Luinder Avila vs. Jim Merritt — Career Comparison

Jim Merritt built a career as a starting pitcher and Luinder Avila as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Luinder Avila posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1.29 and WHIP 0.929 compared to 3.65 and 1.237 for Jim Merritt. By the career numbers, Luinder Avila had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.