Dan Plesac vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Dan Plesac (1986–2003) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dan Plesac compiled 65 wins and 1,041 strikeouts; Billy Wagner put up 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Dan Plesac
Billy Wagner
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Dan Plesac | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 65 | 47 |
| Losses | 71 | 40 |
| Games | 1,064 | 853 |
| Games Started | 14 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 158 | 422 |
| Strikeouts | 1,041 | 1,196 |
| Walks | 402 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed | 977 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 105 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,072 | 903 |
| ERA | 3.64 | 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | 1.00 |
| K/9 | 8.74 | 11.92 |
| BB/9 | 3.38 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner outpaces Dan Plesac 38,470 to 20,030 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,263 vs 1,002 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Dan Plesac — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Billy Wagner — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Wagner leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Dan Plesac owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Wagner. PIV agrees: Billy Wagner grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.