Joe Grzenda vs. Rube Waddell — Career Comparison

Joe Grzenda
Silent GenerationPennsylvaniaThrows LeftBats RightNorth AmericaWashington SenatorsAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher
Rube Waddell
Pre-GenerationalPennsylvaniaThrows LeftBats RightNorth AmericaPhiladelphia AthleticsAmerican LeagueHall of FameStarting Pitcher

Rube Waddell 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. Rube Waddell posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.16 and WHIP 1.102 compared to 4 and 1.562 for Joe Grzenda. By the career numbers, Rube Waddell had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Joe Grzenda and Rube Waddell

Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
8
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
13
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
219
6.4
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
407
1.24
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.09
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
340
1.03
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
14
0.41
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
193
0.59
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.38
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
143
0.43
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
51.85
51.85
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
57.44
57.44
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.37
1.37
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
83.54
83.54
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
261
0.79
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
50
0.15
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.41
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
0.02
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
137
4
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
711
2.16
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
4
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.16
2.16
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.03
4.03
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.38
2.38
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.99
3.99
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.53
2.53
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.273
0.273
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.228
0.228
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
924
27
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8884
27
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
308
9
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2961.1
9
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
323
9.44
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2460
7.48
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
9.44
9.44
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.48
7.48
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
20
0.58
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
37
0.11
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.58
0.58
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.11
0.11
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.09
0.09
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.09
0.09
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
120
3.51
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
803
2.44
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
1.11
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.51
3.51
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.44
2.44
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
173
5.06
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2316
7.04
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.06
5.06
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.04
7.04
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.79
0.79
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.69
5.69
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.951
0.951
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.053
1.053
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
22
0.64
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
74
0.22
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.29
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
115
0.35
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.12
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.01
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1329
38.83
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
11717
35.61
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
77
2.25
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
54
0.16
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
150
4.38
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1063
3.23
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.38
4.38
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.23
3.23
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
0.32
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.18
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.438
1.438
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.102
1.102
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1182
34.54
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10799
32.82
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.68
0.68
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.61
2.61
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.306
0.306
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.287
0.287
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.83
38.83
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
35.61
35.61

Fielding Stats for Joe Grzenda and Rube Waddell

Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
8
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
13
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
219
6.4
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
408
1.24
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.09
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
213
0.65
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
924
27
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8904
27
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
308
9
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2968
9
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.18
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
176
0.53
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
66
1.93
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
740
2.24
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
91
0.28
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
72
2.1
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1007
3.05
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
72
2.1
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
916
2.78
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
90.96
90.96
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.329
0.329
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.245
2.245
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.37
1.37
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
52.21
52.21
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.09
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
17
0.05
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Joe Grzenda and Rube Waddell

Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
8
8
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
13
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PAverified
219
3864.71
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
410
216.36
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
34
600
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1137
600
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
30
529.41
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1066
562.53
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.067
0.067
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.161
0.161
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.265
0.265
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.444
0.444
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
172
90.77
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
129
68.07
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
29
15.3
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
10
5.28
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
2.11
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
43
22.69
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.25
0.25
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.004
0.004
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.023
0.023
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.26
4.66
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
50.21
26.5
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
233
122.96
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
4
70.59
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
220
116.09
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.125
0.125
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.198
0.198
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.067
0.067
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.219
0.219
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.192
0.192
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.416
0.416
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.057
0.057
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.073
0.073
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.144
0.144
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.143
0.143
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.321
0.321
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.182
0.182
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.221
0.221
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1
17.65
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
61
32.19
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1
17.65
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
83
43.8
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
2
35.29
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
140
73.88
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
-1.14
-20.16
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37.89
19.99
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
3.17
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
35.29
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
42
22.16
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
19
335.29
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PAverified
300
158.31
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
1.79
1.79
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.79
3.79
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0.11
0.11
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.14
0.14
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
35.29
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
23
12.14
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
3.17
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
3.17
Joe Grzenda
Career
Per 600 PA
Rube Waddell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100