Ed Appleton vs. John Hobbs — Career Comparison

Ed Appleton built a career as a starting pitcher and John Hobbs as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John Hobbs posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.18 and WHIP 2.118 compared to 3.25 and 1.435 for Ed Appleton. By the career numbers, John Hobbs had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.