Greg Swindell vs Duane Ward: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Swindell has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Greg Swindell played 1986–2002 as a pitcher; Duane Ward played 1986–1995 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
Greg Swindell (1986–2002) and Duane Ward (1986–1995) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Greg Swindell finished with 123 wins and 1,542 strikeouts; Duane Ward finished with 32 wins and 679 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Duane Ward, with 3.28 to Greg Swindell's 3.86.
- Who won more games? Greg Swindell, with 123 to Duane Ward's 32.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Swindell, with 1,542 to Duane Ward's 679.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Swindell, with 2,233.1 to Duane Ward's 666.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Swindell, with 12 to Duane Ward's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Swindell, with 19,548 career Pitcher PIV to Duane Ward's 18,942.
Greg Swindell
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Greg Swindell | Duane Ward |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 123 | 32 |
| Losses not scored | 122 | 37 |
| Games | Leads: 664 | 462 |
| Games Started | Leads: 269 | 2 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 40 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 0 |
| Saves | 7 | Leads: 121 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,542 | 679 |
| Walks not scored | 501 | 286 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,313 | 551 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 262 | 32 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,233.1 | 666.2 |
| ERA | 3.86 | Leads: 3.28 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | 6.21 | Leads: 9.17 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 3.86 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Swindell edges Duane Ward 19,548 to 18,942 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Greg Swindell played 19 seasons to Duane Ward's 10, while Duane Ward carries the higher per-season figure (1,894 to 1,029). 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).
Greg Swindell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Duane Ward — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Greg Swindell leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Duane Ward owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Greg Swindell. PIV agrees: Greg Swindell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Greg Swindell and Duane Ward careers compare
The careers of Greg Swindell (1986–2002) and Duane Ward (1986–1995) overlapped from 1986 to 1995, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 664 games for Greg Swindell and 462 for Duane Ward across 19 and 10 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Duane Ward's edges on the table are saves (121 to 7), ERA (3.28 to 3.86), and WHIP (1.26 to 1.26). The per-nine rows read 6.21 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Greg Swindell, 9.17 and 3.86 for Duane Ward.
Greg Swindell vs Duane Ward: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Greg Swindell or Duane Ward?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Swindell leads Duane Ward in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Duane Ward, with 3.28 to Greg Swindell's 3.86.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Swindell, with 123 to Duane Ward's 32.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Swindell, with 1,542 to Duane Ward's 679.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.26.