John Axford vs. Jim Shellenback — Career Comparison

Jim Shellenback 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. Jim Shellenback led in home run suppression (HR9+ 138 vs 93), run prevention (ERA+ 98 vs 89), and walk avoidance (BB%+ 86 vs 81). John Axford held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 110 vs 77). Role difference aside, Jim Shellenback holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.