Jim Elam vs. Joe Grzenda — Career Comparison

Jim Elam
Greatest GenerationVirginiaNorth AmericaNewark EaglesNegro National League IIStarting Pitcher
Joe Grzenda
Silent GenerationPennsylvaniaThrows LeftBats RightNorth AmericaWashington SenatorsAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher

Jim Elam 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 6.39 and 2.161 for Jim Elam. By the career numbers, Joe Grzenda had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Jim Elam and Joe Grzenda

Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
2.61
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
219
6.4
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
1.74
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.09
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.29
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.41
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.29
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
0.38
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
50
50
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
51.85
51.85
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
66.67
66.67
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.37
1.37
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.41
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
22
6.39
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
137
4
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.39
6.39
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.41
7.41
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.03
4.03
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.74
4.74
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.99
3.99
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.338
0.338
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.273
0.273
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
93
27
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
924
27
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
31
9
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
308
9
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
46
13.35
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
323
9.44
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
13.35
13.35
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9.44
9.44
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.29
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
20
0.58
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.29
0.29
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.58
0.58
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.11
0.11
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
21
6.1
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
120
3.51
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
1.11
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.1
6.1
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.51
3.51
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
3.19
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
173
5.06
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.19
3.19
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.06
5.06
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.22
1.22
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.79
0.79
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.032
1.032
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.951
0.951
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.58
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
22
0.64
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
0.29
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.12
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
160
46.45
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1329
38.83
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.87
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
77
2.25
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
31
9
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
150
4.38
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
9
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.38
4.38
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3
0.87
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
0.32
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.18
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.58
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.161
2.161
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.438
1.438
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
136
39.48
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1182
34.54
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.44
3.44
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.68
0.68
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.363
0.363
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.306
0.306
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
46.45
46.45
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
38.83
38.83

Fielding Stats for Jim Elam and Joe Grzenda

Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
2.73
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
219
6.4
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
1.64
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.09
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
99
27
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
924
27
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
33
9
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
308
9
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.55
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6
0.18
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
1.91
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
66
1.93
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.55
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
3
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
72
2.1
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
2.45
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
72
2.1
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
81.82
81.82
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.9
0.9
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.329
0.329
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
60
60
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.37
1.37
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.55
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3
0.09
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Jim Elam and Joe Grzenda

Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
8
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
9
415.38
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
219
3864.71
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
13
600
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
34
600
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PAverified
12
553.85
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
30
529.41
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.417
0.417
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.067
0.067
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.962
0.962
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.265
0.265
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
230.77
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
184.62
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
46.15
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
46.15
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2.78
128.38
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.26
4.66
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
276.92
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
276.92
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
4
70.59
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.462
0.462
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.125
0.125
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.5
0.5
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.067
0.067
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.962
0.962
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.192
0.192
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.083
0.083
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.073
0.073
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.143
0.143
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.417
0.417
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.182
0.182
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
138.46
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1
17.65
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
92.31
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1
17.65
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
230.77
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2.92
134.74
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
-1.14
-20.16
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
46.15
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
19
335.29
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1.79
1.79
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.11
0.11
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
35.29
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Elam
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA