John Axford vs. Matt Manning — Career Comparison

Matt Manning 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. John Axford posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.9 and WHIP 1.455 compared to 4.43 and 1.287 for Matt Manning. By the career numbers, John Axford had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.