Tom Acker vs. Art Mahaffey — Career Comparison

Art Mahaffey built a career as a starting pitcher and Tom Acker as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Tom Acker posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.12 and WHIP 1.407 compared to 4.17 and 1.351 for Art Mahaffey. By the career numbers, Tom Acker had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.