John Axford vs. Jake Boultes — Career Comparison

Jake Boultes built a career as a starting pitcher and John Axford as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jake Boultes posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.96 and WHIP 1.291 compared to 3.9 and 1.455 for John Axford. By the career numbers, Jake Boultes had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.