Bobby Shantz vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby Shantz and Billy Wagner are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964 as a pitcher; Billy Wagner played 1995–2010 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
Bobby Shantz (1949–1964) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bobby Shantz finished with 119 wins and 1,072 strikeouts; Billy Wagner finished with 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games? Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Billy Wagner's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP? Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Bobby Shantz, with 1,935.2 to Billy Wagner's 903.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bobby Shantz, with 15 to Billy Wagner's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Billy Wagner, with 38,470 career Pitcher PIV to Bobby Shantz's 24,845.
Bobby Shantz
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. 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 1940s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Shantz | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 119 | 47 |
| Losses not scored | 99 | 40 |
| Games | 537 | Leads: 853 |
| Games Started | Leads: 171 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 78 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 15 | 0 |
| Saves | 48 | Leads: 422 |
| Strikeouts | 1,072 | Leads: 1,196 |
| Walks not scored | 643 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,795 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 151 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,935.2 | 903.0 |
| ERA | 3.38 | Leads: 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 4.98 | Leads: 11.92 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.99 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner outpaces Bobby Shantz 38,470 to 24,845 — driven by per-season impact — 2,263 PIV per season to 1,308 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Wagner played 17 seasons to Bobby Shantz's 19. 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).
Bobby Shantz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Billy Wagner
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Wagner leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bobby Shantz 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.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Shantz and Billy Wagner careers compare
No season is shared: Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964, Billy Wagner 1995–2010. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Bobby Shantz appeared in 537 games to Billy Wagner's 853. The per-nine rows read 4.98 strikeouts and 2.99 walks for Bobby Shantz, 11.92 and 2.99 for Billy Wagner. Bobby Shantz split time between starting and relief (171 starts in 537 games), while Billy Wagner worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 853 games, 422 saves). The complete-game row, 78 against 0, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Billy Wagner allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.00 WHIP to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
Bobby Shantz vs Billy Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games?
- Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Billy Wagner's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.