Steve Avery vs. Bill Blair — Career Comparison

Steve Avery built a career as a starting pitcher and Bill Blair as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill Blair posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.61 and WHIP 1.194 compared to 4.19 and 1.367 for Steve Avery. By the career numbers, Bill Blair had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.