Steve Bailey vs. Hideki Irabu — Career Comparison

Hideki Irabu built a career as a starting pitcher and Steve Bailey as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Steve Bailey posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.88 and WHIP 1.636 compared to 5.15 and 1.411 for Hideki Irabu. By the career numbers, Steve Bailey had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.