JN
1967–1988 · P
Joe Niekro
6' 1", 185 lbs·Lived to 62·Bats R / Throws R
All-Star
The Almanac's Take
AI-generated analysis coming soon.
Career Highs
2.47
Best ERA · 1982
21
Most W · 1979
152
Most K · 1983
1.067
Best WHIP · 1982
Career Arc · OPS
18 seasonsCareer Arc · ERA
22 seasonsStatistical Comps
Career · Hitting
22 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | CHC | 36 | 46 | 0 | 11 | .196 | .443 | — |
| 1968 | CHC | 34 | 60 | 0 | 0 | .100 | .256 | — |
| 1969 | SD | 42 | 56 | 0 | 4 | .125 | .367 | — |
| 1970 | DET | 39 | 66 | 0 | 7 | .197 | .547 | 77 |
| 1971 | DET | 32 | 30 | 0 | 2 | .133 | .354 | 52 |
| 1972 | DET | 18 | 12 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .641 | 96 |
| 1973 | ATL | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .667 | 95 |
| 1974 | ATL | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | 0 |
| 1975 | HOU | 40 | 14 | 0 | 0 | .214 | .527 | 75 |
| 1976 | HOU | 36 | 27 | 1 | 1 | .185 | .585 | 86 |
| 1977 | HOU | 44 | 50 | 0 | 2 | .140 | .313 | 43 |
| 1978 | HOU | 36 | 65 | 0 | 5 | .138 | .308 | 44 |
| 1979 | HOU | 38 | 83 | 0 | 4 | .120 | .284 | 39 |
| 1980 | HOU | 37 | 80 | 0 | 10 | .275 | .647 | 91 |
| 1981 | HOU | 24 | 51 | 0 | 6 | .176 | .404 | 59 |
| 1982 | HOU | 35 | 89 | 0 | 5 | .090 | .211 | 30 |
| 1983 | HOU | 38 | 85 | 0 | 2 | .094 | .222 | 31 |
| 1984 | HOU | 38 | 83 | 0 | 6 | .133 | .285 | 40 |
| 1985 | HOU | 35 | 68 | 0 | 6 | .250 | .522 | 73 |
| 1986 | NYY | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1987 | NYY | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1988 | MIN | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Career | 706 | 973 | 1 | 72 | .156 | — | — | |
Career · Pitching
22 seasons| Year | Team | G | IP | W | L | ERA | ERA+ | SO | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | CHC | 36 | 169.7 | 10 | 7 | 3.34 | 99 | 77 | 1.196 |
| 1968 | CHC | 34 | 177.0 | 14 | 10 | 4.32 | 69 | 65 | 1.486 |
| 1969 | SD | 41 | 221.3 | 8 | 18 | 3.70 | 98 | 62 | 1.301 |
| 1970 | DET | 38 | 213.0 | 12 | 13 | 4.06 | 96 | 101 | 1.376 |
| 1971 | DET | 31 | 122.3 | 6 | 7 | 4.49 | 77 | 43 | 1.512 |
| 1972 | DET | 18 | 47.0 | 3 | 2 | 3.83 | 85 | 24 | 1.489 |
| 1973 | ATL | 20 | 24.0 | 2 | 4 | 4.13 | 91 | 12 | 1.417 |
| 1974 | ATL | 27 | 43.0 | 3 | 2 | 3.56 | 102 | 31 | 1.256 |
| 1975 | HOU | 40 | 88.0 | 6 | 4 | 3.07 | 121 | 54 | 1.341 |
| 1976 | HOU | 36 | 118.0 | 4 | 8 | 3.36 | 104 | 77 | 1.381 |
| 1977 | HOU | 44 | 180.7 | 13 | 8 | 3.04 | 131 | 101 | 1.212 |
| 1978 | HOU | 35 | 202.7 | 14 | 14 | 3.86 | 95 | 97 | 1.298 |
| 1979 | HOU | 38 | 263.7 | 21 | 11 | 3.00 | 133 | 119 | 1.244 |
| 1980 | HOU | 37 | 256.0 | 20 | 12 | 3.55 | 108 | 127 | 1.355 |
| 1981 | HOU | 24 | 166.0 | 9 | 9 | 2.82 | 127 | 77 | 1.187 |
| 1982 | HOU | 35 | 270.0 | 17 | 12 | 2.47 | 156 | 130 | 1.067 |
| 1983 | HOU | 38 | 263.7 | 15 | 14 | 3.48 | 111 | 152 | 1.286 |
| 1984 | HOU | 38 | 248.3 | 16 | 12 | 3.04 | 125 | 127 | 1.256 |
| 1985 | HOU | 35 | 225.3 | 11 | 13 | 3.83 | 102 | 121 | 1.411 |
| 1986 | NYY | 25 | 125.7 | 9 | 10 | 4.87 | 81 | 59 | 1.607 |
| 1987 | MIN | 27 | 147.0 | 7 | 13 | 5.33 | 80 | 84 | 1.490 |
| 1988 | MIN | 5 | 11.7 | 1 | 1 | 10.03 | 37 | 7 | 2.143 |
| Career | 702 | 3584.1 | 221 | 204 | — | — | 1747 | — | |
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