Tom Seaver vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver (1967–1986) and Bob Veale (1962–1974) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tom Seaver compiled 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts; Bob Veale put up 120 wins and 1,703 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Tom Seaver
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 | Tom Seaver | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 311 | 120 |
| Losses | 205 | 95 |
| Games | 656 | 397 |
| Games Started | 647 | 255 |
| Complete Games | 231 | 78 |
| Shutouts | 61 | 20 |
| Saves | 1 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | 3,640 | 1,703 |
| Walks | 1,390 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,971 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 380 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,782 | 1,926 |
| ERA | 2.86 | 3.07 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 6.85 | 7.96 |
| BB/9 | 2.62 | 4.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Bob Veale 79,192 to 36,615 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,600 vs 2,615 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).
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Veale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Veale owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.