Jim Merritt vs. Joe Vance — Career Comparison

Jim Merritt
Silent GenerationCaliforniaThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaMinnesota TwinsAmerican LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star
Joe Vance
Greatest GenerationTexasThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago White SoxAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher

Jim Merritt built a career as a starting pitcher and Joe Vance as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jim Merritt posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.65 and WHIP 1.237 compared to 5.81 and 1.762 for Joe Vance. By the career numbers, Jim Merritt had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Jim Merritt and Joe Vance

Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
11
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
3
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
297
1.8
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
15
2.35
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
192
1.17
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.47
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
81
0.49
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.47
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
86
0.52
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.31
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
48.5
48.5
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
60
60
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
64.65
64.65
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
20
20
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
56
0.34
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.05
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7
0.04
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
602
3.65
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
37
5.81
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.65
3.65
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.81
5.81
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.37
3.37
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.81
5.81
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.85
3.85
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.32
5.32
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.254
0.254
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.291
0.291
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4449
27
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
172
27
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1483
9
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
57.1
9
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1468
8.91
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
67
10.52
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.91
8.91
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
10.52
10.52
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
160
0.97
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.78
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.97
0.97
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.78
0.78
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.54
0.54
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.33
0.33
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
322
1.95
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
34
5.34
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
45
0.27
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.95
1.95
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.34
5.34
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
932
5.66
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
17
2.67
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.66
5.66
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.67
2.67
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.14
3.14
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.13
1.13
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.846
0.846
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.89
0.89
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
32
0.19
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3
0.47
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
25
0.15
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.01
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6168
37.43
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
264
41.44
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
48
0.29
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
1.41
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
657
3.99
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
40
6.28
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.99
3.99
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.28
6.28
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
20
0.12
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
19
0.12
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
17
0.1
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.207
1.207
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.762
1.762
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
5782
35.09
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
230
36.1
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.21
2.21
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.67
2.67
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.279
0.279
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.298
0.298
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.43
37.43
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
41.44
41.44

Fielding Stats for Jim Merritt and Joe Vance

Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
11
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
297
1.8
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
192
1.17
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4449
27
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1483
9
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
45
0.27
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
203
1.23
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
0.08
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
261
1.58
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
21
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
248
1.51
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
20
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
95.02
95.02
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
95.24
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.835
0.835
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1.333
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
64.65
64.65
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
0.05
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Vance
Career
Per 9 Innings
0

Hitting Stats for Jim Merritt and Joe Vance

Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
11
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
3
3
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
298
387.01
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
16
480
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
462
600
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
20
600
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
397
515.58
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
20
600
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0.141
0.141
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.25
0.25
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0.461
0.461
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.6
0.6
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
56
72.73
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
5
150
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
43
55.84
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3
90
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
8
10.39
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
60
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.3
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
5.19
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
13
16.88
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
60
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0.232
0.232
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.4
0.4
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.01
0.01
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.071
0.071
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
16.76
21.76
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1.66
49.91
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
78
101.3
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
7
210
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
85
110.39
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
5
150
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0.198
0.198
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.25
0.25
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0.197
0.197
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.35
0.35
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0.395
0.395
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.6
0.6
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0.055
0.055
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.1
0.1
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0.138
0.138
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0.307
0.307
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.467
0.467
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0.239
0.239
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
21
27.27
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3
90
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
20
25.97
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
60
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
37
48.05
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
5
150
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
9.19
11.93
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1.71
51.22
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.3
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
28
36.36
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
178
231.17
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
150
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
2.6
2.6
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
4
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.16
0.16
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
33
42.86
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
3.9
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
7
9.09
Joe Vance
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.3
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.3
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jim Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Vance
Career
Per 600 PA