Steve Avery vs. Bobby Mathews — Career Comparison

Steve Avery built a career as a starting pitcher and Bobby Mathews as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bobby Mathews posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.86 and WHIP 1.237 compared to 4.19 and 1.367 for Steve Avery. By the career numbers, Bobby Mathews had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.