Jim Palmer vs Frank Tanana: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer and Frank Tanana are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 as a pitcher; Frank Tanana played 1973–1993 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 Frank Tanana (1973–1993) — 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; Frank Tanana finished with 240 wins and 2,773 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 Frank Tanana's 3.66.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Frank Tanana's 240.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Frank Tanana, with 2,773 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Frank Tanana's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Frank Tanana, with 4,188.1 to Jim Palmer's 3,948.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Frank Tanana's 34.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Palmer, with 19,502 career Pitcher PIV to Frank Tanana's 5,624.
Jim Palmer
Frank Tanana
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 | Frank Tanana |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 268 | 240 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 236 |
| Games | 558 | Leads: 638 |
| Games Started | 521 | Leads: 616 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 211 | 143 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 34 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,212 | Leads: 2,773 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 1,255 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 4,063 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 448 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,948.0 | Leads: 4,188.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.66 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.04 | Leads: 5.96 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | Leads: 2.70 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Palmer outpaces Frank Tanana 19,502 to 5,624 — driven by per-season impact — 1,026 PIV per season to 245 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Palmer played 19 seasons to Frank Tanana's 23. 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)
Frank Tanana — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, ERA, and WHIP, while Frank Tanana owns strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched. 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 Frank Tanana careers compare
The careers of Jim Palmer (1965–1984) and Frank Tanana (1973–1993) overlapped from 1973 to 1984, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 558 games for Jim Palmer and 638 for Frank Tanana across 19 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99 per nine innings; Frank Tanana struck out 5.96 and walked 2.70. Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games), and Frank Tanana was mainly a starter (616 starts in 638 games). Jim Palmer allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Frank Tanana's 1.27.
Jim Palmer vs Frank Tanana: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Frank Tanana's 3.66.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Frank Tanana's 240.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Frank Tanana, with 2,773 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Frank Tanana's 1.27.