Ralph Birkofer vs. Joe Grzenda — Career Comparison

Ralph Birkofer
Greatest GenerationOhioThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaPittsburgh PiratesNational LeagueStarting Pitcher
Joe Grzenda
Silent GenerationPennsylvaniaThrows LeftBats RightNorth AmericaWashington SenatorsAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher

Ralph Birkofer 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 4.19 and 1.458 for Ralph Birkofer. By the career numbers, Joe Grzenda had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Ralph Birkofer and Joe Grzenda

Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
5
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
132
2.18
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
219
6.4
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
64
1.06
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.09
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
0.51
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
14
0.41
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
28
0.46
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.38
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
52.54
52.54
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
51.85
51.85
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
48.48
48.48
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.37
1.37
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
0.4
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.03
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.03
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.41
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
253
4.19
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
137
4
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.19
4.19
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.18
4.18
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.03
4.03
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.81
3.81
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.99
3.99
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.277
0.277
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.273
0.273
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1632
27
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
924
27
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
544
9
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
308
9
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
618
10.22
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
323
9.44
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
10.22
10.22
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9.44
9.44
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
0.4
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
20
0.58
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.4
0.4
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.58
0.58
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.18
0.18
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
175
2.9
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
120
3.51
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
1.11
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.9
2.9
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.51
3.51
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
224
3.71
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
173
5.06
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.71
3.71
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.06
5.06
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.7
1.7
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.79
0.79
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.734
0.734
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.951
0.951
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
0.13
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
22
0.64
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
17
0.28
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10
0.29
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.12
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2420
40.04
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
1329
38.83
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
45
0.74
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
77
2.25
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
316
5.23
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
150
4.38
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.23
5.23
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.38
4.38
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
0.32
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.18
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.458
1.458
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.438
1.438
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2228
36.86
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
1182
34.54
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.39
2.39
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.68
0.68
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.3
0.3
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.306
0.306
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
40.04
40.04
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
38.83
38.83

Fielding Stats for Ralph Birkofer and Joe Grzenda

Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
132
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
219
6.4
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.09
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
924
27
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
308
9
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.18
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
86
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
66
1.93
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
14
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
107
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
72
2.1
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
93
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
72
2.1
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
86.92
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
0.705
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.329
0.329
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.37
1.37
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.09
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Ralph Birkofer and Joe Grzenda

Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
5
5
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
8
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
134
377.46
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
219
3864.71
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
213
600
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
34
600
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
207
583.1
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
30
529.41
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.242
0.242
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.067
0.067
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.549
0.549
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.265
0.265
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
50
140.85
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
42
118.31
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7
19.72
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
2.82
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
22.54
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.16
0.16
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
14.12
39.79
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.26
4.66
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
59
166.2
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
54
152.11
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
4
70.59
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.256
0.256
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.125
0.125
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.285
0.285
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.067
0.067
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.541
0.541
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.192
0.192
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.044
0.044
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.186
0.186
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.073
0.073
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.396
0.396
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.143
0.143
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.298
0.298
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.182
0.182
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
50.7
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1
17.65
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
22
61.97
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1
17.65
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
40
112.68
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
15.99
45.05
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
-1.14
-20.16
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
2.82
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
3
8.45
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
35.29
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PAverified
39
109.86
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
19
335.29
Ralph Birkofer
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5.46
5.46
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1.79
1.79
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
0.08
0.08
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.11
0.11
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
2
5.63
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
35.29
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
2
5.63
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ralph Birkofer
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA