Jim Palmer vs Frank Viola: 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; Frank Viola played 1982–1996 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 Viola (1982–1996) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts; Frank Viola finished with 176 wins and 1,844 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 Viola's 3.73.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Frank Viola's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Frank Viola's 1,844.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Frank Viola's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Frank Viola's 2,836.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Frank Viola's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Palmer, with 19,502 career Pitcher PIV to Frank Viola's 8,226.
Jim Palmer
Frank Viola
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Palmer | Frank Viola |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 268 | 176 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 558 | 421 |
| Games Started | Leads: 521 | 420 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 211 | 74 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 16 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,212 | 1,844 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 864 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 2,827 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 294 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,948.0 | 2,836.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.73 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.30 |
| K/9 | 5.04 | Leads: 5.85 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | Leads: 2.74 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Palmer outpaces Frank Viola 19,502 to 8,226 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,026 PIV per season to 514, across 19 seasons to 16. 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 Viola — 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 Frank Viola owns K/9. 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 Viola careers compare
Jim Palmer and Frank Viola were active at the same time between 1982 and 1984. With 558 games against 421 across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Frank Viola are strikeouts per nine (5.85 to 5.04) and walks per nine (2.74 to 2.99). By rate, Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99 per nine innings; Frank Viola struck out 5.85 and walked 2.74. Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games), and Frank Viola was mainly a starter (420 starts in 421 games). Jim Palmer allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Frank Viola's 1.30.
Jim Palmer vs Frank Viola: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Palmer or Frank Viola?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Frank Viola in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Frank Viola's 3.73.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Frank Viola's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Frank Viola's 1,844.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Frank Viola's 1.30.