Herman Besse vs. Joe Grzenda — Career Comparison

Herman Besse
Greatest GenerationMissouriThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaPhiladelphia AthleticsAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher
Joe Grzenda
Silent GenerationPennsylvaniaThrows LeftBats RightNorth AmericaWashington SenatorsAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher

Herman Besse built a career as a starting pitcher and Joe Grzenda as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Joe Grzenda posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4 and WHIP 1.562 compared to 6.79 and 1.755 for Herman Besse. By the career numbers, Joe Grzenda had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Herman Besse and Joe Grzenda

Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
5
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
65
2.41
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
219
6.4
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
25
0.93
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.09
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
0.19
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.41
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
0.56
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.38
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
25
25
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
51.85
51.85
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.46
38.46
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.37
1.37
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.19
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.07
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.41
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
183
6.79
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
137
4
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.79
6.79
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.01
6.01
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.03
4.03
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.99
4.99
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.99
3.99
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.295
0.295
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.273
0.273
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
728
27
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
924
27
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
242.2
9
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
308
9
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
298
11.05
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
323
9.44
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
11.05
11.05
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9.44
9.44
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
24
0.89
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
20
0.58
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.89
0.89
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.58
0.58
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.37
0.37
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
128
4.75
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
120
3.51
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
1.11
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.75
4.75
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.51
3.51
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
118
4.38
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
173
5.06
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.38
4.38
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.06
5.06
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.82
1.82
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.79
0.79
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.014
1.014
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.951
0.951
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.22
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
22
0.64
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8
0.3
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.29
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.12
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1145
42.47
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1329
38.83
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
28
1.04
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
77
2.25
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
195
7.23
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
150
4.38
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.23
7.23
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.38
4.38
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
0.32
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.18
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.756
1.756
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.438
1.438
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1009
37.42
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1182
34.54
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
3
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.68
0.68
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.316
0.316
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.306
0.306
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
42.47
42.47
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
38.83
38.83

Fielding Stats for Herman Besse and Joe Grzenda

Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
65
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
219
6.4
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.09
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
924
27
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
308
9
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.18
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
34
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
66
1.93
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
36
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72
2.1
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
35
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72
2.1
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
97.22
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
0.539
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.329
0.329
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.37
1.37
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.09
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Herman Besse and Joe Grzenda

Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
5
5
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
8
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
71
430.3
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
219
3864.71
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
99
600
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
34
600
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
90
545.45
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
30
529.41
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.067
0.067
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.52
0.52
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.265
0.265
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
109.09
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
96.97
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
12.12
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
12.12
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.111
0.111
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5.85
35.45
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.26
4.66
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
20
121.21
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
163.64
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
4
70.59
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.273
0.273
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.125
0.125
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.222
0.222
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.067
0.067
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.495
0.495
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.192
0.192
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.022
0.022
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.178
0.178
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.073
0.073
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.403
0.403
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.143
0.143
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.257
0.257
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.182
0.182
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
48.48
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1
17.65
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
15
90.91
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1
17.65
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
23
139.39
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6.58
39.88
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
-1.14
-20.16
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
54.55
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PAverified
20
121.21
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
19
335.29
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.95
4.95
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1.79
1.79
Herman Besse
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.45
0.45
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.11
0.11
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
35.29
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Herman Besse
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA