Bill James vs. Joe Strong — Career Comparison

Bill James
Lost GenerationMichiganThrows RightBats SwitchNorth AmericaDetroit TigersAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher
Joe Strong
Baby BoomersCaliforniaThrows RightBats SwitchNorth AmericaFlorida MarlinsNational LeagueRelief Pitcher

Bill James built a career as a starting pitcher and Joe Strong as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill James posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.2 and WHIP 1.431 compared to 5.81 and 1.709 for Joe Strong. By the career numbers, Bill James had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Bill James and Joe Strong

Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
203
1.55
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
23
7.86
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
147
1.12
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
65
0.5
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.34
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.54
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.34
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
47.79
47.79
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
50
50
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72.41
72.41
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
68
0.52
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.07
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.34
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
420
3.2
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
17
5.81
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.2
3.2
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.81
5.81
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.79
3.79
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.14
6.14
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.08
4.08
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.24
5.24
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.256
0.256
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.284
0.284
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3539
27
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
79
27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1179.2
9
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
26.1
9
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1110
8.47
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
29
9.91
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.47
8.47
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
9.91
9.91
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
0.12
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4
1.37
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.12
0.12
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.37
1.37
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.08
0.08
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.17
0.17
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
578
4.41
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
15
5.13
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.34
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.41
4.41
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.13
5.13
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
408
3.11
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
22
7.52
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.11
3.11
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.52
7.52
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.01
2.01
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.96
0.96
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.836
0.836
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.405
1.405
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
32
0.24
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.68
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
48
0.37
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.68
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.02
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4958
37.83
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
120
41.01
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
29
0.22
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
7
2.39
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
559
4.26
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
17
5.81
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.26
4.26
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.81
5.81
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.34
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.68
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.431
1.431
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.671
1.671
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4332
33.05
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
102
34.86
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.75
2.75
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.74
0.74
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.28
0.28
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.329
0.329
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.83
37.83
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
41.01
41.01

Fielding Stats for Bill James and Joe Strong

Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
203
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
23
7.86
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
79
27
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
26.1
9
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
50
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.68
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
384
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
2.73
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
31
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
465
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
3.42
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
434
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
3.42
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
93.33
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2.138
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.435
0.435
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
15
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Bill James and Joe Strong

Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
8
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
2
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
203
294.92
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PAverified
23
6900
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
413
600
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
2
600
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
358
520.1
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
600
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.143
0.143
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.436
0.436
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
74.09
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
44
63.92
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
8.72
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.45
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7
10.17
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.137
0.137
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13.08
19
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
59
85.71
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
81
117.68
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.209
0.209
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.165
0.165
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.374
0.374
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.022
0.022
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.135
0.135
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.291
0.291
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.232
0.232
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
25
36.32
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
17.43
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37
53.75
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9.26
13.45
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.22
-66.4
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
4.36
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
39.23
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
138
200.48
Joe Strong
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2
600
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2.99
2.99
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
25
36.32
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.45
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
2.91
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
4.36
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
33.33
33.33
Joe Strong
Career
Per 600 PA