1931–1945 · P

Paul Derringer

6' 3", 205 lbs·Lived to 81·Bats R / Throws R

All-Star

The Almanac's Take

The winningest pitcher of the 1930s managed just a .175 batting average over his career, which tells you everything about how devastating Derringer was on the mound. His 223 victories came the hard way — through 15 seasons of workhorse duty that saw him throw over 3,600 innings while maintaining an ERA+ of 118, meaning he was consistently 18 percent better than league average.

Derringer's peak came in the early 1940s when his ERA+ spiked to 148, anchoring Cincinnati's back-to-back pennant winners in 1939-40. Six All-Star selections don't happen by accident for a pitcher who split nearly even on wins and losses, but Derringer's 3.46 ERA in an era when offense was surging made him invaluable.

The right-hander epitomized durability in baseball's pre-pitch count era, averaging over 240 innings per season during his prime years with the Reds.

Career Highs

2.93

Best ERA · 1939

Most W · 1939

134

Most K · 1931

1.106

Best WHIP · 1940

Career Arc · ERA

15 seasons

Statistical Comps

Charlie Leibrandt

99%

1985 season

K/9 4.1 · BB/9 2.6 · HR/9 0.64 · SP

Rick Mahler

98%

1988 season

K/9 4.7 · BB/9 1.5 · HR/9 0.61 · SP

Career · Hitting

15 seasons

Year	Team	G	AB	HR	RBI	AVG	OPS	OPS+
1931	STL	35	72	0	1	.097	—	—
1932	STL	39	73	0	4	.178	—	—
1933	CIN	36	81	0	4	.173	—	—
1934	CIN	47	92	0	4	.196	—	—
1935	CIN	45	93	0	7	.140	—	—
1936	CIN	51	90	0	7	.200	—	—
1937	CIN	43	80	0	11	.200	—	—
1938	CIN	41	119	2	15	.176	—	—
1939	CIN	38	110	0	17	.209	—	—
1940	CIN	37	108	0	8	.167	—	—
1941	CIN	29	84	0	6	.155	—	—
1942	CIN	29	68	0	4	.132	—	—
1943	CHC	32	58	0	2	.224	—	—
1944	CHC	42	57	0	4	.158	—	—
1945	CHC	35	75	0	8	.200	—	—
Career		579	1260	2	102	.175	—	—

Career · Pitching

15 seasons

Year	Team	G	IP	W	L	ERA	ERA+	SO	WHIP
1931	STL	35	211.7	18	8	3.36	122	134	1.370
1932	STL	39	233.3	11	14	4.05	102	78	1.556
1933	CIN	36	248.0	7	27	3.30	117	89	1.306
1934	CIN	47	261.0	15	21	3.59	119	122	1.364
1935	CIN	45	276.7	22	13	3.51	124	120	1.243
1936	CIN	51	282.3	19	19	4.02	114	121	1.321
1937	CIN	43	222.7	10	14	4.04	107	94	1.325
1938	CIN	41	307.0	21	14	2.93	148	132	1.186
1939	CIN	38	301.0	25	7	2.93	146	128	1.183
1940	CIN	37	296.7	20	12	3.06	138	115	1.106
1941	CIN	29	228.3	12	14	3.31	119	76	1.257
1942	CIN	29	208.7	10	11	3.06	117	68	1.208
1943	CHC	32	174.0	10	14	3.57	98	75	1.282
1944	CHC	42	180.0	7	13	4.15	86	69	1.356
1945	CHC	35	213.7	16	11	3.45	106	86	1.282
Career		579	3645.1	223	212	—	—	1507	—

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