Jim Abbott vs. Dike Varney — Career Comparison

Jim Abbott built a career as a starting pitcher and Dike Varney as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Dike Varney posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 6.14 and WHIP 1.773 compared to 20.25 and 3.750 for Jim Abbott. By the career numbers, Dike Varney had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.