John Axford vs. Rube Wiggins — Career Comparison

Rube Wiggins 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. Rube Wiggins posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.6 and WHIP 1.600 compared to 3.9 and 1.455 for John Axford. By the career numbers, Rube Wiggins had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.