John Smoltz vs Dave Stieb: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz 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). John Smoltz played 1988–2009 as a pitcher; Dave Stieb played 1979–1998 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
John Smoltz (1988–2009) and Dave Stieb (1979–1998) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. John Smoltz finished with 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts; Dave Stieb finished with 176 wins and 1,669 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Dave Stieb's 3.44.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to Dave Stieb's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Dave Stieb's 1,669.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Dave Stieb's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Dave Stieb's 2,895.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dave Stieb, with 30 to John Smoltz's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Dave Stieb's 4,282.
John Smoltz
Dave Stieb
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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | John Smoltz | Dave Stieb |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 213 | 176 |
| Losses not scored | 155 | 137 |
| Games | Leads: 723 | 443 |
| Games Started | Leads: 481 | 412 |
| Complete Games | 53 | Leads: 103 |
| Shutouts | 16 | Leads: 30 |
| Saves | Leads: 154 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,084 | 1,669 |
| Walks not scored | 1,010 | 1,034 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,074 | 2,572 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 288 | 225 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,473.0 | 2,895.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.33 | 3.44 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.99 | 5.19 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.62 | 3.21 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Dave Stieb 91,907 to 4,282 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,178 PIV per season to 268, across 22 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).
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dave Stieb — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Smoltz leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Dave Stieb owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Smoltz. PIV agrees: John Smoltz grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the John Smoltz and Dave Stieb careers compare
The careers of John Smoltz (1988–2009) and Dave Stieb (1979–1998) overlapped from 1988 to 1998, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: John Smoltz appeared in 723 games to Dave Stieb's 443. Where Dave Stieb comes out ahead, it is in complete games (103 to 53) and shutouts (30 to 16). By rate, John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62 per nine innings; Dave Stieb struck out 5.19 and walked 3.21. John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games), while Dave Stieb was mainly a starter (412 starts in 443 games).
John Smoltz vs Dave Stieb: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, John Smoltz or Dave Stieb?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Dave Stieb in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Dave Stieb's 3.44.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to Dave Stieb's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Dave Stieb's 1,669.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Dave Stieb's 1.25.