Grant Balfour vs. Rube Foster — Career Comparison

Grant Balfour
Gen XAustraliaThrows RightBats RightOceaniaTampa Bay RaysAmerican LeagueRelief PitcherAll-Star
Rube Foster
Lost GenerationOklahomaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaBoston Red SoxAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher

Rube Foster built a career as a starting pitcher and Grant Balfour as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Rube Foster posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.36 and WHIP 1.224 compared to 3.49 and 1.245 for Grant Balfour. By the career numbers, Rube Foster had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Grant Balfour and Rube Foster

Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
12
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
5
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
534
8.91
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
138
1.47
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.02
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
103
1.1
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
30
0.5
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
58
0.62
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
23
0.38
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
33
0.35
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
56.6
56.6
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
63.74
63.74
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.19
0.19
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
74.64
74.64
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
60
0.64
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
15
0.16
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
84
1.4
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.03
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
209
3.49
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
221
2.36
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.49
3.49
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.36
2.36
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.94
2.94
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.84
2.84
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.46
3.46
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.58
3.58
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.209
0.209
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.239
0.239
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
1619
27
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2527
27
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
539.2
9
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
842.1
9
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
406
6.77
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
726
7.76
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6.77
6.77
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.76
7.76
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
47
0.78
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.06
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.78
0.78
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.06
0.06
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.09
0.09
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.04
0.04
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
252
4.2
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
305
3.26
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
14
0.23
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.2
4.2
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.26
3.26
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
571
9.52
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
294
3.14
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9.52
9.52
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.14
3.14
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.07
1.07
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.13
2.13
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.525
1.525
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.711
0.711
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
26
0.43
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
19
0.2
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
0.13
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
29
0.31
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.02
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.01
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2241
37.37
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3372
36.03
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
203
3.39
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
27
0.29
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
215
3.59
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
304
3.25
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.59
3.59
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.25
3.25
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
0.25
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
19
0.32
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
0.52
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.219
1.219
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.224
1.224
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1947
32.47
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3038
32.46
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.4
0.4
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.2
2.2
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.27
0.27
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.263
0.263
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37.37
37.37
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
36.03
36.03

Fielding Stats for Grant Balfour and Rube Foster

Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
12
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
534
8.91
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
139
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.02
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1619
27
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
539.2
9
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
17
0.28
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
71
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
45
0.75
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
244
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1
0.02
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
63
1.05
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
325
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
62
1.03
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
315
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
98.41
98.41
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
96.92
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.116
0.116
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2.266
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.19
0.19
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.05
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Foster
Career
Per 9 Innings
0

Hitting Stats for Grant Balfour and Rube Foster

Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
12
Rube Foster
Career
Per 600 PA
5
5
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
534
160200
Rube Foster
Career
Per 600 PA
150
295.08
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
2
600
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
305
600
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
600
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
270
531.15
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.215
0.215
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.576
0.576
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
58
114.1
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
44
86.56
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
25.57
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.97
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
14
27.54
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.241
0.241
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.004
0.004
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.017
0.017
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
20.1
39.54
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
74
145.57
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
74
145.57
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.259
0.259
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.274
0.274
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.533
0.533
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.059
0.059
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.185
0.185
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.429
0.429
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.271
0.271
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
19
37.38
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
19
37.38
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37
72.79
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.22
-66.4
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
21.42
42.14
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
31.48
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2
600
Rube Foster
Career
Per 600 PAverified
59
116.07
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5.17
5.17
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.27
0.27
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
19
37.38
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.97
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.97
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
Rube Foster
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100