Les Backman vs. Jeff Richardson — Career Comparison

Les Backman built a career as a starting pitcher and Jeff Richardson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jeff Richardson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 0 and WHIP 3.000 compared to 3.61 and 1.453 for Les Backman. By the career numbers, Jeff Richardson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.