). By rate, Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99 per nine innings; Mel Stottlemyre struck out 4.25 and walked 2.74. Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games), and Mel Stottlemyre was mainly a starter (356 starts in 360 games). Jim Palmer allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Mel Stottlemyre's 1.22.
Jim Palmer vs Mel Stottlemyre: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Palmer or Mel Stottlemyre?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Mel Stottlemyre in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Mel Stottlemyre's 2.97.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Mel Stottlemyre's 164.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Mel Stottlemyre's 1,257.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Mel Stottlemyre's 1.22.