John Axford vs. Barney Wolfe — Career Comparison

Barney Wolfe 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. Barney Wolfe posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.96 and WHIP 1.142 compared to 3.9 and 1.455 for John Axford. By the career numbers, Barney Wolfe had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.