John Axford vs. Adrian Zabala — Career Comparison

Adrian Zabala 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 5.02 and 1.423 for Adrian Zabala. By the career numbers, John Axford had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.