Jim Abbott vs. Dale Williams — Career Comparison

Jim Abbott built a career as a starting pitcher and Dale Williams as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Dale Williams posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.23 and WHIP 1.530 compared to 4.25 and 1.451 for Jim Abbott. By the career numbers, Dale Williams had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.