Juan Alvarez vs. Jim Elam — Career Comparison

Jim Elam built a career as a starting pitcher and Juan Alvarez as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Juan Alvarez posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.22 and WHIP 1.657 compared to 6.39 and 2.161 for Jim Elam. By the career numbers, Juan Alvarez had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.